REM Sleep Disorder

REM sleep disorder, or REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of the normal muscle paralysis that occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. During REM sleep, your brain is highly active, and most vivid dreaming occurs. To prevent you from physically acting out your dreams, your brain typically signals your muscles to be temporarily paralyzed. However, in individuals with REM sleep disorder, this paralysis does not occur, leading to a range of disruptive and potentially dangerous behaviors during REM sleep.

Here are some key points about REM sleep disorder:

1. Symptoms: The most prominent symptom of RBD is the acting out of dreams during REM sleep. This can manifest as talking, yelling, flailing, punching, kicking, or even getting out of bed and moving around. These actions can be violent and potentially harmful to the person with the disorder and their sleep partner.

2. Dream Content: People with RBD often describe their dreams as intense, action-packed, and sometimes frightening. These dreams are vivid and can involve physical activity that corresponds to their dream actions.

3. Prevalence: REM sleep disorder is relatively rare, affecting less than 1% of the general population. It is more common in older adults, and men are more frequently affected than women.

4. Associated Conditions: RBD can sometimes be associated with other neurological conditions, most notably Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. In some cases, RBD may precede the onset of these conditions by several years, serving as an early warning sign.

5. Diagnosis: Diagnosis is typically based on clinical evaluation, sleep history, and polysomnography (a sleep study). Polysomnography can help monitor brain activity, eye movement, muscle activity, and other physiological parameters during sleep to confirm the diagnosis.

6. Treatment: Treatment for RBD often involves addressing the underlying causes, if present. For example, if RBD is associated with a neurodegenerative disorder like Parkinson's disease, managing that condition may help alleviate RBD symptoms. In cases where there is no underlying cause or to manage the symptoms directly, medication such as clonazepam, a medication that suppresses muscle activity during REM sleep, may be prescribed. Safety measures, such as padding the sleep environment and removing potential hazards, are also important to prevent injuries.

7. Prognosis: RBD can be managed effectively with the appropriate treatment, and the prognosis largely depends on whether it is associated with an underlying neurological condition. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent injury and improve the quality of life for individuals with RBD.

It's essential for individuals who suspect they have REM sleep disorder to consult a healthcare professional, as accurate diagnosis and management are crucial for their well-being and the safety of their sleep partners.

[rexiiforsure]

20 years ago before my sleep apnea was diagnosed I do bit off part of my tongue while ‘violently snoring’ ( as my wife told me). She also said I would stop breathing for 40-sec at a time and then gasped for air. I had a heart attack prior to the diagnosis. Fortunately made nearly full recovery from it. The message: do it get checked out for sleep apnea’s if you suspect it

[thumperthumper]

According to my smart watch I haven't had any REM sleep in a month. Strange because I dream vivid dreams .my smart watch records light sleep & Deep sleep and everything else I know of but REM sleep escapes me . seeing a nurse on this subject .plan soon to do a sleep study to determine why . I just know I'm so extremely tired all the time.

[chandanamohanty]

Please, suggest about the treatment. I have 18 years old deases. How l over come the situation

[Yo-yo-dtze]

Iam currently dealing with this have been dealing with sleep disorders for 6+ yrs my environment was toxic due to mold exposure for yrs I was so tired and stressed and just wanted to sleep I was taking Benadryl as a sleep aid which didn’t help me it made it worse I would sleep walk across town in the middle of the night my family never knew and it was dangerous because I could have got killed I still have sleeping issues I track my sleep on Apple Watch and I NEVER reach rem sleep it’s pretty exhausting and it’s making me age iam only 43 I also deal with depression anxiety and ptsd iam under a tremendous amount of stress I never knew I had a sleep disorder I would sleep for a few and then be woke the rest of the night and the cycle continues the most scary part was me sleep walking with my eyes open and other people not even the police knew when he tried to stop me I just kept walking until i reached my destination and passed out when I woke up I was in the hospital and don’t know how I got there the doctors think iam crazy so it’s no help I also was taking antidepressants for mental health issues that made the problem worse 🤦🏽‍♀️😩

[RussellWorkman]

All The Sleep Studies I've Been Through Says I NEVER Reach REM SLEEP !* ? Yet ? "I DO DREAM STILL" But I Notice I Am Conscious Of My Dreams & And Question Them In My

[donuticeymcdicey]

Sleep syndrom and its awful sometimes I forget
If day or not and sometimes I sleep after a few seconds I wakeup

[hanabern]

sir i have a problem, i sleep reall deeply to the point even if people wakes me up i couldnt hear them.

[trogdortheburninator]

I baked two loaves of bread to char, in my sleep. Parasomnia issues blow. I find getting so drunk you don't actually hit rem helps me. It's not for everyone

[emmademamiel]

Lmao I like to call it sleep acting and I woke up punching my bed thinking I was punching the chick in my dream and my uncle has a history of flipping the bed over on his wife thinking the “boat is capsizing “

[aethylwulfeiii]

You forgot one other cause of this, a side effect of medications.

[nflgirl]

i never reach rem 4 different tests and

[kennedymanuel]

i just search it up because i csnt sleep