"Link Between Acting Out Dreams and Parkinson’s Disease"
Acting out dreams, known as dream enactment, can indicate underlying health issues such as Parkinson's disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and PTSD. Approximately 1% of people over 50 experience REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), where the body loses paralysis during dreaming, leading to potential injury. RBD is strongly linked to a high risk of developing Parkinson's disease, with 80% of RBD patients developing Parkinson's 15 to 20 years later. Researchers are studying RBD to understand early Parkinson's progression and develop preventive therapies, while patients are encouraged to seek medical evaluation and participate in research initiatives for early diagnosis and planning.