HOUSTON — Acting out your dreams -- like running in bed as your dream self tries to escape an attacker -- can be indicative of health issues, including Parkinson’s disease.
When we go into deep sleep, called REM sleep, our bodies have a system to induce temporary paralysis. But some people can develop a disorder called REM sleep behavior disorder where that paralysis does not happen. It can result in violent leg and arm movements as your body acts out your dream.
This disorder can be a sign of multiple health issues including severe obstructive sleep apnea. That’s when you abruptly stop breathing throughout the night. It has also been documented in people with PTSD, according to The Washington Post.
But one of the biggest links is with Parkinson’s disease. People with this sleep disorder, when it occurs spontaneously without any other health problems, have 130 times greater likelihood of developing Parkinson’s. It can be one of the first hints that you will develop the disease.
One researcher told the post that 80 percent of people with this sleep disorder develop Parkinson’s 15 to 20 years later.