Parasomnia Treatment, Symptoms & Types: Find the Root Cause

Sleep is one of the absolute necessities in life, but some of us tend to sleep less than others. Over 70-million Americans suffer from sleep disorders, and for many, this may be due to parasomnia. Healthy sleep is a hallmark of a happy lifestyle, and parasomnia treatment could make a major impact on your life.

What is Parasomnia?

All of us have experienced uncontrolled movements during sleep, but not to the degree of parasomnia. Parasomnia definition: A set of sleep disorders caused by dysfunction in the brain and marked by abnormal, uncontrolled and repetitive nighttime movements. Most parasomnia types occur during deep sleep and they are more common in children. Sleep disorder specialists have found some parasomnia during REM sleep may be an early sign of serious illness such as Parkinson’s. In parasomnia, the mind triggers the body to move in various ways. Insomnia treatment is related to parasomnia treatment, as parasomnias cause you to lose an excessive amount of quality sleep.

Parasomnia Types

To treat sleep disorders, six main types of sleep disorders have been identified as well as five types of parasomnias. One of the most common sleep disorders is sleep apnea while the most variety in sleep disorders comes from parasomnias. Your body may experience a range of motor activities due to parasomnia. These types may also overlap where you experience more than one at a time.

1. Sleep Disorders of Arousal

Forced arousal during sleep may cause you to appear awake but in a confused state when speaking, or maybe a mixed state of both asleep and awake where you have not yet begun dreaming.

2. Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking symptoms may include your significant other not being able to wake you while you move, sitting up in bed and possibly leaving the bed, waking up unsure of how you left your bed, an inability to communicate while you appear to get out of bed, or talking and walking while still asleep.

3. Sleep Talking

Sleep talking may happen with one’s eyes open, appearing to others that you are awake, and is typically called confusional arousal. The meaning behind sleep talking is not clear and is typically not as serious as other parasomnias.

4. Sleep-Related Eating

Sleep-related eating can lead to obesity and many additional health concerns. This sleep disorder is strongly related to other sleep disorders, such as sleepwalking or may even be due to chronic pain preventing you from sleeping and turning to eating instead.

5. Sleep Terrors

With sleep terrors, your “fight or flight” response may cause dramatic movements, such as fighting and shouting in your sleep. All parasomnias are complex and may be due to brain abnormalities preventing you from a restful night’s sleep. Therefore, Amen Clinics is unique in conducting brain SPECT imaging for our patients. We believe it is of the utmost importance to view what is happening in the brain to aid in the diagnosis of brain disorders and mental illness. Each patient is evaluated through The Amen Clinics Method starting with your specific biological, psychological, social and spiritual influences. We apply neuropsychological testing, brain SPECT imaging at rest and during concentration, and conduct lab tests when necessary.

Parasomnia Treatment

For all parasomnias, Amen Clinics offers parasomnia treatment tailored to the individual. Our clinics focus on natural therapies first for the least toxic method of treating your parasomnia, and we sometimes recommend medication when necessary. Our goal is to offer you restful sleep without the use of sedatives or sleeping pills. In some cases, the parasomnia may be caused by a seizure, and in others, it could be triggered by sleep apnea. The parasomnia treatment will greatly depend on the individual’s root cause. One of the most common causes of parasomnias is sleep deprivation (quantity or quality of sleep), and this can be corrected by identifying and treating the underlying causes of disrupted sleep/insomnia. Sleep disorder specialists at Amen Clinics have access to many treatments and therapies to help treat your parasomnia. • Sleep cognitive and behavioral coaching • Hormone Replacement Therapy • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy • IV Nutrient Therapy • Neurofeedback • Nutrition Counseling • Psychotherapy • Supplements and Medication • Hypnotherapy To learn more about parasomnia treatment with Amen Clinics, call us now at 888-288-9834 or make an appointment online. See the video below to hear more from Dr. Shane Creado, a sleep disorder specialist at Amen Clinics Chicago.