Sleep disorders and parasomnias are both conditions that disrupt normal sleep patterns and cause distress or impairment. However, there are some key differences between the two:
What are sleep disorders?
Sleep disorders are chronic conditions that make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or get restorative sleep. Some common types of sleep disorders include:
- Insomnia – Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Sleep apnea – Brief pauses in breathing during sleep
- Narcolepsy – Overwhelming daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks
- Restless leg syndrome – Unpleasant tingling or crawling sensations that cause an urge to move the legs
Sleep disorders can have many causes, including underlying medical conditions, mental health issues, medication side effects, or poor sleep habits. Treatment usually involves both medical and behavioral approaches such as CPAP therapy, medications, cognitive behavioral therapy, improved sleep hygiene, etc.
What are parasomnias?
Parasomnias are undesirable physical events or experiences that occur during entry into sleep, within sleep or during arousals from sleep. Some examples of parasomnias include:
- Sleepwalking – Getting up and walking around while asleep
- Sleep terrors – Abruptly waking up frightened or screaming
- REM sleep behavior disorder – Physically acting out vivid dreams
- Sleep eating – Unconsciously eating during sleep
- Sleep talking – Uttering words or sounds while asleep
Parasomnias tend to run in families and occur more often in children, though they can affect adults too. They are generally considered disorders of arousal, meaning they occur during transitions between wakefulness and sleep or between the different sleep stages. Treatment involves medication in some cases but mainly focuses on safety precautions for the patient and their bed partner.
Key Differences
While both sleep disorders and parasomnias disrupt sleep, there are some key differences:
| Sleep Disorders | Parasomnias |
|---|---|
| Chronic, ongoing sleep problems | Intermittent sleep disruptions |
| Cause daytime fatigue and impairment | Do not necessarily cause daytime symptoms |
| Not tied to specific sleep stages | Associated with transitions between sleep stages or arousals |
| Often have underlying medical, mental health, or environmental causes | More likely to have genetic component |
| Treatments target underlying cause and promote sleep | Treatments focus on safety and managing episodes |
In summary, the main differences are:
- Sleep disorders create persistent sleep problems, while parasomnias cause intermittent disruptions.
- Sleep disorders typically cause daytime fatigue, whereas parasomnias may not.
- Sleep disorders can occur at any time during sleep, while parasomnias are associated with certain sleep stages.
- Sleep disorders often have identifiable medical or mental health causes, while parasomnias are more driven by genetics.
- Treatments for sleep disorders aim to resolve the underlying problem, whereas parasomnia treatment focuses on safety and preventing episodes.
Examples of Sleep Disorders vs. Parasomnias
Here are some examples to illustrate the differences:
- Sleep apnea (sleep disorder) – Caused by airway obstruction, results in loud snoring and daytime fatigue. Treated with CPAP machine at night.
- REM sleep behavior disorder (parasomnia) – Acting out dreams during REM sleep. Causes safety risk to patient and bed partner. Treated by securing surroundings.
- Restless leg syndrome (sleep disorder) – Unpleasant leg sensations at night. Causes difficulty falling asleep and daytime tiredness. Treated with medications, leg massages, hot baths.
- Sleepwalking (parasomnia) – Walking or performing activities while asleep. Intermittent and often runs in families. Precautions taken to prevent injury.
- Insomnia (sleep disorder) – Chronic inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Leads to impairment and distress. Cognitive behavioral therapy and sleep hygiene may help.
- Sleep terrors (parasomnia) – Abruptly waking up in terror but not fully conscious. Tend to occur in children during deep sleep. Reassurance and safety precautions provided.
Overlap Between Sleep Disorders and Parasomnias
There can sometimes be overlap between sleep disorders and parasomnias. For example:
- Someone with untreated sleep apnea may experience increased sleepwalking or sleep talking.
- Severe restless leg syndrome can trigger episodes of sleepwalking.
- Insomnia may exacerbate conditions like sleep talking, sleep eating, or teeth grinding (bruxism).
However, the underlying sleep disorder typically needs to be treated first before the parasomnia episodes can be properly addressed. Parasomnias are generally viewed as a secondary symptom or complication of certain sleep disorders in these instances.
When to Seek Help
It’s a good idea to discuss any type of frequent sleep disruptions with your doctor. Signs that could indicate a potential sleep disorder or parasomnia include:
- Loud, frequent snoring
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Waking up confused, sweating, or screaming
- Feeling very tired or sleepy during the day
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep at night
- Episodes of sleepwalking, sleep talking, or other unusual sleep behaviors
A sleep study may be recommended to help diagnose the cause. Based on the results, an appropriate treatment plan can be created. Treating sleep disorders and parasomnias as soon as possible helps prevent complications and improves your overall sleep quality and health.
Conclusion
In summary, sleep disorders create chronic, persistent sleep impairment with identifiable medical or mental health causes. Parasomnias lead to intermittent sleep disruptions tied to transitions between sleep stages or arousals from sleep. While they have overlapping symptoms, sleep disorders require treatment of the root cause, while parasomnias are managed by minimizing episodes. Paying attention to any frequent sleep disruptions and discussing them with your doctor allows for proper diagnosis and treatment to improve sleep and health.