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, some of them extremely serious, come to the surface.

The strangest sleep disorders

In previous articles we have already discussed the 7 psychological signals that show you need to sleep more and a general introduction to sleep disorders.

Today we are dealing with sleep disorders which, either because of their frequency or their symptoms, are more rare.

1. Sexomnia (sexual sleepwalking)

The sexomnia is a sleep disorder that causes people to experience sexual arousal and even orgasm in their sleep . Some experts consider it a variation of classic sleepwalking. In some cases, sleepwalkers are aware of their behavior before they seek help, but they don’t do anything about it for fear of what people will think of them.

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

2. REM sleep behavior disorder

REM sleep behavior disorder or rapid eye movement behavior disorder of sleep is characterized by the person losing habitual paralysis during REM sleep, causing him/her to act freely while dreaming.

The person with this disorder may behave very violently and in some cases may hurt both himself and the person he shares a bed with. Anticonvulsant or antiepileptic drugs are often given to treat this disorder. However, clonazepam is often prescribed, which, despite being an anti-anxiety drug, has anticonvulsant effects.

3. Sleep bruxism

Sleep bruxism is a disorder that is characterized by the presence of involuntary movements of rhythmic muscular masticatory activity (such as clenching or grinding teeth) and micro-waking phenomena.

This disorder can cause serious dental problems, facial pain or headaches, in addition to serious chronic problems. Many individuals suffering from this disorder are unaware of it and only 5-10% develop symptoms of jaw or head pain.

4. Periodic limb movement disorder

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

Eighty percent of people with Restless Legs Syndrome suffer from the disorder. PLMD can have symptoms in any of the four limbs. Treatment includes anticonvulsant drugs and benzodiazepines.

5. Night terrors

The night terror is a parasomnia of awakening characterized by extreme terror and temporary unconsciousness . Many may think that night terrors are the same as nightmares, but the latter occur entirely within the REM phase of sleep and produce a complete awakening. During night terrors, however, it is almost impossible to awaken the subject.

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

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. Wake-sleep cycle disorder other than 24 hours

This strange disorder consists of a pathology of the circadian rhythm in which the biological clock of the person is not synchronized with the daily cycle of 24 hours , that is to say, that the body of the individual does not recognize the cycle of sleep-wake and. therefore, the person does not manage to adapt to a regular pattern of sleep.

If this disorder is not treated, it causes the person’s sleep-wake cycle to change every day, leading to serious health problems. Research suggests that most blind people, who do not perceive light, may have this disorder, in addition to the sleep problems that characterize it.

7. Sleep Apnea

sleep apnea is characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep . The pause does not last long, and the individual recovers his/her normal breathing with loud snoring. It occurs in the REM phase and switches to light sleep causing the person not to 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 may take years or even decades before it is diagnosed.

8. Kleine-Lane Syndrome

Kleine-Lane syndrome or sleeping beauty syndrome is a rare neurological syndrome characterized by the need for excessive sleep, sometimes up to 20 hours a day . These symptoms are usually accompanied by excessive food intake and sexual desire (hypersexuality), compulsive behaviour 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 sleep. Sometimes, because of the similarity of this disorder with other mood disorders, lithium and carbamazepine may be used.

9. Drowsiness

, noctilali a is a disorder that is characterised by the fact that the person who suffers from it speaks when he or she is asleep . They can speak very loudly, from saying words to saying long sentences, and the people listening may not be able to understand what the person is saying.

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

10. Narcolepsy

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

Narcoleptics wake up feeling clear. It can happen anywhere: the queue at the movies, talking to each other or being out for a walk. These individuals lack slow-wave sleep and go directly into REM sleep. They are usually treated with a drug called Xyrem, which is better known as liquid ecstasy or GHB.