parasomnias

Question:

i have just started reading this site and was wondering if any one had been diagnosed with parasomnias…also has anyone heard of rem locked sleep apena or is that just another word for something else lyn

Response:

On 21 Feb 1998 07:58:40 GMT, lynf…@aol.com (Lynfen2) wrote: >i have just started reading this site and was wondering if any one had been >diagnosed with parasomnias…also has anyone heard of rem locked sleep >apena or is that just another word for something else >lyn

I am a sleepwalker….that is a parasomnia!  And, I keep checking this ng to find other sleepwalkers! karyn

Response:

sleep walking – please help

Question:

Can antidepressant or depression/anxiety induce sleep walking? And is it rare for people to perform complex tasks during sleep walking, e.g. such as preparing food or dialing a phone? How can it be cured?

Response:

Hik, Curious, In article <34DCF12F.869BB…@hotmail.com>, curiouscuri…@hotmail.com writes: >Can antidepressant or depression/anxiety induce sleep walking? >And is it rare for people to perform complex tasks during sleep walking, >e.g. such as preparing food or dialing a phone? >How can it be cured?

Anxiety can increase the incidence of sleepwalking, according to what I’ve read.  (I’m a medical writer who writes a lot about sleep disorders, not an expert.)  I don’t know how antidepressants affect parasomnias (which is what sleepwalking is), but many medications have effects on sleep that the prescribing doctor may not be aware of. People may perform complex tasks while sleepwalking.  The problem is that they can also perform dangerous acts and be seriously injured or killed. Sleepwalking responds to medication.  I think you need to talk with a sleep specialist, who knows what to prescribe, before your hurt yourself.   You can find the closest accredited sleep disorders center at <http://www.asda.org> and call for an appointment.  Ask to see whoever on their staff is experienced at treating sleepwalking. Best wishes, Sally in Seattle (JSo…@aol.com) Coauthor, with Dr. Ralph Pascualy, of Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Personal and Family Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment, published in 1996 by Demos Vermande, NY.  Available through bookstores, ISBN # 0-939957-82-5.  

Response:

Sleep Walking

Question:

             I am interested on find a newsgroup on sleepwalking.  Does anyone know of any????

Response:

I don’t know about other newsgroups on sleepwalking, but at http://www1.sympatico.ca/forums/  under the health section you’ll find a forum on sleep disorders, where you can post and reply to messages about sleeepwalking. Hope this helps, Deborah On 21 Sep 1998 12:38:43 GMT, marowdo…@aol.com (MarowDonor) wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->             I am interested on find a newsgroup on sleepwalking.  Does anyone >know of any????

Response:

I’m not sure the original got through, so…. My significant other was a sleep walker as a child. Now in her fifties she is doing it again. While at times humorous, she has taken a couple of bad spills, and is getting afraid to go to sleep. We are both getting worried. Is there any explanation or treatment for this. Anything to avoid? Suggestions are welcome. Dave

Response:

In article <4ikpjd$…@news.gate.net>, farl…@gate.net (David Farley) writes: >My significant other was a sleep walker as a child. Now in her fifties >she is doing it again. While at times humorous, she has taken a couple >of bad spills, and is getting afraid to go to sleep. We are both >getting worried. >Is there any explanation or treatment for this. Anything to avoid? >Suggestions are welcome. >Dave

Hi Dave,     Sleep walking is a very common parasomnia. Up to 12% of children will display this nocturnal behavior and, as they mature, there is a drop out rate of about 2% per year until a new baseline is achieved in adults running about 1.2%.      When a person has a past history of sleep walking which they "outgrew" and then it recurrs, this is frequently a sign that the person’s sleep is being disrupted in a new way, lowering the threshold for having the parasomnia. This new sleep disruption could be anything from stress, anxiety, to a physiologic sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, restless legs, or periodic limb movements. When sleep walking recurrs, look for another underlying cause of sleep disruption. If nothing is obvious, a visit to a sleep center may be helpful.

