Sleep disorder
What is parasomnia?
Sleep-related Abnormal Behaviors are a condition involving abnormal body movements, behaviors, emotional changes or cognitive impairment during sleep, which can lower the quality of sleep and adversely affect daily life.
In older adults in particular, it often accompanies neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson's disease, so accurate diagnosis and early treatment of sleep-related abnormal behavior are important.
Symptoms
- 1
- Sleepwalking (somnambulism): the person gets out of bed and walks about or talks during sleep, is hard to wake during these episodes, and does not remember them afterwards.
- 2
- Night Terrors: the person suddenly wakes during sleep, screams loudly or feels intense fear, is confused after waking, and remembers the episode only partially or not at all.
- 3
- REM sleep behavior disorder: the person physically acts out their dreams, which happens because the muscles are activated instead of relaxing during sleep.
- 4
- Sleep paralysis: being conscious but unable to move when falling asleep or waking up, which causes intense anxiety.
Causes
Sleep-related abnormal behaviors can arise from a combination of causes, and the cause may differ depending on the type of symptom. The main causes are as follows.
| Lack of sleep | Chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of these abnormal behaviors. |
|---|---|
| Stress and anxiety | Mental stress or anxiety can trigger or worsen symptoms. |
| Drug or alcohol use | The use of certain medications or alcohol can have an effect. |
| Neurological disease | It may be related to neurological disorders such as Parkinson's Disease. |
Diagnostic methods
- 1
- History taking: interviews with the patient and family identify the pattern and frequency of symptoms, sleep habits and more.
- 2
- Polysomnography: brain waves, muscle activity, breathing and heart rate are measured during sleep to assess the type and cause of the abnormal behavior.
- 3
- Video monitoring: behavior during sleep is recorded on video and analyzed.
At the Epilepsy & Sleep Center of St. Peter's Hospital, we help patients sleep well through accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment.
If parasomnia is troubling you, please consult our specialists.
Appointment with Dr. Hong, Seung Bong, Epilepsy & Sleep Center
If parasomnia is troubling you, please consult our specialists.
Appointment with Dr. Hong, Seung Bong, Epilepsy & Sleep Center
