Parasomnia

Night Terrors
Sleepwalking: occurs in slow wave sleep. It can include inappropriate behavior such as urinating in closet and these are especially common in children. Sleepwalking can result in falls and injuries. The sleepwalker may return to bed and continue to sleep without waking. During these events sleep talking may be observed. This disorder is more common in children.

Sleep Terrors: are characterized by intense terror during sleep which causes sudden arousal from slow-wave sleep with a piercing scream or cry. The patient usually sits up in bed, is unresponsive to external stimuli and if awakened is disoriented and confused. There is a marked increase in heart and respiratory rate and at times sleep walking. Incoherent vocalizations occur during the episode which mostly the patients do not remember later. Night terrors occur within 1 to 2 hrs of sleep onset when patient is a stage IV sleep.

Nightmares: are described as terrifying dreams, whereas sleep terrors have either no content or only a single image. They occur late during the sleep period, and awaken the sleeper from REM sleep. Nightmare is usually a long complicated dream that becomes very scary and frightening towards the end. Nightmare occurs during later part of the night or early AM during REM sleep.

REM behavior Disorder

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