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Sleep-wake

Sleepwalking and night terrors

Partial awakenings from deep sleep with behaviors such as sleepwalking or episodes of screaming and intense fear, of which the person hardly remembers anything.

Common signs

Walking or talking in sleepScreaming and terror without fully wakingNo memory of it the next day

Tips

For you

  1. Make the surroundings safe (doors, windows, stairs)
  2. Don't try to wake them abruptly
  3. Keep regular sleep times and avoid lack of sleep

For family and friends

  1. Secure doors, windows and stairs
  2. Don't wake them abruptly: guide them back to bed

When to ask for help

  1. If there is a risk of injury
  2. If it starts in adulthood

Test for families

For parents or relatives: answer thinking about the child or person you are worried about, over the last few weeks. There are 8 questions and you get your result straight away. Your answers are not saved or sent.

0 of 8
1. Walks or talks in their sleep
2. Wakes up screaming and very frightened
3. Doesn't recognise the person trying to calm them
4. Doesn't remember it the next day
5. It happens in the first half of the night
6. It happens more when they sleep little or are anxious
7. Has been at risk of hurting themselves
8. It happens several times a month

Free resources

Downloadable PDF sheetSigns, tips and resources to print or saveSpanish Sleep Society: information for patientsFree external resourceFree guide: Childhood and youthFree resource from Clínica Vivaldi

Related disorders

InsomniaSleep-wakeHypersomnolence disorderSleep-wakeNarcolepsySleep-wakeObstructive sleep apnoeaSleep-wake

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Reviewed by María Teresa Fernández Vicente, health psychologist and neuropsychologist (registration no. CV17304), in November 2026. Educational information prepared by the Clínica Vivaldi team based on the DSM-5-TR classification. It does not replace a professional assessment and cannot be used to diagnose.