Parasomnias are unwanted events during sleep. These refer to sleep terrors, sleepwalking, sleep eating, nightmares, and movement during REM sleep. There are few systematic behavioral treatments for these problems and individuals with them often receive little education about self-management. This research examines and evaluates the effectiveness of a 4 week online course providing education and guidance about managing parasomnias. The primary outcomes are improvement in parasomnia frequency and distress. The secondary outcomes are improvements in work and social adjustment, mood, anxiety, stress level, fatigue, sleepiness, insomnia, and cognitive interference.
physician referred for parasomnia
meet criteria for parasomnia on the Structured Clinical Interview for Sleep Disorders (SCISD-R)
age >= 18 years
parasomnia duration >= 6 months
currently taking one of Lithium, Thioridazine, Chlorpromazine, Perphenazine, Methaqualone, Amitriptyline, Selective Serotonin Re-Uptake Inhibitors, Serotonin and Norepinephrine Re-Uptake inhibitors, or Zopiclone
seizure or major neurological disorder
untreated sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or narcolepsy