DEAR DOCTORS: My boyfriend says that lately I’ve been talking in my sleep and sometimes acting out my dreams. One time I actually hit him. He says it may be something called an REM sleep behaviour disorder. This has been kind of scary, and I would like it to stop. Would going to a sleep clinic help?
DEAR READER: Sleep disorders are estimated to affect up to 70 million people living in the US. They include insomnia, which is the most common sleep disorder, restless leg syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy and parasomnias. REM sleep behaviour disorder, also known as RBD, falls into that last category.
The term parasomnia refers to abnormal behaviours that occur during sleep. Sleep talking, sleep paralysis, bed-wetting, repetitive tooth grinding, sleepwalking and nightmare disorder are also considered to be parasomnias.
REM is short for “rapid eye movement”. REM…
