- Parasomnia in the NREM and REM phases
- Types of parasomnia: sleepwalking (somnambulism)
- Types of parasomnia: intoxication
- Types of parasomnia: night terrors
- Types of parasomnia: bruxism
- Types of parasomnia: REM sleep behavior disorder
- Types of parasomnia: sleep paralysis
- Types of parasomnia: nightmares
Parasomnia is a group of sleep disorders that manifest as involuntary movements and strange behavior during sleep. Common examples of parasomnia are sleepwalking, sleep talking, sleep paralysis, and night terrors. Different types of parasomnia affect from one to several percent of people and most often occur in children and people over 50.
Parasomnia , although it may seem dangerous, it generally does not pose a threat to bystanders or the sleeper himself. In adults, sleep disorders appear episodic and are most often caused by an irregular lifestyle, stress or too little sleep. It is easy to reduce the risk of their occurrence by going to bed at fixed times and remembering to get enough sleep.
Parasomnia in the NREM and REM phases
Parasomnias can occur in the phase of deep sleep NREM (non-rapid eye movement) or REM (rapid eye movement).
Disorders that arise during the NREM stage are associated with incomplete awakening from deep sleep and affect from 1 to 4% of adults. They are more common in children under 8 years of age, in whom deep sleep lasts longer.
Umbrellas occurring during REM sleep affect about 0.5% of the population and are related to dreams. In a he althy person in REM sleep, the nerve communication between the brain and muscles is cut off to release muscle tone. When this does not happen, the dreamer transfers his behavior from sleep to reality - he kicks with his legs, screams, jerks. This type of disorder is more common in people over 50.
Types of parasomnia: sleepwalking (somnambulism)
Sleepwalking is a disorder that occurs in the deep sleep phase. It manifests itself in the form of the most complex, unpredictable behaviors, such as sitting on the bed, getting up, walking around the room, and in extreme cases going outside. A sleepwalker is not aware of what he is doing, he often experiences anxiety and fear. Therefore, a sleepwalker should never be awakened because he may react aggressively to defend himself. Instead, it is advisable to gently hold her down and slowly take her to bed.
Somnambulism rarely occurs in adults - less severe sleepwalking is seen in 4%, and complete sleepwalkingattacks with standing up and walking around the room in only 1%. This ailment more often affects children - it is estimated that as many as 1/3 of them had at least one episode of sleepwalking in their lives.
Types of parasomnia: intoxication
Sleeping intoxication occurs after a sudden awakening from deep sleep. It is characterized by a confusing period of several minutes in which the half-awake person mumbles, reacts incorrectly to questions and commands, and moves erratically. This is typical behavior for children under the age of 5 - then the child fidgets in the crib, cries loudly, and may throw toys. Among adults, sleep intoxication occurs in 4% of cases.
Types of parasomnia: night terrors
Night terrors have the most turbulent course of all types of parasomnia. They usually occur shortly after falling asleep in the NREM phase. The affected person sits down on the bed and suddenly starts screaming, crying, feels strong fear and is hard to calm down. He may react aggressively when he tries to awaken, and may even try to escape. The patient is not fully aware and after a few minutes of attack he does not remember what state he was in.
Night terrors happen to about 1% of adults and 3% of children.
Types of parasomnia: bruxism
Bruxism, or teeth grinding while sleeping, is a disorder diagnosed in 8-10% of the population. If it occurs constantly, it can quickly lead to abrasion of the tooth crowns, cracking of the enamel, loosening of the teeth, and in extreme cases to degenerative changes in the temporomandibular joints.
The causes of bruxism are not fully researched, but the most frequently mentioned are long-term stress and malocclusion.
Types of parasomnia: REM sleep behavior disorder
Sleep disturbances appearing in the second half of the night are associated with a higher frequency of REM sleep. It is the time when dreams occur, and at the same time the muscles are fully relaxed, thanks to which a person dreaming of movement does not move. It happens, however, that the muscles remain tense, which results in various disturbances during sleep - the sleeping person unwittingly waves his legs, arms, kicks, tries to catch non-existent objects. It performs the same movements as in a dream.
If sleep disturbances during REM sleep recur continuously, drug treatment is indicated. It is also recommended that a person suffering from similar symptoms should sleep alone and not have any objects within their reach that could hurt themselves.
Types of parasomnia: sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis, otherwise known as sleep paralysis,it occurs during awakening from sleep, less often during falling asleep. It manifests itself as total or partial inertia of the body which causes severe anxiety and fear. A person suffering from sleep paralysis is incapable of making any movement, cannot make a sound, feels a huge weight on the chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.
In spite of the unpleasant sensations it causes, sleep palsy is not dangerous and disappears on its own after a few minutes. The causes of this disorder include irregular sleep, severe stress, addiction to alcohol and psychoactive substances.
Types of parasomnia: nightmares
Nightmares are a disorder similar to night terrors, but in the case of nightmares, the dreamer experiences them consciously and after waking up remembers them for a long time. According to research, 75% of people who had a nightmare in childhood remember it in adulthood. The most common cause of this type of dream is a traumatic experience or post-traumatic stress disorder. If nightmares continue to recur, psychotherapy is recommended, sometimes in combination with anti-depressants.