对于异态睡眠最常见的解释是睡眠状态与觉醒状态不是相互排斥的而是经常重叠的,这些状态侵入另一种状态中时可能会引起异态睡眠。[1]Mahowald MW, Ettinger MG. Things that go bump in the night: the parasomnias revisited. J Clin Neurophysiol. 1990;7:119-143.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2406282?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Mahowald MW, Bornemann MC, Schenck CH. Parasomnias. Semin Neurol. 2004;24:283-292.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15449221?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Mahowald MW. Overview of parasomnias. In: AASM. National sleep medicine course. Westchester, IL: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; 1999.觉醒期侵入非快速眼动 (NREM) 睡眠可能会产生觉醒障碍,而侵入快速眼动 (REM) 睡眠可能会产生快速眼动睡眠异常。[1]Mahowald MW, Ettinger MG. Things that go bump in the night: the parasomnias revisited. J Clin Neurophysiol. 1990;7:119-143.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2406282?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Mahowald MW. Overview of parasomnias. In: AASM. National sleep medicine course. Westchester, IL: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; 1999.
觉醒障碍倾向于在慢波睡眠 (SWS) 中发病。由于睡眠周期的第一个三分之一主要为慢波睡眠,因此这些障碍在刚入夜时更常发生。但是它们也可能发生在后半夜中。它们在儿童中较为常见,通常频率随着年龄的增加而减少。[15]Fisher C, Kahn E, Edwards A, et al. A psychophysiological study of nightmares and night terrors. 1. Physiological aspects of the stage 4 night terror. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1973;157:75-98.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4353404?tool=bestpractice.com[16]Fisher C, Kahn E, Edwards A, et al. A psychophysiological study of nightmares and night terrors. 3. Mental content and recall of stage 4 night terrors. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1974;158:174-188.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4361091?tool=bestpractice.com遗传易感性可能引起非快速眼动睡眠固有的不稳定性。觉醒障碍可能由各种各样的情况触发,包括发烧、急性睡眠剥夺、情绪应激以及用药。医学上的睡眠障碍,如不宁腿综合征 (RLS) 和阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停 (OSA),通常由于 RLS 和 OSA 会导致频繁唤醒而造成非快速眼动异态睡眠。。[24]Guilleminault C, Palombini L, Pelayo R, et al. Sleepwalking and sleep terrors in prepubertal children: what triggers them? Pediatrics. 2003;111:e17-e25.http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/111/1/e17http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12509590?tool=bestpractice.com[25]Mahowald MW, Schenck CH. NREM sleep parasomnias. Neurol Clin. 1996;14:675-696.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8923490?tool=bestpractice.com对于易感人群,这些催化因素应当被视为触发事件,而不是病因。潜在的神经病理学可能和梦魇的患者有关。[26]Schenck CH, Mahowald MW. On the reported association of psychopathology with sleep terrors in adults. Sleep. 2000;23:448-449.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10875551?tool=bestpractice.com