Night Terrors

One thing that I have never written about (maybe because I feel kinda stupid) is that I have night terrors.

Usually it very sparatic and often happens when I am taking naps after little or no sleep the night before.

I guess I didn't really know what was going on until recently when I was watching a thing on the Discovery channel about sleep disorders. I knew what I experienced was a form of sleep paralysis but it was more than that.

"Sleep paralysis:
Inability to move or speak for 30 seconds - 3 minutes
Speech is difficult or almost impossible
Happens before falling asleep or just after waking up
Can be hereditary
Can be brought on by stress

Sleep paralysis is the experience of waking up (usually form a dream) and feeling paralyzed, except for being able to breathe and move the eyes. Hypnogogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis may occur together. These conditions are common in people with narcolepsy but can also effect others, particularly people who are sleep-deprived. Although a pretty terrifying event, these events are not physically harmful. There are two major types of sleep paralysis: common (typical) also known as CSP and hallucinatory (hypnagogic) sleep paralysis known as HSP.


Differences between CSP and HSP.

CSP is common and universal, HSP is rare and seems to be geographically episodic. CSP is only unnerving for the sleeper but HSP is accompanied by a nightmare like hallucination. CSP is of relatively short duration where HSP can last as long as seven or eight minutes. One of the most important differences between Night Terrors and CSP is that CSPs occurs in Stage one of sleep and Night Terrors occur in stage four." - Night Terror Resource Center

Last night was probably the WORST night terror I have every experienced, and that is why I am writting about it. But let me go back for a moment...

My night terrors fall under the HSP catagorey, what happens is that I 'wake up' and I can't move, the room will be slightly hazy, it feels like something is the room and is going to hurt me but I can't see anything. I try to scream and I can't, nor can I move. I struggle for breath and at the same time am trying to wake myself up. It's scary as fuck because you can't move anything except your eyes. I do not sleep on my back (I'm a side sleeper) but everytime this has happened, I am on my back. This only started happening a few years ago. The last time I had an episode like this, it was about a month or two ago and I was taking a nap in my bed in my new apartment. I had three night terrors one after another. I am not sure how much time occured between them but I didn't remember my dreams, only the night terrors.

Also my dad has mild sleep apnia and dad's mom has mild narcolepsy.

Last night, I put the dog outside since she tends to like to sleep outside, covered the bird cage and went to bed. I fell asleep around 11:30... at about 12:50am I woke up to loud chipping noises (like a fire alarm going off) about three in sucession and then it stopped. I was sweating, my heart was racing, and my whole body was shaking. I lay in bed terrified clutching my stuffed rabbit. I tried to fall back asleep but I couldn't... 10 min later my heart is still racing and my body shaking. I leapt of bed, turned on the light and called my dad. I just started crying, I was so scared esp since I am all alone in Jessica's house. I was crying, shaking and sweating... my heart still pounding. My dad calmed me down saying that maybe I imagined it or it could be the battery is dying in the smoke alarm... both are possible. I woke up Fern in the backyard and she came in. After I got off the phone, I lay on the couch for a while and Fern didn't leave my side. It was very calming to have the dog there. I watched some TV and eventually fell asleep but would wake up randomly. Fern tried to get me to feed her at 4am but she doesn't get fed until 6:30 but she thought she'd try anyway. She nuzzled me at 6:30 and I got up to get her breakfast. I went back to the actual bed until 9:30... I couldn't get in that bed till it was light out, I was still so scared.

Even now I am still shaky and scared. It was one of the most terrifying things that happened to me. I am going to talk to my doc about medication or management of it. I know less stress and more sleep would help.

Tonight I am going to try to go to bed early tonight and find some benadryl, also Fern is sleeping inside.