Is it possible for a medication or a substance like alcohol or other drugs to cause sleep behaviors (parasomnias)?
You may have heard of people doing funny things under the influence ofAmbien(zolpidem), a medication prescribed to treat insomnia, but are there other potential causes of sleep behaviors? Learn about the relationship between substances andsleepwalking, sleep eating, sleep-driving, and evenREM behavior disorder.
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What Medications Cause Sleep Behaviors?
There are a variety of medications, ranging from antidepressants to Alzheimer’s treatments, that can cause sleep behaviors due to their potential effects on muscle control during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Rather than normalsleep paralysisoccurring, muscle tone is increased and it becomes possible to act dreams out. This can lead to movements and sleep behaviors like hitting, kicking, punching, jumping out of bed, talking, and other activities.
The most commonly used medications that incite muscle tone in REM and REM behavior disorder are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include:
In addition, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) can also cause increased muscle tone in REM and dream-enactment behaviors. TCA medications include:
Other psychiatric prescription medications that can potentially trigger REM behavior disorder include Effexor (venlafaxine) and Remeron (mirtazapine). Though used less frequently due to other side effects, monoamine oxidase inhibitors like Eldepryl (selegiline) may also contribute.
Finally, anticholinesterase inhibitor medications that reduce the breakdown of acetylcholine and are used to treat Alzheimer’s disease can also cause sleep behaviors.These medications include:
There is also evidence that medications called beta-blockers, often used to treat high blood pressure or a fast heart rate (tachycardia), can causesleep-related hallucinations.These prescription medications may include:
Though prescription medications may frequently cause parasomnias as a side effect, they are not the only substances that can provoke these sleep behaviors.
Can Alcohol or Drugs Cause Sleep Behaviors?
Alcohol intoxication may have little role in inciting sleep behaviors, but alcohol withdrawal may provoke these episodes. In addition, there is evidence that withdrawal from illicit substances, including cocaine and amphetamine, may also provoke sleep behaviors. In addition, withdrawal from prescription drugs like barbiturates and meprobamate may also do the same.
Finally, there is evidence that excessive use of caffeine and even chocolate may cause REM behavior disorder.
How to Determine If Behaviors Are Due to a Substance
How do you figure out if a medication or substance that you are using is contributing to sleep-related behaviors? The most important consideration is to examine the timing. Did you start using the substance prior to the onset of the symptoms? Were the behaviors worsened while using it? If the medication or substance is discontinued, do the symptoms or behaviors go away?
In general, it may be necessary to consult with your prescribing physician. If possible, it may be necessary to discontinue the medication to see if the parasomnias resolve.
The misuse of these medications may cause serious accidents or other harm. The same is true for other drugs that may be abused. It is unclear if the same underlying triggers, including genetics, are important for non-REM parasomnias that are related to drug use.
How to Lower Your Risks and When to Get Help
With a thoughtful review of your risk factors, and the discontinuation of potentially contributing medications or substances, you will be able to sleep safely without fear of acting your dreams out in the night.
10 Sources
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