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Parasomnia Detail

Lifestyle Approach to Remedy Snoring

Sleeping Problems (Home) > More Articles on Sleeping > Parasomnia Detail

Parasomnia

Introduction

The entire spectrum of sleep disorders are collectively known by the generic term Parasomnia. Parasomnia usually occurs during either arousal or partial arousal from sleep. The main symptoms of parasomnia are a feeling of depression and visible signs of stress. The different types of parasomnia disorders call for separate management techniques.

Sleep Walking

This is the potentially most serious sleep disorder. The patient of sleep walking tends to move around on his feet as if he was awake and yet he is actually asleep and not aware of his activities. He does not recall anything once he wakes up. While the patient functions as if he were acting out his dream sequence he is seldom aware of anything. Since he knows nothing, he can easily hurt himself inadverntly. Herein lies the most worrying aspect of the ailment. Sleep walking occurs because of inherited genes, psychological problems, prolonged stress or undue anxiety. The simplest solution is to escort the patient back to bed. But the more serious patients have to be administered medications.

Night Terrors

Night terrors are a sleep disorder wherein the patient experiences uncontrolled fear and panic. He invariably screams and is found gasping for breath in deep sleep. Efforts to wake the patient or to console him are seldom successful. The patient is unable to recall anything from his horror filled dream once he is awake. Continued night terrors sometimes lead to seizures. Most patients are very young children. However, adults who are depressed or abused are often most likely to have night terrors. The patients require deliberate medical attention.

Nightmares

Nightmares occur in a semi sleeping stage or while the patient is actually half awake. He is able to remember some of the terror filled visual images. Young children and depressed or abused adults are most likely to have nightmares. Care, affection and in some cases psychological counseling helps to control nightmares.

	Random Sleeping Tip
If you are going through different clinical conditions and you have to take the medication on a regular basis such as diabetes etc. then you need to make sure that you schedule your medication regimen at such times that just does not disturb your sleep patterns. So it is best that you take your medicines before you go to bed and at the time when you wake up. If your medication regimen is disturbing your sleep wake cycle then you must contact your physician to help you out with that.

Bruxism

Teeth grinding or bruxism is another type of parasomnia. It affects young children but some adults continue to have this problem. In some cases it leads to epilepsy. Parental interaction and counseling invariably helps the patients to overcome their ailment.

Apnea

Apnea is a breathing disorder which begins with something as common as snoring and grows into a major condition like cessation of breathing. The interruption of respiration requires medical intervention.

Hypersomnia

This is a sleep disorder when the patient has a feeling of inadequate or incomplete sleep. This leads to listlessness and all its associated symptoms of lack of attentiveness, tiredness and loss of appetite. It affects adolescents and young adults. The treatment is usually symptomatic but in chronic cases anti depressant may be warranted.

Rhythmtic Movement Disorders

These are disorders which occur in young children which are characterized by banging the head against the pillow. Its possible cause is lack of parental concern or affection and the patient improves once these aspects are abundantly restored.

Confusional Arousals

This occurs in children who are subjected to stress or get inadequate sleep. They then tend to awake abruptly in a condition also known as sleep inertia.

Resume

Parasomnia is a group of sleep disorders. They are all caused basically due to stress and depression but other conditions tend to aggravate them.

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