ABSTRACT
Parasomnias are undesirable, intermittent motor or sensory phenomena occurring at sleep onset, during sleep, or after arousal. They range from simple visual imagery at sleep onset to complex and coordinated motor activity, such as running and punching. Parasomnias can be terrifying to the patient or an observer and in the past were often ascribed to supernatural forces. Motor activity associated with parasomnias is generally complex, quasi-purposeful, and nonstereotyped, although patients are not aware of the events. Parasomnias are classified according to the state of sleep from which they arise: disorders of arousal from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, parasomnias usually associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and other parasomnias (Table 15.1).