Response:

David Farley wrote: > I’m not sure the original got through, so…. > My significant other was a sleep walker as a child. Now in her fifties > she is doing it again. While at times humorous, she has taken a couple > of bad spills, and is getting afraid to go to sleep. We are both > getting worried. > Is there any explanation or treatment for this. Anything to avoid? > Suggestions are welcome. > Dave

You can try what I do…..take ~1 tsp of benadryl elixir to aid the sleep process……I don’t know why, but I rarely sleepwalk when I take benedryl. Dan Martin

Response:

Wendy, A good book on sleep problems in children is Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems, by Dr. Richard Ferber.  He’s kind of the world authority on pediatric sleep, and describes several types of "parasomnias" (physical events occuring predominantly during sleep) like the one you describe that are common in children.  Most are not the sign of anything dire, and aren’t at all harmful (unless the child is very active and is in danger of ruunning around and hurting himself). Sometimes parasomnias occur by themselves, and sometimes they are a sign of another sleep disorder that might eventually benefit from treatment.   Also, it’s not uncommon for ADHD children to have disturbed sleep (from what I’ve read — I’m not a sleep expert, but a medical writer who has written quite a lot about sleep disorders, and recently edited an article on ADHD and pediatric sleep).  In fact, there is enough overlap between symptoms of ADHD and symptoms of sleep disorders in children that it’s apparently fairly common for a child with a sleep disorder to mistakenly be diagnosed with ADHD.  If the child is given ritalin, and improves, people often think, "Well, that proves he/she has ADHD."  Not so — anybody will behave more alertly on ritalin. So if your child’s sleep continues to be disturbed, it might not be a bad idea to talk with an accredited sleep specialist about your child.  You can locate the closest board certified sleep specialist through the web sites called The Sleep Well and Sleepnet, by looking for the American Sleep Disorders Assoc. (ASDA) listing of specialists.  If you can locate a sleep doc with a neurological background, all the better, and especially one with some experience in pediatric sleep (scarce). Best wishes, Sally in Seattle JSo…@aol.com Coauthor, with Dr. Ralph Pascualy, of Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Personal and Family Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment, published in 1996 by Demos Vermande, NY.  

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Wendy wrote: > I would be very interested in what anyone knows > about sleep walking,in children. I have a 5 year > old who has ADHD and I believe she sleep walks. > The other night she woke up and came in the living > room,,whinning and sorta moaning,,,I kept asking > her what was worng but she would not responed to > me I told her to go back to bed, kissed her and > off she went…..she layed back down got quiet and > went "back" to sleep. It was a very odd > episode,,,,,it scared me………sound like > anything you all have heard of??????? > Thanks, > Wendy > bjes…@astral.magic.ca (Brian Jessen) wrote:

I have OSA and so participate in this group from time to time. I have a brother who used to walk in his sleep. He even got lost on occasion and peed in the closet. I also have a wife who talks in her sleep and on a few occasions I believe she has walked in her sleep. The interesting thing is that my wife can carry on a halfway intelligent conversation in her sleep. That fortunately breaks down after a while and I finally realize I am not talking to a conscious individual. We often had to lead my brother back to bed in the unconscious state. I say all this to say the range of behavior varies in sleep walkers. Unless it becomes frequent or dangerous I wouldn’t be too concerned. My wife can make her way to the bathroom and back to bed asleep. Don’t ask me how. She has on occasion awaked in the bathroom and wondered how she got there. She has to go down a flight of stairs. My brother also could go down a flight of stairs but he fell down them once. If I were you I would try to keep such obstacles out of her way and see a sleep doctor if it got worse.

Response:

I would be very interested in what anyone knows about sleep walking,in children. I have a 5 year old who has ADHD and I believe she sleep walks. The other night she woke up and came in the living room,,whinning and sorta moaning,,,I kept asking her what was worng but she would not responed to me I told her to go back to bed, kissed her and off she went…..she layed back down got quiet and went "back" to sleep. It was a very odd episode,,,,,it scared me………sound like anything you all have heard of??????? Thanks, Wendy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -bjes…@astral.magic.ca (Brian Jessen) wrote: >In article <5lqgft$…@chile.earthlink.net>, john…@earthlink.net (John >F. Cowan) wrote: >> Is Sleep Walking considered a sleep disorder?  Is this the appropriate >> newsgroup for discussing it? >Yes and yes.  I suffer from sleep walking myself and always scan through >this newsgroup looking for new info.

Response:

Is Sleep Walking considered a sleep disorder?  Is this the appropriate newsgroup for discussing it?

Response:

Johnny, Yes and yes. Sally in Seattle JSo…@aol.com Coauthor, with Dr. Ralph Pascualy, of Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Personal and Family Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment, published in 1996 by Demos Vermande, NY.  

