Sleep disorders and parasomnias: Anyone else dealing with this?

Hey there,
I think I might have actually found the right term for what’s happening to me.
Basically, I’ve always been a restless sleeper, but lately, my dreams are getting way too vivid—like, they're bleeding into reality. I'll be fast asleep with my eyes wide open, talking in my sleep or tossing and turning like crazy
... It wouldn't be such a huge deal if I hadn't already seriously injured myself twice while dreaming. The first time, I smashed my browbone and ended up needing stitches; the second time, I actually broke my humerus. Last night was another "show," and luckily I walked away okay, though I'm currently covered in bruises on my left side and some scrapes. So, does anyone know what I can do about this? Is there any actual help out there? Has anyone else dealt with this nightmare?

I had no idea that was even a thing. Sounds pretty exciting 🙂

Sarah Ross21 said:I had no idea that was even a thing. Sounds pretty exciting 🙂

Oh, it’s thrilling 🙂! A little less thrilling for the people trying to sleep next to me, though!

I’m calling your bluff. What’s the medical consensus here? Would something light like a low-dose Ambien actually help?

Look, I haven't seen that used in practice, so I'm genuinely curious.

Have you actually sat down with a neurologist yet? There’s a specialized sleep clinic over in Silicon Valley—you should probably just give them a call.

Rebecca Sanders65 said:Greetings,

I hope I’ve managed to land on the right term for this issue that’s been weighing on me—I mean, I'm probably overthinking it, but I guess there's no harm in trying.

So, I’ve been dealing with some pretty restless sleep for quite a while now—it’s become a bit of a recurring issue, I guess. My dreams are incredibly vivid, almost too much so; they tend to bleed into reality in a way that feels... unsettling. Sometimes I’ll be asleep, yet my eyes are actually open, and I find myself talking in my sleep or making these random movements. It's all a bit strange, really.

Everything would be fine if I hadn't already seriously injured myself twice in my dreams—first time I smashed through an arcade machine and ended up needing stitches, and then there was that time I actually broke my humerus. Last night, I had another one of those shows... luckily I came out okay this time, though my left side is pretty bruised and my skin is all scraped up. So now I’m wondering what to do about it—is there any actual help out there? Does anyone else deal with this kind of thing?

I honestly can't wrap my head around what kind of restless movement they’re even talking about that would result in injuries that serious—I mean, I guess it depends on the context, but it seems a bit hyperbolic, doesn't it? Maybe?
I suppose some level of processing is definitely required here—it’s pretty much a necessity, really.

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Try spraying some melatonin rapid under your tongue before you head to bed.
It might not solve everything, but I believe it will help dampen the intensity of those "vivid dreams."

mellowskipper said:I have no idea what kind of "restless movements" could actually cause injuries that severe.
A full investigation is definitely needed.

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I was sleeping on the right side of the bed and dreamed my daughter was leaning out the window about to fall. In the dream, I lunged over the person sleeping on the left side of the bed and, with my full 140 lbs, slammed onto the floor with my right arm outstretched (trying to catch her). Diagnosis: fractured humerus. Then I dreamed I was walking down the street when suddenly walls appeared in front of and behind me, everything went dark, and I felt a mouse tangling around my legs. I screamed and woke up on the floor at the foot of the bed on my knees. My entire left side is covered in bruises and scrapes. As for the third one, I don't remember the dream itself, just that I was back on my knees at the foot of the bed; my husband turned on the light and I found my hand over my eye. When I moved it, I started bleeding.

Walter Thomas18 said:Maybe try using some melatonin sublingual spray right before you hit the sack.
It might not kill the dreams entirely, but I bet it'll take the edge off those "wide awake" vibes.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. Honestly, I sleep pretty well—it's just these crazy vivid dreams that get me.

Sure, but that isn't what a normal dream feels like. Part of your brain stays awake. I'm convinced melatonin would help in this case.
I know from firsthand experience.

Sarah Ross21 said:Just kidding. What's the medical verdict? Like, would something mild like Ambien actually help?

Sorry, I've honestly never heard of anyone using that for this, so I'm genuinely curious.

Have you seen a neurologist yet? There’s a sleep disorder clinic over in Silicon Valley—you should definitely give them a shout!

I haven't seen a doctor and I've never tried Ambien. The thing is, it doesn't happen every single night, just once in a while. It feels a little ridiculous to go to a doctor for it, though I probably should just bite the bullet.
Besides, whenever I tell people what's going on, they usually look at me like I've lost my mind.

Walter Thomas18 said:Yeah, but that isn't actually sleeping. Part of your brain stays wide awake. I honestly think melatonin would help there.
Speaking from experience.

I'll give it a shot! Can you just grab that at a CVS or do you need a prescription?

You can pick them up at any drugstore; no prescription required.
Some have a sweet taste, others a minty flavor... basically, just pop one under your tongue right before you hit the sack.
It isn't a permanent fix—it’s not some magic pill you take for a week or two to cure the issue forever—but it definitely helps while you're using it. I'm confident it'll help you too.

🥱

Walter Thomas18 said:You can grab them at any drugstore; no prescription needed.
Some have a sweet taste, others are minty... anyway, just pop one under your tongue right before you hit the sack.
It’s not some magic bullet or a permanent cure where you take it for a week and suddenly you're fixed forever, but it definitely helps while you're using it. I think it'll do the trick for you too.

Thanks! 🙂!!!

So what, am I the only one left dealing with parasomnia..?!

I can give you my side of the story.

The first episode involved me getting out of bed and throwing everything out of my closet, smashing the closet doors and the bed frame. Then my grandmother walks in asking what on earth is happening, and suddenly I’m standing there, vision blurry, drenched in sweat, with a headache so intense it made me feel physically nauseous.

The second time, I was sleepwalking toward my dad in the living room, telling him we needed to go handle something. I practically ran out of the house in my underwear before he could grab me and pull me back. We ended up wrestling for forty-five minutes, and once again, I woke up with massive nausea and a splitting headache.

The third time, I woke up upstairs in my grandmother's room with that same crushing headache and nausea, only to find EMTs in the house. My relatives were explaining that it had happened again, and they were rushing me to the hospital. They ran all the tests—CT scans, MRIs—everything came back normal. However, they found something minor on the EEG and diagnosed me with epilepsy because I had bitten the inside of my lip and occasionally my tongue.

They put me on Tegretol CR 400, taken once at night before bed.
Even while taking those pills, I wasn't even getting out of bed when the episodes hit, yet I would still wake up every 7 or 8 days with that migraine and nausea.
I tried some alternative treatments, which helped space things out a bit. It went from every 20-25 days to now about every 30 days.

Has anyone else dealt with something similar, and how is this actually treated?

So, my kid got sick in the meantime, which means I’ve officially been pushed to the bottom of the priority list.
Basically, I went to the local Sleep Disorders Center, did a sleep study, a CT scan, and sat through a session with a psychologist. I was also taking Rialtin.
I even joined an R.E.m Facebook group for people dealing with REM sleep behavior disorder.
Just Google RSBD—there's tons of info out there... turns out we aren't alone in this.
The catch is that there seems to be a link between this disorder, Parkinson's, and a few other conditions.
Anyway, that's the long and short of it.
Like I said, I have enough on my plate right now that I barely have time to think about myself.