disturbing dreams

Hi Brooks—

It sounds as if you may be experiencing a moderate case of REM Behavior Disorder. When we sleep, our body takes several steps to ensure that we stay asleep through all the activity of dreaming, one of which is to disconnect our muscle tone from receiving the commands for movement that are generated by the brain during dreams. Occasionally though, the commands for movement slip through. This is why you are speaking loudly in your sleep, and in general are finding that your dreams “wake you up.”

I do not believe that switching the position that you are sleeping in—that is, from north to south or from east to west—will make much difference for you with regard to this particular problem. If it is possible you need to see a doctor in China who is familiar with sleep disorders, and receive treatment from her or him. Typically patients who suffer from moderate REM Behavior Disorder are prescribed sleeping pills, which help them sleep through the arousals that are occurring during sleep and which also relax the muscle tone so that physical movement during dreaming sleep is reduced.

If your doctor prescribes an herbal medicine for your sleep that you find effective, please write back and let us know what the herb is. There are many “restless dreamers” in the United States who will want to know.


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