Definition

Noun: A sleep disorder characterized by episodes of intense fear, screaming, and flailing while asleep, distinct from a typical nightmare as it occurs during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. The experience is often not recalled upon waking.

Usage

The term is a clinical and somewhat formal synonym for sleep terror or night terror. It is used in medical, psychological, and descriptive contexts. * The child's episodes of screaming and panic during the night were diagnosed as pavor nocturnus. * Pavor nocturnus is more common in children and usually happens in the first few hours of sleep.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in contrast to nightmare (which occurs during REM sleep and is usually remembered).
• It can be part of a differential diagnosis in sleep medicine: "The patient's symptoms were consistent with pavor nocturnus rather than a REM sleep behavior disorder."

Variants and Related Words

• Sleep Terror (n): The more common modern term for the same condition.
• Night Terror (n): A common, less clinical synonym.
• Parasomnia (n): A category of sleep disorders that includes pavor nocturnus, sleepwalking, and nightmares.

Synonyms

• Sleep terror
• Night terror

Antonyms

• Peaceful sleep
• Tranquil rest (These are conceptual opposites, not direct clinical antonyms.)

Related Phrases

• Disorder of arousal: A technical description for pavor nocturnus and sleepwalking, indicating they occur during transitions from deep NREM sleep.
• NREM sleep parasomnia: A precise classification for this type of sleep disturbance.

Noun

1. a disorder of sleep characterized by a dream of terrifying dimensions far worse than a typical nightmare; they occur during NREM sleep