Ryan's little brother frequently wakes up screaming a few hours after going to bed and complains about a "bear" sitting on him. It is likely that Ryan's brother is experiencing
A) myoclonia.
B) a sleep terror.
C) a nightmare.
D) lucid dreaming.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The description of the little brother waking up screaming and complaining about a "bear" sitting on him is consistent with a sleep terror, which is a type of parasomnia characterized by sudden arousal from slow-wave sleep with intense fear and symptoms such as screaming, sweating, tachycardia, and confusion. Nightmares are vivid and frightening dreams that usually occur during REM sleep, and are not associated with the physical symptoms of a sleep terror. Myoclonia refers to sudden involuntary muscle twitches or jerks, which may occasionally occur during sleep but do not usually cause distress or fear, and lucid dreaming is a state in which the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming and may have some control over the dream content, which does not necessarily involve any physical sensations or movements.

Ryan's Little Brother Frequently Wakes Up Screaming a Few Hours