NetWellness Sleep Disorders

Dreaming that I`m Sleeping

Aneesa Das MD — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:11:00 EST

Question: This has happened to me several times especially lately, always when I`m falling asleep. I go to sleep, I think, but my dream is that I`m asleep or trying to go to sleep. I`m in the same position I went to sleep in but I heard voices, or see my kids come into the bedroom. I can force myself to . . .

Answer: This sounds very frustrating for you. Typically, people to not enter into dream sleep until after 90 minutes of sleep or so. However, your description of seeing and hearing things that appear very real at the onset of sleep sounds consistent with what are known as sleep-onset hallucinations or "hypn . . .

Ask an Expert: Aneesa Das MD, Sleep Disorders

Why Do I Hold My Arms in the Air While Asleep

Ziad Shaman MD — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:11:00 EST

Question: I am 39 years-old. Since I can remember, I`ve occasionially woken up somewhere besides my bed, or saw signs that I had moved things in my sleep. I have the occasional night terror. I know that I snore. For the past few years, I`ve also started raising my arms straight up in the air and holding until . . .

Answer:

Your complaint is interesting in that you may have more than one sleep issue going on at present. You describe a history of a night terrors, snoring and sleep-related movements. When dealing with sleep disorders there is often quite a bit of overlap, and people may have more than one disorder at . . .

Ask an Expert: Ziad Shaman MD, Sleep Disorders

Sleep Talking about the French Revolution

Dennis Auckley MD — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:11:00 EST

Question:

Last night I got a bit intoxicated and after I went to bed my husband said I woke up (I was in fact asleep) and was speaking very clearly about the French Revolution. What confuses me is that I don`t know a thing about the French Revolution and when I read up on it I was right about everything I . . .

Answer:

That's a very interesting story. Without further information regarding your sleep habits, sleep history and physical examination, I cannot provide you with a definitive answer to your question. However, I can discuss what we know about sleep talking and thus what is the likely explanation for the . . .

Ask an Expert: Dennis Auckley MD, Sleep Disorders

I Can`t Breathe in Sleep

Rami Khayat MD — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:11:00 EST

Question: In the last few weeks, I woke up with difficulty breathing a few times. It`s usually occer early in the morning although I breastfeed my baby around 1am so it`s probably 2 to 3 hours after I fell asleep. The first time it occered, I woke up with fear that I couldn`t breathe in, but by the time I wok . . .

Answer:

You are reporting episodes of awakening from sleep with a racing heart beat (also known as palpitations), and shortness of breath. One of the episodes was associated with dreaming but also included palpitations. You are now possibly a couple of months after the delivery of your third baby and you . . .

Ask an Expert: Rami Khayat MD, Sleep Disorders

Realistic Nightmares and Unusual Events

Rami Khayat MD — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:11:00 EST

Question: Hi, my nightmares vary from real-like physical pain, to endless riddles, to being violent towords people I don`t know, endless `waking up` in dream into another dream. Sometimes I wake up paralyzed and with taste of sesame in my mouth. When I was a child, things like this happend only . . .

Answer:

Throughout history, dreams were considered as a communication from higher powers or a window to the future. At the turn of the century, dream interpretation and analysis was considered to provide an understanding of the individual personality and tendencies. While none of these notions have been . . .

Ask an Expert: Rami Khayat MD, Sleep Disorders

Sleep and HBP

Dennis Auckley MD — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:11:00 EST

Question: I am 58 years old, take linospiril for HMP. I am having issues with sleeping throughout the night. Is this related to the medication?

I do not have problems falling asleep. What occurs is that I wake up and am wide awake around 1:30/2:00 and end up tossing and turning for about 1 hour.

I e . . .

Answer:

Waking up in the middle of the night and experiencing difficulty getting back to sleep can be troublesome. This is a form of insomnia known as "sleep maintenance insomnia" and may result from a number of varied causes. However, not among those is the medication lisinopril or the class of medicati . . .

Ask an Expert: Dennis Auckley MD, Sleep Disorders

Night Terrors

Ziad Shaman MD — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:09:00 EST

Question: Here is my situation: I have severe PTSD. I do take meds but for last month or so I have been having such bad nightmares that I awake out of a dead sleep and sit up. I don`t remember these things; my husband tells me. I have been crying and shaking in my sleep as w . . .

Answer:

Your complaint is interesting in that you may have more than one sleep issue going on at present. The nightmares you describe likely represent a night terror disorder. However, you describe sleep-related movements as well, and these may represent a second condition altogether. When dealing with s . . .

Ask an Expert: Ziad Shaman MD, Sleep Disorders

Sleep Disorder

Rami Khayat MD — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:09:00 EST

Question: I have a 13 yr history of a sleep disorder that began after a flu like illness in 1997. I have been told that I perhaps had encephalitis that was mild yet enough to damage sleep centers in the brain. I quit searching for a cause or name to what ails me years ago and simply want to feel better.

. . .

Answer:

It sounds as though you have a very complicated and difficult problem on your hands. While I can attempt to begin to address some of your concerns, without a thorough review of your history, medical records and examination, I will not be able to provide you with the answer you seek (namely, to re . . .

Ask an Expert: Rami Khayat MD, Sleep Disorders

Restlessness Due to Vivid, Detailed Dreams

Ziad Shaman MD — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 02:09:00 EST

Question: I go to sleep normally, usually without too much trouble, but 3-4 times a week I wake up feeling exhausted. My dreams are extremely detailed... when i wake up I can recall almost all specifics- people and the clothes they are wearing, specific locations, things people say.... I feel like my brain is . . .

Answer: Your question is very interesting. It describes a combination of three dream-related issues that are mixed together, namely: "Excessive dreaming," "Vivid dreaming," and "Lucid dreaming." "Excessive dreaming" is a feeling that a dream lasts throughout the night, and that dreaming continues for a very . . .

Ask an Expert: Ziad Shaman MD, Sleep Disorders

Hypnagogia??

Dennis Auckley MD — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:09:00 EST

Question: Age 64 female, have sleep apnea, use CPAP with good results. The last 3 months at sleep onset or upon waking I see formed objects with my eyes closed. Usually cartoon characters moving very quickly. Other objects also. Most black and white, sometimes color, sometimes photos I have taken, but mostly . . .

Answer:

Based on the information you provided in your question, it's possible that you may be experiencing sleep-related hallucinations, also known as hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations. However, the episodes of this happening in "dark room" while awake are somewhat atypical and thus, to be sure, . . .

Ask an Expert: Dennis Auckley MD, Sleep Disorders