Response:

Information on Sleepwalking for web-site & research

Question:

Hello everyone,      My name is Bryon Quackenbush.  I am in the process of setting up a special web-site for sleep disorders.  To start with, I will be focusing on parasomnias (sleepwalking, sleeptalking, night terrors, etc.)      Being a sleepwalker myself, and helping with a local sleep disorders support group, I have a good amount of experience dealing with the subject, but would also like to include the experience and knowledge of others as well.      If you have had any related experiences in sleepwalking, or other such disorders, that being your personal experience, that of your room-mate, or others, please send me e-mail.  I would like to include as much information from others as possible.      Also, if you are a parent of a child who sleepwalks, I would be interested in hearing any observations, or information you may have to the respects of your childs age compared with the actions and activities that your child preforms while sleepwalking.  We’ll be attempting to look for patterns based on both physical and mental maturity, as well as other factors, which will take a large sample group (such as that of the people on the internet), to help define these.      Any help that anyone can provide me in this area will be greatly appreaciated, not just by myself, but by others who will benifit from the information collected on the site.  Thanks.      Bryon Quackenbush      o…@cris.com

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bryon Quackenbush wrote: > Hello everyone, >      My name is Bryon Quackenbush.  I am in the process of setting up a > special web-site for sleep disorders.  To start with, I will be focusing > on parasomnias (sleepwalking, sleeptalking, night terrors, etc.) >      Being a sleepwalker myself, and helping with a local sleep > disorders support group, I have a good amount of experience dealing with > the subject, but would also like to include the experience and knowledge > of others as well. >      If you have had any related experiences in sleepwalking, or other > such disorders, that being your personal experience, that of your > room-mate, or others, please send me e-mail.  I would like to include as > much information from others as possible. >      Also, if you are a parent of a child who sleepwalks, I would be > interested in hearing any observations, or information you may have to > the respects of your childs age compared with the actions and activities > that your child preforms while sleepwalking.  We’ll be attempting to > look for patterns based on both physical and mental maturity, as well as > other factors, which will take a large sample group (such as that of the > people on the internet), to help define these. >      Any help that anyone can provide me in this area will be greatly > appreaciated, not just by myself, but by others who will benifit from > the information collected on the site.  Thanks. >      Bryon Quackenbush >      o…@cris.com

As I mentioned earlier on this group, I eat when I sleepwalk.  I will give you more info if you want – just eamil me. Lori har…@hg.uleth.ca

Response:

How to treat night terrors?

Question:

    I am schedualed next month for an initial visit to a sleep clinic to evaluate this problem, and have been told that 7 of 10 people are required to do a night in the lab.     It costs $260 for the first visit, and $2,500 for the night!     Is there anyone out there who has been treated for night terrors? Did you have to spend the night?     Any experiences would be helpful. Thanks,  Chris

Response:

Chris, I’m a medical writer who has recently researched the subject of night terrors for an article.  From what I have gathered, it’s sometimes possible to diagnose night terrors and other parasomnias without an overnight sleep study, just from your (and your sleeping partner or family’s) description of the events:  when do they occur during the night, what do they consist of, what exactly is the behavior, what do you remember of the events, etc. If your episodes involve physical activity on your part — getting out of bed, movement — might help to have a videotape of you when you’re experiencing one of these events. From what I have heard and read, it’s possible to treat night terrors very effectively. Best wishes, Sally

Response:

Rocking in the sleep…

Question:

JSoest (jso…@aol.com) wrote:

: Rocking in sleep is a parasomnia.  I’m a medical writer and have just : researched and edited an article on parasomnias for a medical newsletter, : so judge what I’m telling you accordingly. : Parasomnias are physical events (usually undesirable) that occur during : sleep.  Rocking in sleep is a type of parasomnia called a rhythmic : movement disorder.  I don’t know much more about it except that it’s more : common in children but adults do it, too.  It’s not harmful, but may annoy : your sleeping partner.  If you talk with a sleep specialist (find one with : a neurology background), you may learn whether there are medications that : can help to reduce this activity. : Sally  

Response:

Does anyone out there suffer from rocking in your sleep – by this I don’t mean head movements, turning over, etc, I mean ROCKING back and forth violently. (My wife is NOT amused!  :-)   What is this called?  Is there  a cure?  Do YOU suffer from this?  HELLLLP!!! Eric Via =========================================================== Eric & Cindy Via   eric…@why.net Dallas, Texas My Web Page: http://www.why.net/users/ericvia/pershome.html =========================================================== If you’re a cowboy and you’re dragging a guy behind your horse, I bet it would really make you mad if you looked back and the guy was reading a magazine.

Response:

eric…@why.net (Eric Via) wrote: >Does anyone out there suffer from rocking in your sleep – by this I don’t mean >head movements, turning over, etc, I mean ROCKING back and forth violently. >(My wife is NOT amused!  :-) >  What is this called?  Is there  a cure?  Do YOU suffer from this?  HELLLLP!!!

