REM Behavior Disorder

[spider1597]

I've been trying to research sleepwalking, but the symptoms don't seem to match my experiences. For a long time I've risen still asleep. I see hallucinations of people in my room- usually people I'd seen during the day. It's like I'm awake, because I know I'm in my room sitting in bed, but I'm talking to these people I think are around me, afraid of being rude by sleeping. I do remember that it happened unlike sleepwalking cases.

I'm looking for answers now because they are much more frequent than before- almost every night. If anyone has any information or ha experienced this as well, your advice would be greatly appreciated!

[christinaluke]

I was so glad to see that other people are going through this too! I thought I was going crazy! I guess I have been doing this for about 5 years now but it is getting worse. It started when I had kids so most of my "acting" is that my kids are in danger. I can also see things and people, and talk like it is really happening. I tell my husband " don't worry I really am awake this time" I know what I am saying and doing but when he replyies I realize that I am not really awake. I think I sleep with my eyes open because a lot of times my dreams go along with a red light from our smoke alarm and it turns into things like a computer screen and I can see real numbers and everything. The last three years I have started getting a little more violent witch is really starting to scare me. I yell and say really bad words and hit and kick my husband. I wake up breathing so hard and my heart is pounding and being the most scared I have ever been. It is really hard for my husband to understand. Most of the time he calms me down right away but when he is getting hit out of a dead sleep it is hard for him to stay as calm. It is really hard for me to think that I can not control my self and It is so emmbarrassing! I am getting very tired of it and as Im doing research Im thinking that it is only going to get worse. I am looking into accupunture right now because the drugs seem to have worse side effects then what is worth it at this point. So I am hoping to find relief soon and I will keep you posted.

[spider1597]

I am also glad to see that I am not alone with this. Mine are not violent, I only think that people are in my room. Once I thought that there was choir practice being held in my room (which didn't seem odd to me at the time, as it was a dream) and I kept apologizing that I was too tired to sing, I wanted to just go to sleep. Maybe it has something to do with the body waking up but the mind does not, so dreams are projected onto the surroundings because you are looking at them. That has been my theory.

Also, I've been having less of these "awake dreams" recently. I think it is because I have been thinking about it during the day, doing all this research. Perhaps it is like anxiety attacks: once you realize what is happening you become less worried about it so it starts to get better. I've been able to snap myself out of it a few times by trying to remember before I go to sleep that I might see people in my room, but to just go to sleep. Honestly, it sounds crazy, but it was much worse before because I worried about being rude to the dreams by sleeping!

[kayscott]

You might want to investigate descriptions of hynogogic hallucinations. Sounds similar, but if you're actually moving during sleep, then it wouldn't apply. Best of luck.