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This continuing education is designed to give you a comprehensive overview of all aspects of what are called “parasomnias.” We hope you enjoy this course as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
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To define "parasomnias" and distinguish them from other sleep disorders
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To identify and discuss the various abnormal sleep states known as parasomnias
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To explain how parasomnias are diagnosed in a sleep studies laboratory
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To identify and discuss the recommended treatments for parasomnias
What Parasomnias Are and Are Not
We may not know exactly what parasomnias are, but we do know some things about them. All parasomnias occur out of non-REM sleep. They occur during transitions from one sleep stage to another. They usually occur coming out of stage three or four sleep, what is referred to as deep sleep. The person is basically stuck halfway between being asleep and awake. He is neither fully asleep nor fully awake.
Some children sleepwalk or have a sleep terror every night. For other children, it will wax and wane, with “good” weeks and “bad” ones. Every child is different. Some children may have only one episode in their lifetime.
We also know that parasomnias are not any of the following:
Not a nightmare.
Sleep terrors are not nightmares. Your child is not dreaming during these events, although it may look like it. Nightmares occur during REM sleep. Most of REM sleep occurs at the end of the sleep period, usually early in the morning. This means that nightmares are also more likely during the second half of the night. One of the defining characteristics of REM sleep is that you are basically paralyzed. Your eyes move, your heart pumps, and you are able to breathe, but you are not able to move. So you cannot yell, cannot sit up in bed, and definitely cannot walk.
Sleepwalking, confusional arousals, and sleep terrors occur in non-REM sleep when you are not dreaming and are not paralyzed.
Not a psychological problem.
Many parents become worried that sleep terrors and sleepwalking indicate that their child has some serious psychological problem. The children look terrified and frightened. It may appear to some that they are acting out some concern or problem that occurred during daytime hours, but this is not so. Many studies have been done, and the consensus is that parasomnias are not related to psychological problems. The children do not have problems with anxiety and are not depressed, and they are certainly not psychotic or having hallucinations. They are simply stuck halfway between awake and asleep.
Not possessed.
Some parents say that their child looks possessed or is speaking “in tongues.” Obviously, this can’t be true.
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