I’ve often wondered if anyone else did it. I don’t know if it has a name or a cure, but am interested also.  

Response:

Rocking in sleep is a parasomnia.  I’m a medical writer and have just researched and edited an article on parasomnias for a medical newsletter, so judge what I’m telling you accordingly. Parasomnias are physical events (usually undesirable) that occur during sleep.  Rocking in sleep is a type of parasomnia called a rhythmic movement disorder.  I don’t know much more about it except that it’s more common in children but adults do it, too.  It’s not harmful, but may annoy your sleeping partner.  If you talk with a sleep specialist (find one with a neurology background), you may learn whether there are medications that can help to reduce this activity. Sally  

Response:

Walking, Talking and Confused

Question:

In my humble opinion (very humble…I’m not a medical pro), this is not just apnea, and none of it is funny. This is not going to get better by itself. You should get him checked by a psychiatrist who is certified in sleep disorders, preferably at a major academic medical center. Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City has a sleep disorders center run by such a psychiatrist. Call (212) 305-1860. They may be able to refer you to a good center nearer your home. Franklin Roth New York City In article <4hglbo$…@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, ppp…@aol.com (PPPIII) wrote:

I’ve found him in some humorous locations (ok they weren’t – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->funny at 2 am but they get funnier over time). >Lately, he is walking, yelling, and fighting with something.  He doesn’t >know where he is, what time of day it is, or who I am.  I beginnng to get >scared.

Response:

Just go the results of his sleep study done in 1991.  He definitely had sleep apnea.  Recommended for CPap right away and consideration for surgery.  He never went back for his follow up appointment. Thanks for all the responses.  I’m beginning to get him to listen.  Maybe soon he’ll even DO something about it. Janice ———————————– Some people see the glass as half full and some as half empty.  My glass must have a hole in it cause half’s gone and it’s only a matter of time til the rest goes.

Response:

Go, Janice!  Hang in there! Sally

Response:

My husband Paul has sleep apnea.  He had it diagnosed at a sleep center but then because he didn’t like the treatment they recommended, he decided they were all quacks and didn’t know what they were talking about.  He has since convinced himself that the sleep center said there was nothing wrong with him.  As the wife that has to move to the sofa because I can’t sleep from either the snoring or the alarm that goes off in my head every time he stops breathing, I know better. He has always sleepwalked.  Used to he was looking for the bathroom or his water glass.  I’ve found him in some humorous locations (ok they weren’t funny at 2 am but they get funnier over time). Lately, he is walking, yelling, and fighting with something.  He doesn’t know where he is, what time of day it is, or who I am.  I beginnng to get scared.  He works with children, and mostly he looking for the kids and can’t find them. Or the kids are late for school ( he’s yelled at our kids to get up and get ready at 3 and 4 am). Is this a sign that his apnea has gotten worse?  Or is it an unrelated problem?  Who should I see for help?  Thanks for your help. Worried and VERY Tired, JP

Response:

Hello, PPPIII, A recent issue of the medical journal, SLEEP (Volume 18, Number 9, 1995), is devoted to the topic of violence in sleep.  I strongly urge you to locate a copy of this journal and read it, and give it to your husband to read.  It could be a lifesaver.  (I am not a sleep expert, but a medical writer, and have just been reading about this subject for an article on violence in sleep that I have been editing.) Violence during sleep is no joke, as you have already suspected.  From what I have read, it sounds as if your husband may be experiencing a parasomnia of some kind — a bona fide sleep disorder.  It could be related to his untreated sleep apnea, or it could be something else.  His safety, and perhaps his life, may be in danger from his activities during sleep.  Parasomnias can be treated with medications and other measures. It is important, for his safety and yours, that he see a sleep specialist again as soon as possible. Several of the articles in SLEEP report on cases of people diagnosed with sleep apnea who, during "confusional arousals", do things like sleepwalk, crash through doors, drive cars, wield weapons, and injure themselves and others.  Several recent trials have involved murders carried out by people during violent parasomnias.  Violent parasomnias are more common in men, and occur particularly under conditions of less than normal amounts of deep non-REM sleep (which is often true of people with untreated sleep apnea) and stress (according to one of the articles in the SLEEP issue referred to above.) You can find the journal SLEEP at a medical school library, or you might ask your sleep specialist if you can borrow his copy of that issue, or ask him to Xerox it for your husband to read.   If you can’t get ahold of these articles, e-mail me and I will FAX you some information. Best wishes, Sally in Seattle JSo…@aol.com  

Response: