A 76-year-old man tells the nurse at the sleep disorder clinic,"I awaken almost nightly in the midst of violent dreams in which I am defending myself against multiple attackers.Then I realize I have been hitting and kicking my wife.She has bruises." Which health problem is most likely?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The scenario describes REM sleep behavior disorder in which the patient engages in violent and complex behaviors during REM sleep as though acting out his dreams.Older men have a higher incidence of this problem.Sleep paralysis refers to the sudden inability to perform voluntary movement at either sleep onset or awakening from sleep.Bruxism refers to grinding teeth during stage 2 sleep.Night terror disorder occurs as arousal in the first third of the night during non-REM sleep,accompanied by feelings of panic.

A 76-Year-Old Man Tells the Nurse at the Sleep Disorder