Fighting in my sleep

It happened again last night.

It's been happening quite a lot recently.

Pam had to slap me to wake me up, because I was kicking and punching in my sleep and she was afraid she would be hurt.

This behaviour first manifested itself a couple of years ago, but its occurrence is becoming more regular as time goes by - the severity and force of my movements is also slowly increasing.

As you will imagine, I am saddened and ashamed by this involuntary nocturnal behaviour (which is linked to the incredibly lucid dreams that I experience), but I am not sure what to do about it.

I have read that the problems I am having may be linked to Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder, and may be an early sign of Parkinson's disease or Lewy Bodies dementia, and that there is a correlation with a propensity for pareidolia (seeing faces in things - see my recent blog) which I also have.

This is how it usually goes... I am in a dream situation. It is detailed and real, although the reality I am living out will be a novel one - Last night for instance, I was in the Commons chamber of the Houses of Parliament fighting for my life to avoid being choked to death by an attacker who was intent on murdering me!

I awoke when I felt a slap and heard my wife shouting "Pete!" "Stop it!". I instantly realised I had been dreaming, and was able to subside back into sleep almost immediately. Indeed, I had forgotten the incident until Pam reminded me of it this morning. As always, Pam is much more worried about me than she is about herself. I on the other hand am frightened and embarrassed, and am searching for any solution to this slowly worsening situation. Should I see my doctor? To be honest, I don't think they'll be interested. I suppose I'll try and book an appointment though, just to get my worries on record. I realise that this isn't the most constructive blog entry, but it's a record of where I am on my journey and something may resonate with one or two of my readers. I'd dearly like to hear about any similar experiences you might have had.

You can find out a little more about Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder here: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/rapid-eye-movement-sleep-behavior-disorder/print