Parasomnias / Sleep Behaviour Disorders
There are a number of sleep disorders that fall into this category. They are characterized
by physical activity that usually does not occur during sleep.
- REM Behavior Disorder occurs when the mechanism that ensures paralysis during REM
sleep does not operate correctly. Sleepers with this disorder "act out" their dreams
and may injure themselves or their bed partners. This disorder is more common among
older men and responds well to medication.
- Sleep talking is more a nuisance than a danger. People who sleep talk may only say
a few words of gibberish or recite an entire speech. Generally, the condition coincides
with stress or illness, and the sleep talker has no recollection of their nocturnal
speeches. Sleep talking also occurs with sleep terrors and sleep apnea.
- Sleep terrors cause sudden awakenings with violent behavior linked to fear. Screaming
is common and intense physical efforts – to fight or flee – may cause injury to
the sleeper or sleeper's partner. An episode lasts about 15 minutes, during which
the sleeper may seem to be awake, but in the morning the sleeper generally remembers
nothing. Sleep terrors are common in children and typically disappear by adulthood.
- Sleepwalking, like sleep terrors, occurs mostly in children and tends to run in
families. Most people who sleepwalk stop sometime during puberty. These nocturnal
walks tend to occur during delta sleep.
Read about Therapies for Sleep Disorders >>