parasomnia
Pronunciation: pair-uh-SOM-nee-uh
Category of sleep disorders involving abnormal behaviors, emotions, perceptions, or physiological events occurring during sleep or sleep transitions.
Full Definition
Parasomnias are a diverse group of sleep disorders characterized by undesirable physical events or experiences that occur during entry into sleep, during sleep, or during arousal from sleep. These disorders can emerge from REM sleep, NREM sleep, or during transitions between sleep states. Examples include sleepwalking, night terrors, REM sleep behavior disorder, and sleep eating disorder. Parasomnias can result in injury to the patient or bed partner and often cause significant distress. Diagnosis typically requires detailed sleep history, sometimes supplemented by polysomnography or video monitoring to capture the abnormal behaviors.
Usage
Usage note: Umbrella term for multiple specific conditions. Specify subtype when possible (REM vs NREM parasomnia).
In Context
- "The sleep medicine clinic specializes in treating various parasomnias including sleepwalking and REM behavior disorder." — Referral letter
- "Video polysomnography was recommended to characterize the patient's parasomnia episodes." — Sleep study order