Sleep Lab
//Parasomnia

The Parasomnias are disorders that intrude into the sleep process and create disruptive sleep-related events. These behaviors and experiences occur usually while sleeping, and are most often infrequent and mild. They may happen often enough or become so bothersome that medical attention is required.

A parasomnia is any sleep disorder such as sleepwalking, sleep sex, teeth grinding, night terrors, rhythmic movement disorder, REM behaviour disorder, restless leg syndrome, and somniloquy (or sleep talking), characterized by partial arousals during sleep or during transitions between wakefulness and sleep. Parasomnias are often associated with stress and depression, and biological factors may also be involved. Many parasomnias are more common in children than in adults.

Unlike dyssomnias, parasomnias do not involve abnormalities of the mechanisms generating sleep-wake states, nor of the timing of sleep and wakefulness. Rather, parasomnias represent the activation of physiological systems at inappropriate times during the sleep-wake cycle. In particular, these disorders involve activation of the autonomic nervous system, motor system, or cognitive processes during sleep or sleep-wake transitions.

Many parasomnias, such as sleepwalking, are often used as themes in comedy, but can actually have serious consequences. For example, a person with REM behavior disorder, while trying to swing a tennis racket in a dream, can potentially injure their bedmate. People with night terrors can prevent others from sleeping well, as well as waking themselves up. For these reasons, parasomniacs sometimes need medical treatment.

The parasomnias are divided into four groups:

• arousal disorders
• sleep-wake transition disorders
• parasomnias usually associated with REM sleep
• other parasomnias

What are Arousal Disorders?

Arousal disorders are parasomnia disorders presumed to be due to an abnormal arousal mechanism. Forced arousal from sleep can induce episodes. The "classical" arousal disorders are sleepwalking(somnambulism), sleep terrors and confusional arousals. Experts believe the various types of arousal disorders are related and share some characteristics. These arousals occur when a person is in a mixed state of being both asleep and awake, generally coming from the deepest stage of nondreaming sleep. This means a person is awake enough to act out complex behaviors but still asleep and not aware or able to remember these actions.

Treatment:

Acute insomnia is common and easily treated by your primary care practitioner. Insomnia accompanying depression needs psychiatric treatment. Primary insomnia is treated with behavioral management to improve sleep habits and restrict time in bed, or with medicines that work on brain chemicals. Restless legs and PLMs are treated with medicines. Parasomnias are treated with appropriate medicines after accurate diagnosis.