In night terrors, screaming, running, and flailing occur while you are still asleep. Night terrors, also known as sleep terrors, are usually accompanied by sleepwalking. Similar to sleepwalking, night terrors are regarded as parasomnias – unwanted occurrences during sleep. In general, night terror episodes last from a few seconds to a few minutes, but they can last longer if the episode is severe.

A large number of children suffer from night terrors, and a much smaller number of adults do as well. Night terrors aren’t usually a cause for concern, no matter how frightening they may be. In most cases, night terrors are outgrown by the time a child reaches adolescence.