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What Is A Parasomnia?: Parasomnia Disorder Juanita and Janna English 11B

Parasomnias are abnormal events that occur during sleep like sleepwalking and sleep paralysis. They are often genetic and can be triggered by other sleep disorders, medications, or brain disorders. Parasomnias typically occur when falling asleep or in stages of sleep and can include hallucinations, nightmares, sleep talking, or partial awakenings where the body is paralyzed. While usually harmless, parasomnias can be frightening for the individual. It is best to gently guide someone experiencing a parasomnia back to bed rather than shaking or shouting as that may provoke an aggressive response.

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Juanita Cruz Rico
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29 views2 pages

What Is A Parasomnia?: Parasomnia Disorder Juanita and Janna English 11B

Parasomnias are abnormal events that occur during sleep like sleepwalking and sleep paralysis. They are often genetic and can be triggered by other sleep disorders, medications, or brain disorders. Parasomnias typically occur when falling asleep or in stages of sleep and can include hallucinations, nightmares, sleep talking, or partial awakenings where the body is paralyzed. While usually harmless, parasomnias can be frightening for the individual. It is best to gently guide someone experiencing a parasomnia back to bed rather than shaking or shouting as that may provoke an aggressive response.

Uploaded by

Juanita Cruz Rico
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Parasomnia Disorder

Juanita and Janna


English 11B

What is a parasomnia?
The term “parasomnia” refers to all the abnormal things that can happen to people while
they sleep, apart from sleep apnea. Some examples are sleep-related eating disorder,
sleepwalking, nightmares, sleep paralysis, REM sleep behavior disorder, and sleep
aggression.
We are focusing today in both of them: sleep paralysis and sleepwalking.
When do parasomnias occur?
Parasomnias can occur as a person is falling asleep or at any point in the sleep cycle. If they
occur while falling asleep, a person may experience disturbing hallucinations or sleep
paralysis, which is when the body is unable to move for seconds or minutes. Sleep paralysis
can be quite frightening, especially when it occurs with hallucinations. Other parasomnias
that occur during sleep include nightmares and sleep-related groaning, which can be loud
and prevent a person's bed partner or roommate from sleeping.
What causes a parasomnia?
Parasomnias often run in families and so there is probably a genetic factor in many cases.
Brain disorders may be responsible for some parasomnias, such as many cases of REM
sleep behavior disorder. Parasomnias may also be triggered by other sleep disorders such as
obstructive sleep apnea, and by various medications. It is mostly caused by genetic factors,
mental problems and constant drug intake,
Children are particularly vulnerable because of brain immaturity. The good news is that
they are usually not associated with negative health consequences and disappear as a child
matures.
Should a person be awakened during a parasomnia episode
Trying to awaken a “parasomniac in action” - especially by shaking or shouting - can
sometimes trigger an irritable, aggressive or violent response. Therefore, gently redirect the
person back to bed by guiding him or her by the elbow and speaking softly.
There are no risks by the parasomnia itself, it may be one of them if the person is awakened
aggressively.
Sleep Paralysis: It occurs when your body is still paralyzed but you are already awaken,
when we sleep, in REM phase, our body is completely paralyzed but we are absolutely
conscious. It might last between 1 and 3 minutes, but in some cases it occurs in longer
lapses. Furthermore, it might cause extreme frighten and hallucinations.
Sleepwalking: Sleep-walking or somnambulism occurs when a person comes out of the
deep sleep phase and, without waking up, gets up and walks or performs some activity;
most of these activities are common activities in daily routine, like washing your theet,
cooking, making the bed, driving and even having sex. Most cases of somnambulism are
aggressive or might react violently when they are waken up, the best way of waking them
up is talking them softly and get them back to bed.
Factors that might cause parasomnia:
 Lack of sleep.
 Anti-depressive pills.
 Hard noises.
 Necessities of waking up (going to the bathroom)

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