Adult Night Terrors

I think most women have a fear of rape, or of violent abuse by a man. Therefore I beleive that women have a fear of an unknown man physically or mentally abusing them, and this image may be in the front of their minds for some reason (maybe after watching a t.v show or the news) and it pops up as a night terror figure.

I have one horrible night terror in a car :/ I remember that I was skiing down a mountain, and there was something chasing me. I kept falling over, and it kept shaking my ankles, and getting closer.

Apparently I was screaming a bloodcurdling scream, and in hysterical tears… Apparently dad was shaking my ankle to try and wake me up, but I wouldn’t wake… So I know where the ankle shaking of the terror came from, and we were driving home after skiing for 2 weeks…. I think i was overtired and my brain was exhaused…

But normally in my night terrors I get the feeling that someone is standing over me and im being held down, because I cant move.. It is really scary, i dont scream, i just wake up breatheless and have to turn the lights on to reassure myself im okay…. I think last time it happened I sneaked into my parents room and woke my dad up to check the house. Of course there was noone there, but he checked anyway and sat next to me while i went back to sleep…

Strange how a lot of these night terrors are of men standing over the bed.

It is really odd isnt it BQ, apparently most of them (worldwide) are of a figure, usually a man in the room standing near or over you. It must be a fear that most women have?

I have one horrible night terror in a car :/ I remember that I was skiing down a mountain, and there was something chasing me. I kept falling over, and it kept shaking my ankles, and getting closer.

Apparently I was screaming a bloodcurdling scream, and in hysterical tears… Apparently dad was shaking my ankle to try and wake me up, but I wouldn’t wake… So I know where the ankle shaking of the terror came from, and we were driving home after skiing for 2 weeks…. I think i was overtired and my brain was exhaused…

But normally in my night terrors I get the feeling that someone is standing over me and im being held down, because I cant move.. It is really scary, i dont scream, i just wake up breatheless and have to turn the lights on to reassure myself im okay…. I think last time it happened I sneaked into my parents room and woke my dad up to check the house. Of course there was noone there, but he checked anyway and sat next to me while i went back to sleep…

Strange how a lot of these night terrors are of men standing over the bed.

Oh yeah jpandkt08 I have them all the time, I yell out in my sleep and scream or just start throwing punches. My poor partner always thinks there must be someone in the room, but there never is, it just feels so real to me. He has to literally shake me to wake me up. They are super unpleasant, and I am not sure what causes them???

Hi Neecestar,
Definitely sounds very much like my night terrors. And they do most commonly occur within the first 5 – 55 minutes of sleep (mine usually at 45min mark).
I’ve done a lot of research, and you’ll be happy to know that they are caused 90% of the time by a lack of sleep. I found having a few early nights really helped, and perhaps try listening to something relaxing while you try to go to sleep, helps to keep you calm and make you tired.
I havent had any for a little while now since my last posts which is good, I can usually feel when I’m over-tired so I try to nap during the day if i can.
another cause is PTSD, but you would know personally whether this is the case for you.
Anxiety could contribute to what your terrors are about, but most times its only lack of sleep.

Hope this helps a little…
Kristie

Hi,I wonder if you have found any answers which help? I came across your post as I have recently started researching Night/Sleep terrors as I have vivid dreams,not every night but very often. 2 nights ago my husband awoke to me yelling out NO in my sleep(this happened twice during my sleep, the only reason I know this is because his response was”not again”)that particular day was a very stressful day at work. I also have reguular visions exactly like your night terror, of a figure standing next to my bed. On 2 separate occasions I have awoken while I was pulling the sheets off my bed, the first time my dream was about selling sheets to a customer and the second time my dream, I was stripping my bed.The most common sensation I wake to while dreaming is when i slip or fall in my dream, I will wake as my body has a spasm and I gasp from fright. This usuallyoccurs within the first hr of sleep. I am wondering if possible anxiety relates to my night terrors? x

That must of been so frightening for you. I have never had nor heard of them so I can only imagine how scared you must have been. I hope you find a reason and a solution soon. In the meantime I will be thinking of you and hoping it all goes away.

gosh that was scary just reading it, i can’t sleep when i watch a horror movie!

My hubby suffers from this when he is seriously over tired. I think if you are having them frequently it might be a good idea to seek medical advice. I hope you don’t have another one soon, it must be a terrifying experience.

I have found I tend to have a reoccurring nightmare when like Hooha said I am extremely overtired and another thing that I have also recently worked out brings it on is eating sweet food to close to bed time, chocolate is the worst 🙁

My hubby suffers from this when he is seriously over tired. I think if you are having them frequently it might be a good idea to seek medical advice. I hope you don’t have another one soon, it must be a terrifying experience.