The 10 strangest sleep disorders

Sleeping is an act that we do every day with total naturalness. But for some people, sleeping becomes a difficult situation, because, during the night, their disorders emerge, some of them extremely serious.

The strangest sleep disorders

In previous articles we already talked about 7 psychological signs that show you should sleep more and on one general introduction to sleep disorders.

Today we deal with sleep pathologies that, either because of their frequency or their symptoms, are more strange.

1. Sexsomnia (sexual sleepwalking)

The sexsomnia is a sleep disorder that causes people experience sexual arousal and even orgasms while they sleep. Some experts consider it a variant of the classic sleepwalking. In some cases, sufferers are aware of their behavior before they seek help, but do nothing about it out of fear of what others will think of them.

This pathology has been confirmed by researchers who have come to make videos of the patients with this disorder, and unusual brain activity has been observed while the events were taking place. acts. Sexsomnia is a serious pathology for those who suffer from it and for their partners.

2. REM sleep behavior disorder

He REM sleep behavior disorder either rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder It is characterized because the person loses the usual paralysis during the REM phase of sleep, causing them to act freely while dreaming.

The person who suffers from this disorder can become very violent and in some cases can hurt both himself and the person with whom he shares the bed. To treat this disorder, anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drugs are often given. Although clonazepam is usually prescribed which, despite being an anxiolytic, has anticonvulsant effects.

3. sleep bruxism

He sleep bruxism is a disorder that It is characterized by the presence of involuntary movements of rhythmic masticatory muscle activity. (such as clenching or grinding teeth) and microarousal phenomena.

This disorder can cause serious dental problems, facial pain, or headache, as well as serious chronic problems. Many individuals suffering from this disorder are unaware of it and only 5-10% develop symptoms of jaw pain or headache.

4. periodic movement disorder of a limb

He periodic movement disorder of a limb (PLMD) is similar to restless legs syndrome, characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move when resting. People often describe the strange sensations as burning limbs or insects crawling up the inside of their legs.

80 percent of people who suffer from restless legs syndrome suffer from this disorder. PLMD can present symptoms in any of the four extremities. Treatment includes anticonvulsant drugs and benzodiazepines.

5. Night terrors

He night terror is an arousal parasomnia characterized by a extreme terror and a temporary inability to regain consciousness. Many may think that night terrors are the same as nightmares, but the latter occur entirely within REM sleep and result in a full awakening. Instead, during night terrors, it is almost impossible to wake the subject.

In fact, when you are awakened, you may continue to experience the dream for 10 to 20 minutes. This disorder can be very detrimental to the subject, who can be traumatized or can seriously injure himself or others.

If you want to go deeper into this topic, in our article “Night terrors: panic during sleep” We explain this sleep disorder in detail.

6. Non-24 hour wake-sleep cycle disorder

This strange disorder consists of a pathology of the circadian rhythm in which the person's biological clock is out of sync with the 24-hour daily cycle, that is, that the individual's body does not recognize the sleep-wake cycle and. therefore, the person is unable to adapt to a regular sleep pattern.

If left untreated, this disorder causes a person's sleep-wake cycle to change each day, leading to serious health problems. Research suggests that most blind people, who do not perceive light, may have this disorder, in addition to having sleep problems that characterize it.

7. Sleep apnea

The Sleep apnea it is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep. The pause does not last long, and the individual resumes his normal breathing with a loud snore. It occurs in the REM phase and goes to a light sleep causing the person to not rest properly.

People who suffer from this disorder are not aware of having breathing problems during sleep, so it is often discovered by people close to them. It can take years and even decades before it is diagnosed.

8. Kleine-Lane syndrome

He Kleine-Lane syndrome or yessleeping beauty syndrome is a rare neurological syndrome characterized by the need for excess sleep, sometimes up to 20 hours a day. These symptoms are often accompanied by excessive food intake and excessive sexual desire (hypersexuality), compulsive behaviors and negligence in personal hygiene.

There is no specific treatment for this disorder, but stimulant drugs such as amphetamines or methylphenidate are often used to treat excessive sleepiness. Sometimes, due to the similarity of this disorder with other mood disorders, lithium and carbamazepine can be used.

9. somniloquy

The somniloquy, noctilalia is a disorder that It is characterized by the fact that the person who suffers from it talks when they are asleep.. They may speak very loudly, from saying words to saying long sentences, and people listening may not be able to understand what the person is saying.

Although sleep talking is very common, chronic somniloquy in adults is considered a sleep disorder. sleepiness and is believed to be caused by prolonged exposure to stress, physical and mental exhaustion, or high levels of stress.

10. narcolepsy

The narcolepsy It is a disorder characterized by the person suffering from this psychopathology has sudden episodes of sleep during waking hours, and they can fall asleep for 2-5 minutes anywhere.

Narcoleptics wake up feeling lightheaded. It can happen anywhere: in line at the cinema, talking to oo, or while out for a walk. These individuals lack slow wave sleep and go directly into REM sleep. For its treatment, a medicine called Xyrem, which is better known as liquid ecstasy or GHB.