Sleep disorder that makes lecturer violent

[talkhealth]

Linda Howley explains what it is like living with her Jekyll and Hyde husband who by day is a mild mannered lecturer but at night become violent and aggressive because of a rare sleep disorder that makes him lose control and act out his terrifying dreams of his family being attacked.

Mr Howley initially just mumbled in his sleep when symptoms started in 2008 but that soon progressed to swearing and punching. Linda was often so scared she would cower on the floor and has been covered in bruises from her husbands kicks and punches.

Mr Howley is being treated at the sleep clinic at Papworth Hospital where he has been diagnosed with REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD), a chronic and progressive syndrome that causes sufferers to imitate their dreams in an intense or violent way and can increase the chances of developing Parkinson's Disease.

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