What is parasomnia?
Parasomnias are a category of sleep disorders that involve abnormal movements, behaviors, emotions, perceptions, and dreams that occur while falling asleep, sleeping or during arousal from sleep.
1.Sleep walking
Sleepwalking involves getting up, walking around, moving items or undressing themselves while in sleep. They will also be confused when waking up or opening their eyes during sleep. Some individuals also talk while in their sleep, say meaningless words and even have arguments with people who are not there.
Sleepwalking appears to run in families. Sleep walking is more common in children than adults, and is usually outgrown by the teen years. Isolated incidents of sleepwalking often don't signal any serious problems or require treatment. However, recurrent sleepwalking may suggest an underlying sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea.
Sleepwalking in adults has a higher chance of being confused with or coexisting with other sleep disorders as well as medical conditions. It's important to protect those who have sleep walking from potential injuries related to sleepwalking.
2. Nightmares
Nightmares are vivid nighttime events that can cause feelings of fear, terror and anxiety.
Nightmares can be caused by many factors, including illness, PTSD, stress, excessive alcohol drinking and withdrawal or side effects of medications.
Nightmares are common in children, but can happen at any age, and occasional nightmares usually are nothing to be worried about.
Please contact us if nightmares prevent you from getting a good night's sleep for a prolonged period of time.
3. Confusional Arousals
Confusional arousal is a condition when a personal awakens from a deep sleep during the first part of the night and remains in a confused state. It is characterized by the individual's partial awakening and sitting up to look around. They usually remain in bed and then return to sleep. they have no memory of the arousal the following day. Confusional arousals are not considered dangerous. However, other sleeping disorders may be present and trigger these incomplete arousals.
4. Sleep Terrors (Night Terrors)
Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is a sleep disorder in which you physically act out dramatic and violent dreams during REM sleep, often with vocal sounds and sudden, often violent arm and leg movements during REM sleep.People with this condition move their body or limbs while dreaming.
RBD Usually occurs in men aged 50 and older, but the disorder also can occur in women and in younger people as well.
There is a growing association of chronic RBD with neurodegenerative disorders- Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy or dementia- as an early indicator of these conditions by as much as 10 years. Patients with narcolepsy also are more likely to develop RBD.
If you have any of the symptoms above, please contact us for consultation.
