Hi all, I'm 19 years old and have been sufferining from night terrors for 2 years now. They started to occur every other night and were always about the same thing. My phobia of spiders. I'd wake up (sort of) during the middle of the night and see spiders either in my bed, on my duvet, or one huge spider dangling from my ceiling. When I fully woke up I'd find myself sitting in the corner of my bedroom wrapped in blanket bawling my eyes out. The only thing I could put this down to was stress. I never had night terrors like this as a child and haven't been known to sleep walk. When I moved out of my parents house and in with my boyfriend in our own home the night terrors stopped completely. Recently, they've come back with a vengeance. This time they're about random things. My most recent, and most scariest one, was about murder. Random people were being murderd and I was to blame. Until, I saw my Nan (who died in real life 8 years ago due to alcohol and pneumonia) she seemed to be smiling at me, so I went to hug her as I was thankful to see her, then as I released she hadn't moved at all, her expression changed to a sort of stare/grimace, and my arms were covered in blood, then she dropped to the floor and I then woke up in bed screaming the house down crying my eyes out unable to speak. It was a good 15 minutes before my boyfriend managed to get me to speak but before that I was so hurt, scared, and panicky that I almost gave myself an asthma attack. I'm 19 years old, this is not normal I know that much and I'm way too you to have this sort of stress of not sleeping and coming to work looking like a zombie. If anyone can help me at all I would be so so grateful!
Are you on any medication?
Do you stop breathing in the night, I ask this as this could cause hallucinations.
If you don't know ask your boyfriend to watch while you sleep. I don't mean all night..
Its horrendous I know but you have the support of a lovely boyfriend.
Take time to talk and try to pin point where this began.
Anything happened at this time?
Keep posting xx
Hi Linda,
I've got the blue salbutomol inhaler and red and white symbicort inhaler. The red and white is my daily one but recently I haven't been taking it as my breathing has been really good. I've not had a problem with my asthma until my last night terror. As far as I know, no I don't stop breathing, however he is a very heavy sleep and only wakes up when I jump out of bed or scream. They started again a couple of months ago. I've been under a lot of stress and pressure, financially, personally and work related. So I feel like I can't really get away from it. I do go to the gym regularly and that does help relieve stress however, where I'm not getting enough sleep, once I get home from work I just want to slump on the sofa under a blanket and stay there. So I haven't had the energy to go the gym the last couple of weeks. Last night I had no terrors or dreams. But I feel like I was constantly being woken up by the smallest of noises. And find it very difficult to get back to sleep quickly.
I'll keep you updated on the next few nights, see what happens xx
Can you try and build you pillows up so your head is higher than the rest of your body.
This will keep your airways open.
I have COPD and this helped me.
I was not getting enough oxygen as I usually bent mt head downwards.
Please try this and let me know.
With love Linda x
I can, although I don't find this very comfortable. I sleep with one people so normally lay very flat. Although due to the cold weather I have been curling up into a ball most nights huddled under the duvet. I will give this a go and report back!
Thanks hun xx
Layer some pillows till you feel comfy.
Xxx
Will do, thank you.
So do you think its the lack of oxygen causing night terrors and hallucinations? xx
Its possible.
Your body will automatically re adjust.
Ic you stop breathing , you won't come to
any harm, your body makes you gasp for air and your breathing becomes normal again
Try sleeping with head higher. I think it will help. X
Morning Linda,
I tried sleeping with two pillows to keep myself higher... I still ended up snuggled right under the duvet not laying on any pillows! However, no night terror! Just a rather strange dream. Feeling more alert and energetic today so that's a good sign. I must say I fell asleep reading my book, so I was probably more relaxed last night that I usually am. xx
You poor thing must be quite scary and stressfull , Have you thought maybe it could be stress related ? Did you go to the docs about it , there generally not great for these kinda things , Maybe you should try a yoga class and download some meditations . I sometimes get Insomnia and i find it very stressful not getting the sleep i need i find yoga and meditation help ? Good luck X
Hi Kelley,
Terrifying! Its a vicious circle hun. I'm stressed at work or home, I have a bad night sleep, which causes me to be even more stressed the next day to due to sleep deprivation! I haven't been to my docs yet but not sure what they could do to help? Is it worth seeing a therapist or someone more trained in that specific area to see if they can indentify and resolve why I'm so stressed and having frequent night terrors. I am a member of a gym and they do yoga classes. I'll see what nights they are on and have a go! xx
That's a good sign. I also find myself waking up tucked under the duvet.
It does help even though you are without pillows. You start off on pillows which helps you breathe, this helps relaxation.and helps you get off to sleep on the right foot.
Keep trying and posting.
Xx with love. Linda
I know that feeling of getting more stressed from sleep deprervation i ended up seeing a therapist for my sleep probs def go for it and give the yoga class a go i was always much calmer and slept better on the day i did yoga class ...Im sure you can get to the bottom of this 
I sure hope so! I had an awful nights sleep last night, loud wind and rain banging against the window, so I was awake and kept seeing shadows in my bedroom...literally hid under the duvet and was too scared to sleep 
Yeah i hate it when the weather is wild at night can be a bit disturbing i usually get cosy on the sofa with a good movie or something i have downloaded to keep my mind off fearful thoughts .I recommend a good series so you can watch a few till you drop off
Hi sorry for late replies! Been abolustely manic! Even more stress and pressure on my shoulders now. No night terrors, but I just can't sleep at night. I end up waking up and reading my book at 3am to try wear myself out to sleep. This is getting beyond ridiculous x
Hey Linda,
Still not sleeping properly, night terrors seemed to have weared off a little but still got so much going on that I'm so stressed out. Feel like I'm trying to hold my life up, can't let it go or it'll crash down on top of me. I lie awake at night, or wake up during the night and struggle to get back to sleep. xx
Hey Katie
I have been there with insomnia its awful and it gets worse if youre stressed and tiered , Have you spoke to Doc ? Sleeping pills are definatly not the answer . It does seem that stress is youre no 1 problem if you can reduce the stress in youre life sleep will follow. There is a good book called Effortless sleep programme by Sarah Stevens . She has loads of tips in this book for sleep probs relaxation techinques .I found it very helpful she was an insomniac for 20 yrs can you imagine !!! In the meantime you need to find ways to relax relax relax
It'd be much easier if I had more support in a ll honesty. Don't seem to be getting any! All I get are more problems, its like I'm a mother already looking after a 20 year old child! Pulling my hair out today! And PMSing is NOT helping xx
I'll give that book a go x