Parasomnias in Pregnancy.
Brain Sciences February 18, 2023 Jitka Bušková, Eva Miletínová, Radana Králová et al.
Parasomnias—including sleepwalking, night terrors, vivid dreams, nightmares, and head explosion—increase significantly during pregnancy compared to the three months before pregnancy, then decrease after childbirth. A survey of 325 women found that sleepwalking, night terrors, vivid dreams, nightmares, and head explosion all rose during pregnancy, while sleep paralysis increased after delivery. Participants whose vivid dreams or nightmares persisted after childbirth had higher scores for depression and anxiety. Migraines, chronic pain, and pregnancy complications were also linked to more parasomnia episodes. The authors argue that non-pharmacological approaches should target these sleep disturbances and that clinicians should assess psychiatric and neurological comorbidities, especially in mothers with medical complications.