Parasomnias

What is Parasomnias

A disruptive sleep-related disorder that can occur during arousals from rapid eye movement (REM) sleep or arousals from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.

Signs and Symptoms

Undesirable physical or verbal behaviors during sleep, such as sleepwalking, bed-wetting, teeth grinding, frequent nightmares, night terrors, nocturnal seizures or sleep paralysis.

Health Risks

Persistent events can be a serious family problem; a person with parasomnias may exhibit aggressive or dangerous behavior during REM stages of sleep.

Treatment Options

Treatment varies greatly based on the age and severity of the symptoms. Adult patients may take self-protection measures by tethering themselves to bed, using pillow barricades or sleeping in an empty room on a mattress.