A growing number of patients are seeking medical attention for disturbing sleep experiences, including vivid nightmares acted out during REM sleep, prompting increased focus on sleep disorders by medical institutions like Seoul National University Hospital and Seoul Asan Hospital.
Sleep disorders are surprisingly common, affecting more than 20% of the population, according to data from Seoul Asan Hospital. These conditions range from difficulty falling asleep to disruptions during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, and unusual behaviors that occur although sleeping. The importance of sleep is underscored by the fact that it occupies approximately one-third of a human life.
Sleep is fundamentally divided into two primary types: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. REM sleep, characterized by heightened brain activity, is crucial for cognitive functions, including memory consolidation and intellectual processing. It’s also the stage of sleep most associated with dreaming. Non-REM sleep, conversely, focuses on physical restoration and recovery. A typical night’s sleep consists of approximately one-quarter REM sleep and the remainder non-REM sleep, cycling through these stages multiple times.
One specific and increasingly recognized sleep disorder is REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). As defined by the Bundang Seoul University Hospital, RBD involves a loss of normal muscle atonia during REM sleep. Normally, the body’s muscles are paralyzed during REM sleep to prevent the physical enactment of dreams. In RBD, this paralysis is incomplete, leading individuals to physically act out their dreams, sometimes with violent movements. This can result in injury to the sleeper or their bed partner. The condition is more prevalent in older men and is often linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease.
Diagnosis of RBD typically involves a sleep study, known as polysomnography (PSG), which monitors brain waves, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rate, and breathing patterns during sleep. The PSG can reveal the abnormal muscle activity characteristic of RBD. According to Bundang Seoul University Hospital, approximately 79-96% of RBD patients experience sleep-related injuries.
Other common sleep disorders include sleep apnea, where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, and insomnia, characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep. Seoul National University Hospital notes that sleep disorders can be associated with conditions like fibromyalgia, depression, and Lyme disease. Sleep fragmentation, or waking up multiple times during the night, is also a frequently reported issue.
The Seoul National University Hospital also identifies a range of related conditions, including sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations (occurring while falling asleep), and sleepwalking. These disorders can significantly impact daily functioning, leading to learning difficulties, reduced productivity, and an increased risk of accidents.
Currently, there is no public statement from the Korean Ministry of Health regarding increased funding for sleep disorder research or treatment. Still, the growing awareness of these conditions and their impact on public health suggests a potential need for expanded resources and specialized clinics, such as the REM Sleep Disorder Clinic at Bundang Seoul University Hospital, to address the increasing demand for diagnosis and care.
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