what stage of sleep do night terrors occur

Night terrors, also known as sleep terrors, occur during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, specifically during the deepest stage of NREM sleep, known as N3 sleep. This stage of sleep is usually early in the night, often before parents bedtime. Night terrors are most common in children, but adults can also suffer from them. During a night terror, the person may flail their limbs, scream, and shout, and the attack typically lasts between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, but they can be substantially longer. Night terrors differ from nightmares in that the dreamer usually stays asleep during a night terror, while in a nightmare, the dreamer may wake up.