12 Most Bizarre Sleep Disorders

From exploding head syndrome to sleeping beauty syndrome, there are some pretty bizarre sleep disorders out there. So Wake Up! And check out the 12 strangest.

Sleep Related Eating Disorder

It's hard enough for some people to control their eating while awake, and for people with sleep-related eating disorder the bingeing doesn't stop when the lights go out. Sufferers eat and drink compulsively after waking up at night, though some are only partially awake. What do they tend to eat? You guessed it: sugary, high-calorie foods. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Fatal Familial Insomnia

Sleep to death? Yes, it's possible but very, very rare. Fatal familial insomnia is caused by a genetic mutation which occurs in only a few dozen families in the world. The unfortunate souls are plagued by difficulty in sleeping at first, but symptoms soon include dementia, loss of energy, and acting out dreams. They fall into a state of mental and physical impairment, caught between sleeping and waking. Physical symptoms like fever, rapid breathing, and increased heart rate are also present. In the end, patients can literally waste away. Some fall into a coma. Death comes within months or a few years, usually as the result of a complication like infection rather than the illness itself. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Sleeping Beauty Syndrome

Can't get enough sleep? Your problems probably pale compared to someone with Kleine-Levin syndrome - a rare disorder that can force someone to sleep up to 20 hours a day for weeks on end. Seventy percent of those afflicted are adolescent males. The episodes can come on quickly and are often associated with excessive eating, wild sexual urges, hallucinations, disorientation and even flu-like symptoms. The disorder may be related to a malfunction of parts of the brain that govern appetite and sleep. Once you have the disorder, you could be in for a long ride. The symptoms can take a decade or more to fully recede. That's no fairy tale. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

REM-Sleep Behavior Disorder

This disorder causes people to act out their dreams - and the result can be embarrassing or even dangerous. Along with shouting and swearing, punching, kicking, and other violent actions are all possibilities. If your sleeping partner has REM-sleep behavior disorder, watch out. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Sleep Paralysis

Have you ever been frozen stiff, unable to move or talk when falling asleep or waking up? If so, you have experienced sleep paralysis. The condition affects anywhere from 5 to 40 percent of Americans and occurs most often in teenagers. The condition isn't dangerous - you can still breathe normally - but it can be triggered by a lack of sleep, changing sleep patterns or stress. It strikes most often when sleeping on the back. Being touched or spoken to usually ends the matter, as does making an intense effort to move. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Exploding Head Syndrome

Sounds like science fiction, but exploding head syndrome really exists - and it's most unpleasant. Sufferers imagine hearing a loud noise just before falling asleep - as if a bomb has gone off inside the head. Some people think they are having a stroke. Exploding head syndrome is most common in older people, though it has been reported in children under age 10. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Hypersomnia

People with hypersomnia feel really sleepy during the day - so sleepy that they have to duck out for a nap even during meals, while working, or at other inappropriate times. But the naps tend not to provide much relief from the fatigue. Some people with hypersomnia are unable to hold down jobs or have a normal social life. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Sleep Apnea

People with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during sleep, waking up partially in order to catch their breath. In the morning, there is typically no recollection of the wakening. Most cases of sleep apnea are caused by the relaxation of soft tissue in the throat, which shuts off the airway. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Sounds comical - having a strong urge to move your legs while trying to fall asleep -but it can be very unpleasant. And some people who suffer from RLS feel not just an urge to move but burning, prickling, itching or tingling sensations. The condition makes it very hard to fall asleep and can result in depression and daytime sleepiness. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Narcolepsy

People with narcolepsy can fall asleep at any time without warning. They can stay asleep for a few minutes to a few hours. Not good if you're driving a car or doing something else that requires concentration. Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Sleep Walking

Also known as somnambulism, sleepwalking is just what its name suggests - someone walks around while asleep. It usually occurs at night, though it can also occur during a daytime nap. Experts recommend using care when waking a sleepwalker, as some have been known to attack. Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Syndrome

Most people have a sort of built-in body clock that is closely tied to the 24-hour day. But the body clocks of people with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome - one of the rarest of all sleep disorders - are out of whack. For example, someone on a 72-hour cycle might be awake for a full 48 hours and sleep for 24. Interestingly, the disorder often affects the blind.