Top 10 Weirdest Sleep Disorders You Do Not Want

When the mind is stuck between sleep and wakefulness, the body can wander. Though more common in children, sleepwalking can affect adults as a result of stress, alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation or a genetic predisposition. When sleepwalking, a person typically performs simple tasks, like walking or talking, but can also undertake more complex ones, like driving or, in rare cases, murder. Kenneth Parks was acquitted for the 1987 murder of his mother-in-law by using sleepwalking as a defense. Though such an incident is highly unlikely, safety measures are recommended for compulsive sleepwalkers. There are also treatment options available to help minimize the number of episodes.

Do you have an unstoppable urge to move your legs while you’re trying to sleep? Or maybe you have a weird tingling sensation in your leg and the only relief is moving it? Well, you may have restless legs syndrome - a common disorder with causes ranging from a simple iron deficiency to Parkinson’s disease. In some cases, the person is compelled to move both their arms and legs, which can be incredibly uncomfortable. Thankfully, there are a variety of medications available to alleviate the symptoms. The syndrome can also be controlled by treating underlying medical conditions and/or making lifestyle changes.

Imagine being woken by the sound of your child screaming bloody murder. After a few inconsolable minutes of incoherent shrieking, they go back to sleep. But the next morning, the child has no recollection of the event - this is a night terror. While you might feel inclined to hire an exorcist, it’s simply your child transitioning between sleep stages. Though harmless and rarely a sign of anything more serious, night terrors in children may be a sign of stress or fatigue. Then again, they can also be triggered by a full bladder. Usually treatment isn’t necessary unless the sufferer experiences excessive fatigue during the day, or they are a physical risk to themselves and/or others during episodes.

During a normal REM cycle, the human body goes into a state of paralysis, or atonia, so that we don’t physically act out our dreams. With this sleep disorder however, the body fails to go into this paralysed state, and the end result is abnormal movement. These movements range from simple twitches and shouting, to violent movements that can be harmful to one’s self or anyone you might share a bed with. The most common sufferers of RBD are those with a neurodegenerative disorders and the elderly. Thankfully, it can be treated with medication.

Okay, this one sounds a lot worse than it actually is. Rest assured, afflicted heads don’t actually explode. This syndrome actually earned its name from the fact that sufferers hear a loud bang or sound when falling asleep or waking up, which can be accompanied with a flash of light. While the condition is harmless, it’s very unsettling and leads to feelings of fear, confusion, and panic. Some patients describe the noise as being so loud that it feels as though their head is literally exploding. There are a few theories on what causes exploding head syndrome, like stress, and though there’s no official cure, counseling has been shown to be beneficial.

This particular disorder pairs parasomnia, a condition characterized by abnormal movements during sleep, with the act of binge eating. Sufferers may wake up to find an entire tub of ice cream has been emptied or a trail of empty wrappers from of a night of binging that they can’t remember. It can be a harmful condition since it could lead to unhealthy weight gain, diabetes, and/or, in some extreme cases, the consumption of harmful substances. There’s no blanket cure for the condition, but treatment is based on the individual patient and counselling has generally proved helpful.

Yup, you heard that right, SEX-somnia… another odd form of parasomnia, or sleepwalking, in which a person engages in sexual activities without being aware of it. Needless to say this has gotten people in serious trouble over the years, leading to everything from rape charges to unexplained pregnancies. In 2016, a Swedish man accused of rape was cleared of his charge when it was proven that he was actually asleep. Sexsomnia can be triggered by stress, physical contact with a bed partner, and alcohol. Sufferers are instructed to avoid these triggers. In some cases a tranquilizer, such as clonazepam, can be prescribed.

Like a literal waking nightmare, sufferers of this condition wake up unable to move, often with the feeling that they’re being choked. In some cases sufferers can be plagued with terrifying hallucinations or feel as though there is a presence in the room. Though we still have a lot to learn about sleep paralysis, it seemingly occurs when the REM and waking stages of sleep overlap. It is not a physically harmful disorder, but it’s understandably upsetting to those who suffer from it. Thankfully, there are options out there for limiting the frequency of attacks, including antidepressants, and maintaining a healthy sleep schedule.

Also known as Sleeping Beauty syndrome, this neurological disorder sees sufferers experience recurring periods where they sleep up to 21 hours a day, waking only to eat and use the bathroom. These periods can last days or even months. And though this may sound like a dream life, think again - there is such a thing as too much sleep. Sufferers can’t take care of themselves, miss out on school or work, and experience dramatic mood swings and memory loss. In between these periods of hypersomnia, the person acts completely normal until they eventually slip back into this extremely sleepy spell.

Before we reveal our top pick here are a few honorable mentions:
- Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder

- Sleep Apnea

- Sleep State Misperception

For those of you who love to sleep, meet your new biggest fear. Fatal familial insomnia is a rare brain disease where the sufferer gradually loses the ability to sleep and subsequently dies. It’s most commonly passed on genetically, but it’s extremely rare, only found in an estimated 25-40 families worldwide. The disease eats away at the thalamus, which serves as the relay-center of the brain, and controls our sleep cycles. Those afflicted with this hellish disease suffer fluctuations in body temperature, panic attacks, muscle spasms, hallucinations, and mental deterioration. There’s currently no cure and very little relief for those afflicted, who die between 7-36 months after the onset of symptoms.