Is sleepwalking related to nightmares or night terrors?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Sleepwalking and night terrors are both parasomnias that occur during deep non-REM sleep, which is why they are closely related. Nightmares, however, happen during REM sleep, making them a separate type of sleep disturbance. While all three involve disrupted sleep, only sleepwalking and night terrors share the same underlying sleep stage and mechanisms.

Understanding what's behind your sleep disturbances is the first step toward better rest. Because sleepwalking, night terrors, and nightmares can stem from stress, underlying health conditions, medications, or sleep disorders, identifying the cause matters. Take a free, instant, online symptom check to clarify what may be happening and guide your next steps.

Reviewed for medical accuracy: 07/20/2026

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Explanation

Sleepwalking and night terrors are both sleep disorders that happen during deep sleep, which is different from when nightmares occur. Nightmares usually happen during REM sleep, a lighter sleep stage.

Here are some key points:

Sleepwalking: This happens during deep sleep and involves walking or doing other activities while still asleep.
Night Terrors: These also occur during deep sleep and involve sudden fear, screaming, or thrashing.
Nightmares: These occur during REM sleep, where dreams happen, and can cause you to wake up scared.

While sleepwalking and night terrors might seem similar because they occur in deep sleep, they are different from nightmares, which happen in a different sleep stage. If you're experiencing concerning sleep disturbances or want to better understand your symptoms, take our free AI symptom checker to get personalized health insights.

(References)

Szelenberger W, Niemcewicz S, & Dabrowska AJ. (2005). Sleepwalking and Night Terrors: Psychopathological and .... International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England), 16194798.
Hartman D, Crisp AH, Sedgwick P, & Borrow S. (2001). Is there a dissociative process in sleepwalking and night .... Postgraduate medical journal, 11264487.
Uguccioni G, Golmard JL, de Fontréaux AN, Leu-Semenescu S, Brion A, & Arnulf I. (2013). Fight or flight? Dream content during sleepwalking/sleep .... Sleep medicine, 23601752.

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