Falling out of bed/being pulled

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I am 65 years old. Retired Army 21 years, Retired Federal Employee 15 years, BA Degree.

Since childhood I have experienced horrific nightmares. For the last couple of years I have been falling out of bed a lot. I have been injured to the point of needing 12 staples in my head, tearing my rotator cuff, black eyes, cuts, and scrapes. I say I “fall out bed” but it actually feels like someone or something is throwing/tossing me out of my bed. Last week after an incident, when I hit the floor I was probably 6 feet away from my bed. I can’t take much more. Last night I woke up on the floor sitting up on my knees. I’m getting too old to repeatedly getting injured from these incidents. I have never had a sleep study. Any advice or recommendations? Thank you

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Hi, Thank you for sharing your experience — I can only imagine how difficult and frightening this must be for you. Given the severity of your injuries and the long history of nightmares, it’s really important to have this evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible.

What you’re describing could be related to a condition called REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD), where a person physically acts out their dreams. This can sometimes lead to falling out of bed, injuries, or even unintentionally hurting a bed partner. The good news is that there are ways to diagnose and treat it.

Here are a few steps you might consider:

  • Sleep study (polysomnography): This can help confirm if RBD or another sleep disorder is the cause.

  • Consult a sleep specialist or neurologist: They can guide you through treatment options, which may include medication or lifestyle adjustments.

  • Make your sleep environment safer: Padding the floor near your bed, lowering the bed height, or removing sharp furniture close by can help minimize injury risk in the meantime.

  • Keep a sleep journal: Noting when these episodes happen, along with any changes in stress, medications, or health, can provide helpful insight for your doctor.

Most importantly, please don’t wait to reach out for help — with the injuries you’ve already had, getting evaluated soon is really important. You don’t have to face this alone, and effective treatments are available. We’re here to support you :light_blue_heart: