Verified By Apollo General Physician May 29, 2021
4040During sleep, the brain repeatedly cycles through distinct stages of REM and non-REM sleep in a specific sequence. REM sleep stands for rapid eye movement and is linked with dreams and the body’s reactions and responses to the dreams. Non-REM sleep, on the other hand, stands for non-rapid eye movement and consists of three phases of sleep, from getting drowsy to the period of deep sleep that is needed by an individual to gain the energy for the coming day.
REM sleep lasts for about 90 minutes to 2 hours. You may have intense dreams during REM sleep because your brain is more active. Your muscles get temporarily paralyzed, so you generally do not move during typical REM.
The three stages of non-REM sleep last for about 5-15 minutes each.
According to research, the neural pathways in the brain supposed to prevent muscles from moving are active while dreaming in REM sleep. This inhibits your body, legs, or arms from moving, i.e., result in temporary paralysis. In some cases, the neural pathways and the chemical that keeps your body still don’t serve their purpose. As a result, you might develop disorders like sleepwalking or sleep behavior disorder (RBD).
Once you have a REM sleep behavior disorder, you should seek a doctor’s advice and treatment.
REM sleep is the stage of your sleep when you go through intense dreaming. Nightmares are threatening, upsetting dreams that bother you and are troublesome. These occur more frequently during REM sleep. When you start physically acting out in response to your nightmares, you are on the verge of having REM sleep behavior disorder. Other complications include:
Certain factors associated with REM sleep behavior disorder include:
According to how troubling or major your symptoms are, the doctor will decide whether you need an overnight sleep study.
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Medication can most often treat REM sleep behavior disorder successfully in most cases. One of the most effectively used medicines suggested and used for this condition is Clonazepam. Ingesting this might come with certain side effects like morning sleepiness, concentration problem, and decreased balance.
Your doctor may also prescribe you melatonin (a hormone), a dietary supplement responsible for your sleep/wake cycles. Ingesting melatonin can eliminate these symptoms with time and offer you peaceful sleep. Melatonin brings fewer side effects with it. For a long-term outlook of your sleep health, you should stay aware of other conditions like Parkinson’s disease and keep yourself updated and regularly checked.
When you or your sleeping partner start noticing some behavioral changes in your sleep, start paying attention to whether they are the symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder. Once you mark any such physical or vocal response while asleep, on a regular basis, seek help from your doctor. Some precautions you can take to have safe sleep are:
You might not get repeated episodes of RBD, but one such episode is enough to scare you about the disorder coming your way. It is your body, and you are responsible for taking care of it. Do not neglect any noticeable changes; consult your doctor. REM sleep behavior disorder can be treated easily if you don’t let it increase.
Dreams are reflections of our subconscious mind. They occur during certain stages of sleep. We mostly dream during the REM stage of sleep, where you are less likely to recall your dream.
Research has found that babies should get about 10 hours of sleep for their growth and development. Young adults should target getting about 7-9 hours of sleep for the proper functioning of their body. The elderly (65 and above) should get 7-8 hours of sleep a day.
Sleep talking is a condition one faces if there is a REM sleep behavior disorder. This condition is the prolongation of REM sleep, and one reacts to the dreams. Extreme conditions require a doctor’s consultation.
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March 8, 2023