Parasomnias

Parasomnias are undesirable behaviors or experiences that occur either during entry into sleep, within sleep, or awakenings from sleep. It is likely that you or someone you know has experienced a parasomnia at one time. Parasomnia is an umbrella term for a variety of behaviors such as sleep talking, sleepwalking, sleep eating, nightmare disorders, sleep terrors, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD), where the sufferer acts out their dreams. These behaviors usually occur during either the REM phase of sleep, or the non-REM (NREM) phase. Overlaps between REM and NREM parasomnias are possible, though rare.

Some parasomnias are mild disturbances; others can negatively impact your sleep. If you experience intense parasomnias, you may wake up feeling tired, sore, or in some cases you may see the results of your actions during the night. If you suspect parasomnias are affecting your sleep, contact a sleep specialist.