Parasomnias relate to a number of different sleep disorders, not just a single sleep disorder. Parasomnias are considered sleep disorders because they are conditions that affect your ability to get sleep and disrupt your circadian rhythm, leading to sleep deprivation. Some parasomnias will be obvious and easy to identify, others will require a bed partner in order to identify.
The most common parasomnias are:
As we go through the list, see if any of these parasomnias sound familiar.
Sleep terrors, also known as night terrors, are when you partially rouse or fully wake up from sleep in a confused, terrified state, but are unable to articulate why. While this can be disconcerting for the sleeper to wake up this way, it can be particularly scary for the parent or bed partner witnessing the sleep terror.
People who awake from sleep terrors often do not respond to voices, and it can be hard to fully wake them. Some things to be aware of sleep terrors are:
If someone is experiencing a night terror, it’s best to remain calm and to try and wake them gently, as they may be agitated, confused, and scared.
Sleep talking is something we have all heard of, or actually hear our bed partner doing. It’s simply talking in your sleep. Sleep talking can range from brief simple sounds or single words and mumbling, to long speeches by the sleeper.
Most people will make brief, simple sounds, or you may be able to distinguish particular words. It’s less common, though not uncommon, for people to say whole sentences or even give long speeches. Sleep talkers will usually have no memory of their talking in the morning.
Though sleep talking is not disruptive for the sleeper, it can be disruptive for sleep partner.
Like sleep talking, we’ve all heard of sleepwalking. You have likely even heard or been part of funny or scary sleepwalking stories.
Sleepwalking is when you appear to be awake and move around, but you are actually sleeping. Here is pertinent information about sleepwalking:
Like sleep terrors, if someone is sleepwalking it’s best to remain calm and to try and wake them gently because they may become agitated and confused.
Sleep paralysis is exactly what it sounds like: an inability to move your body or limbs. This occurs as you are falling asleep or when you wake up. These episodes can last anywhere from a few seconds to upwards of a couple of minutes. It can be quite scary for the person who is experiencing the episode.
The causes of sleep paralysis are not known, though it seems to run in families. It can be chronic, or only happen once.
Catathrenia is a sleep disorder that involves breath holding and expiratory groaning during sleep. It is not the same as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or somniloquy (sleep talking). The sound is produced during exhalation after holding the breath, whereas OSA is produced by airway obstruction snoring during inhale.
The primary symptom is a bed partner noticing the sleeper take a deep breath, hold it, and then exhale slowly. Often this exhale is accompanied by a high pitched squeak or groaning. This sound may rouse the sleeper throughout the night, leading to sleep deprivation.
REM sleep behavior disorder is likely a parasomnia you haven’t heard of. But if you ever happen to see it in your bed partner or child, you won’t forget it. It occurs mostly in men over 50 years old, though it can occur in women and younger people as well.
RBD is a sleep disorder is where you act out dramatic or violent dreams, such as by moving your body or limbs while dreaming. Unlike sleepwalking and sleep terrors where you don’t remember the episode in the morning, RBD dreams can usually be recalled by sleepers upon waking.
RBD can be a symptom of potentially serious neurological disorders, so if you are potentially experiencing RBD you should seek medical attention right away. Sleep studies will be used to rule out or diagnose RBD.
If you think that you or a loved one may have any of these sleeping disorders, then please click the orange button and take a free online sleep test today!