Nightmares and restless behavior in a dream have more in common than previously thought
Last reviewed: 14.08.2021
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The mystery of dreams has always been occupied by researchers, especially dreaming, which is accompanied by nightmares and restless behavior.
Scientists from the Loyola University Medical Center say that sleep disorders that provoke a person to physical reactions - shouts, falls from the bed, unconscious movements of hands and feet, may have more in common than previously thought.
Violation of behavior during the REM sleep stage is called parasomnia, a condition in which sleep is accompanied by uncontrolled reactions.
The diagnosis of "parasomnia" is put when a person begins to participate in his dreams in real life, that is, he begins active actions on the dream plot in reality. Such violations can be aggressive.
"I do not think that we have precise data on how widespread this phenomenon is," says Dr. Nabil Nasir. "Often patients are silent about this, and doctors are not interested."
Researchers would like to raise the level of awareness of the population about such phenomena, because often such violations can be susceptible to drug treatment. Even if treatment with drugs does not help, patients have the opportunity to get information about how to protect themselves and their partner from getting injured.
Parasomnia can occur during awakening after a sleep phase with rapid eye movement or partial awakening during a sleep phase with a slow eye movement.
A person physically participates in his dreams, where scenes with active movements are played - running, fighting, hunting, repelling an attack. "Often the essence of these dreams is reduced to persecution. About a quarter of respondents named their worst dreams as harassment and escape by escape, "experts say.
As a rule, patients diagnosed with parasomnia are more likely to be found among men aged 60 years or more.
Many patients are struggling with behavioral disorders during sleep with the help of new-generation benzodiazepines.
This is a class of psychoactive substances with sedative, hypnotic and anxiolytic action. The drugs are used to remove and treat the symptoms of mental anxiety, agitation and insomnia. Side effects of the drug are drowsiness during the day, which can pose a threat to drivers of motor vehicles who are undergoing therapy with these drugs.
Also, experts recommend to protect your sleep as much as possible. For example, sleeping on a mattress on the floor, and remove furniture to a safe distance.
"Not always behavioral disorders are caused by parasomnia. In some people, these disorders occur under the influence of alcohol or antidepressants, "says Dr. Nasir.
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