Confusional arousals is a sleep issue which can lead to strange and perplexed conduct in the moments of waking or just after. It might appear as though you don't know your location or what activity you're engaged in. These abnormal behaviors may encompass:
When speaking, it's important to make sure you're speaking slowly and clearly. This ensures that all listeners can understand you. Keep your pace steady so people have time to process what you're saying and keep up with your words. It's also beneficial to pause every now and then, which allows people to digest what you said before continuing on with your message, leads to confused behaviors which often result in confused outcomes.
Poor memory can be a big issue for many people. It can be quite difficult to remember information and it can also be hard to keep track of details. This can have an impact on a person’s ability to remember facts, figures, names and faces.
can lead to misunderstandings and frustration. Answering requests with bluntness can
result in people feeling ignored or unimportant. This can create a situation of hostility or
animosity between people as it may appear that their needs are being overlooked.
When a confusional arousal occurs, you may appear to be awake yet have a disoriented state of mind. Typically, it requires another person to physically wake you up in order to begin the episode.
Sleepwalking, shouting, and teeth-grinding are common occurrences for those suffering from confusional arousals. They may last anywhere from several minutes to a few hours, during which the affected person will likely have no recollection of what happened.
Confusional arousals are classified as a parasomnia - a type of sleep disorder characterised by unwanted events or experiences while transitioning between sleep stages.
Episodes typically appear when transitioning out of the slow-wave or stage N3 sleep which is most frequent in the beginning portion of the night. In some circumstances, these episodes could take place later on in the evening or during a nap during the day.
Occasionally, adults may behave inappropriately, even hostilely or aggressively. This is not typical of people who experience confusional arousals though.
Episodes of confusional arousals in children may seem foreign and alarming to parents. The child can appear to be perplexed and seem not to acknowledge your presence. Trying to comfort them may cause even more confusion, with episodes usually continuing for five to 15 minutes.
In general, confusional arousals in children are not serious. Once a child reaches the age of five, they become less common. Teens who experience them may sleepwalk and those observing these behaviors may be alarmed. However, trying to wake or comfort them can have the opposite effect, making the event longer or even worse.
Risk Factors
Having a family member who has confusional arousals is likely to put you at an increased risk of developing the disorder. Additional contributing factors include:
- Rotating shift work
- Night shift work
- Other sleep disorders
- Not enough sleep
- Stress
- Worry
- Bipolar and depressive disorders
What are the causes?
Potential causes for this disorder include the following:
- Recovery from sleep deprivation
- Alcohol consumption
- Sleep Apnea
- Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
- Psychotropic medication use
- Drug abuse
- Being forced to wake up
Confusional arousals occur at similar frequencies among men and women, with especially high rates found in children and adults under the age of 35. Approximately 17% of youngsters are affected by this disorder, while an estimated 3-4% of adults also experience it.