[livingwith]

I am a 23 yr old female from NZ and I’ve had REM sleep behaviour disorder all my life I believe, although I only just discovered the actual ‘diagnosis’. I’ve always sleep walked, waking up in other beds, and around my room acting out my dreams, like searching through an old wardrobe no longer there due to renovation.
As a young child I would be put to bed, then come downstairs and sit with my parents in the living room like nothing was out of place - it turned out the o...Read the full article

[wow]

Just had to let you know that I can absolutely relate to your story. Most of my "active" dreams involve Spiders! I have a huge phobia of them to begin with, and we see a lot in our home, big ones. I have dreams that they are in bed with me and I wake up screaming, or I scream and jump out of bed, or I scream and literally jump on my husband. I've had vivid dreams as long as I can remember - very, very detailed. And when I dream, even if I don't consider it a nightmare, I consider it violent. For example, I dream of terrorists capturing me and holding me at gunpoint - much more vivid in detail but that's the jist. I've dreamt of being stabbed in the arm and I woke up holding my arm. I often dream of running from something. Most recently I woke up in a blood curdling scream because I thought something even was in the room with me and I was trying to get away from it. I ended up jumping on my husband throwing my pillow around, etc. I don't think I've ever hurt him, but he does have insomia so as in your situation he definitely does not appreciate being woken up by a blood curdlign scream or me jumping out of bed or him having to talk me back into reality. I actually just heard about this disorder on the radio today so I'm facinated that what I have, has a name. I'm very concerned though about the Parkinson's correlations. I also wonder about why I have it - I do drink wine, sometimes a few glasses before going to be, but I dont' seem to have the nightmares when I do drink wine. Actually, I like to drink wine before bed because I don't dream when I drink wine which makes me feel more rested. I've often complained of being tired when I do get 7 or 8 hrs sleep so this seems to make sense now - if while in my REM sleep my muscles aren't shut down then I'm not getting as rested as I could.

Just thought I'd share my experiences because I'm very excited to learn about this.

[Tessie08]

Like you and the other commenter the majority of my active dreams contain spiders. On so many occasions I have partially woken being sure there is a giant spider on the wall behind our bed. I find it so frustrating when my boyfriend tells me there isn't. I haven't ever really hurt him, but I have jumped on him a couple of times.
I actually am in NZ as well. I wondered if you still get them? I have got them since I was really young. Although the spider dreams are really only in my adult life. As a kid I would wake up behind my clothes in my closet, or at the bottom of my ladder to my bunk bed. I also sleep walked a lot as a kid and my parents would just put me back to bed.
I've just heard this pod cast about REM Sleep Disorder and it really does seem to fit. I have always thought that it must have something to do with a part of my brain that shuts down my body. I'm thinking I will talk to a doctor about it, mostly because my boyfriend, like yours has trouble sleeping so often he will have just drifted off and then I will wake him screaming about spiders. Like you though, I worry that NZ doctors won't know enough about it. I'd be curious to talk to you more about this. I'm 25 so we would be about the same age.
Post back if you still visit here.