Parasomnia

Emory Sleep Center has received accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Our center features board-certified physicians, a complete array of diagnostic services, and the most up-to-date, evidence-based sleep therapies.

We’ll evaluate your symptoms and develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs. With the right diagnosis and the right therapy, we can lessen sleep disruptions and help you sleep easier.

A parasomnia is an unwanted experience that may happen during sleep, when you’re falling asleep or when you wake up. There are a variety of parasomnias, some more serious than others.

We classify most parasomnias by the phase of sleep in which they occur. Non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) occurs early in the sleep cycle. Rapid eye movement sleep (REM) happens about 90 minutes into sleep and involves more brain activity than NREM sleep.

Some parasomnias can occur during any sleep stage or when you start to fall asleep or awaken.

Some NREM parasomnias include:

• Confusional arousals, which are more common in children, but adults may get them, too. They cause you to awaken very confused.
• Night terrors, sometimes known as sleep terrors, which cause you to abruptly wake up feeling terrified and often, inconsolable. They may be brief or last more than 30 minutes. You typically do not remember when you have a night terror. People of any age can experience night terrors, but they are most common in early childhood.
• Sleepwalking, which causes you to get out of bed and do things as if you were awake, even though you’re not. It can be dangerous. For example, you might walk outside not dressed for frigid weather or drive off in your car.

Some REM parasomnias include:

• Nightmares, which are similar to night terrors, but less intense. People usually remember nightmares. Nightmare disorder occurs in people who have frequent nightmares that affect their mental health and ability to function.
• REM sleep behavior disorder, which causes you to act out your dreams. For example, you might speak, gesture, kick or moan during sleep.
• Sleep paralysis, which briefly makes it impossible to speak or move. It can be quite frightening and may also cause hallucinations.

Not all parasomnias link to REM or NREM sleep. Some of these include:

• Bedwetting that happens two or more times a week in people older than age five may be a parasomnia.
• Exploding head syndrome, which is a condition that causes you to hear a loud noise as you fall asleep or awaken. Or you could experience a flash of light.
• Sleep-related hallucinations that cause you to feel, see or hear things that aren’t there.

Symptoms vary based on the parasomnia. You can find specific symptoms for each type described above. Some common general symptoms include:

• Concerns expressed by others about your sleep actions or behaviors
• Confusion upon awakening
• Daytime fatigue
• Injuries on your body that you can’t explain
• Trouble sleeping through the night

Many things may contribute to parasomnias. These include:

• Certain medications
• Genetics
• Lack of sleep
• Mental health conditions
• Neurological disorders
• Other sleep disorders
• Stress

Addressing factors we can change may help us improve parasomnias. However, we don’t always know what causes these conditions.

To diagnose a parasomnia, we will talk with you about your symptoms, medical and family history, and lifestyle. We may ask to involve your sleep partner in these conversations.

Sometimes, a sleep diary, which tracks information about your sleep and sleep habits, is helpful. A sleep study allows us to monitor your sleep and may also provide useful insight