Hi Laurel—
Your husband almost definitely has a severe case of sleep apnea, and the sooner he is treated for it—by use of a Nasal CPAP machine—the sooner all these symptoms are going to go away. He is completely exhausted—but the apnea keeps awakening him during sleep—which is what causes his “confusional arousals.” He actually, to me, doesn’t sound as if he has REM Behavior disorder—as he only is awakening from sleep and leaving the bed, as you note, 1-2 times per year.
Step #1 is to get that sleep apnea treated—and pursue therapy for at least a month or so. If he keeps on having strange behaviors during sleep, then you can begin to think about other disorders. But I suspect most if not all of his symptoms are going to resolve with treatment of the apnea. For more information on sleep apnea, please visit the Sleep Disorders section and look under category heading Sleep Apnea.
Please write back if you or your husband have further questions about the use of CPAP for treatment of sleep apnea, or if your husband experiences any difficulties in adapting to the mask and air pressure level. I am excited for your husband to receive treatment for his sleep apnea. It is going to make an enormous difference in the quality of his—and your—life! Don’t delay!
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