Parasomnia

Types of parasomnia

Rhythmic movement disorders

• What? Head banging, body rocking
• When and in whom? Especially at sleep onset, mostly in young children.
• These movements go away spontaneously.

Night terrors

• What? Sudden awakening, sitting up, loud scream and signs of intense fear.
• When and in whom? Mainly in the first part of the night, almost exclusively in children
• Your child usually doesn’t respond when spoken to. The next day, your child will likely not remember anything.

Nightmares

• What? Dreams with frightening content
• When? Typically in the middle or end of the night, unlike night terrors.

Sleepwalking

• When? Mostly in the first part of the night.
• In whom? Up to age 12, sleepwalking is a normal and harmless phenomenon that disappears spontaneously. In adults, it may be caused by stress or sleep deprivation.
• The sleepwalker does not remember their night-time walk.

Talking in your sleep

• This is common and normally does not require any further investigation.

Teeth grinding

• What? Your jaws make grinding movements and your teeth rub forcefully against each other.
• In whom? Chronic condition affecting around 5% of the population.
• The cause of teeth grinding is often stress. Relaxation exercises may help. You can also wear special mouthguards. Consult your dentist for this.

Sleep start

• What? Sudden body movements while falling asleep, often with the feeling of falling into a hole.
• This is a harmless and common phenomenon, in both children and adults. This muscle jerk is a sign that we are relaxing and getting ready to sleep. Muscles have reflexes. When we suddenly relax during sleep onset, the body reacts with a reflex by tensing up again.

REM-related behavioural disorder

• What? Vivid dreams during REM sleep in which you are attacked, often triggering very aggressive movements. You may injure yourself and/or your bed partner.
• In whom? This is most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged or older men.
• This disorder is serious and rare. Specific medication can usually help manage it partially.