Sleep Apnea and Parasomnias: Surprising Research Findings

Bysleephealth

A new study from the University of Bergen in Norway, aimed to find out if people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) experience more unusual sleep behaviors (parasomnias) than those without OSA.

What Was the Study About?

Researchers looked at 4,372 patients who were sent to a Norwegian hospital because their doctors thought they might have sleep apnea. About 70% were men, and the average age was 49 years. Everyone took home a portable sleep monitor that measured their breathing during sleep, and they also answered questions about unusual sleep behaviors they might have experienced in the past three months.

What Are Parasomnias?

Parasomnias are strange behaviors that happen during sleep, including:

  • Sleepwalking (walking around while asleep)
  • Sleep-related violence (hitting or kicking during sleep)
  • Sexual acts during sleep
  • Sleep-related eating (eating food while mostly asleep)
  • Nightmares (frightening dreams)

How Common Were These Sleep Behaviors?

Among all patients in the study:

  • 3.3% reported sleepwalking
  • 2.5% reported sleep-related violence
  • 3.1% reported sexual acts during sleep
  • 1.7% reported sleep-related eating
  • 43.8% reported nightmares

Did Sleep Apnea Make These Behaviors More Likely?

Surprisingly, the researchers found that:

  1. The group without sleep apnea actually had the highest overall rates of parasomnias
  2. As sleep apnea got more severe, rates of sleep-related violence and nightmares actually went down
  3. Only sleepwalking was more common in severe sleep apnea compared to mild sleep apnea
  4. After adjusting for factors like age and sex, most parasomnias weren’t related to sleep apnea at all

What Does This Mean for You?

This research challenges what doctors previously thought. The medical community has often believed that sleep apnea triggers parasomnias, but this large study suggests this might not be true in most cases.

If you have strange behaviors during sleep AND symptoms of sleep apnea (like loud snoring or daytime sleepiness), you should still talk to your doctor about both issues. However, this research suggests they might not be as connected as previously thought.

Important Facts About the Study

  • This was a large study with over 4,000 patients
  • Sleep apnea was measured objectively using proper medical equipment (not just self-reports)
  • About 65% of the patients in the study had some level of sleep apnea
  • Researchers took into account other factors like age, gender, marital status, smoking, and alcohol use

This study provides valuable new information that helps doctors better understand the relationship between breathing problems during sleep and unusual sleep behaviors.

Read the full study here.