Valutazione del ritmo circadiano in soggetti adulti con parasonnia dell’arousal

NREM parasomnias are sleep disorders characterized by abnormal behaviors occurring during deep sleep, leading to sleep fragmentation and impaired restorativeness. While these disorders have been extensively studied in childhood, their persistence in adulthood remains less understood, particularly regarding their association with circadian rhythm alterations. Emerging evidence suggests that disturbances in sleep-wake regulatory mechanisms may play a critical role in the pathophysiology of arousal parasomnias. This study aims to assess the circadian profile of adults with NREM parasomnias through actigraphic analysis and explore the correlation between sleep architecture, psychological distress, and circadian rhythm stability. A cohort of adults diagnosed with arousal parasomnias was compared to a control group through actigraphy-based measurements of sleep parameters. Psychological scales were administered to evaluate symptoms of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and emotional dysregulation. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify significant correlations between actigraphic variables and psychological factors. The findings suggest a strong link between circadian misalignment, psychological distress, and sleep instability in individuals with arousal parasomnias supporting existing studies in literature. The study also revealed new discoveries that deserve further investigation with more in-depth and long-term studies. Keyword: Sleep, NREM parasomnias, Circadian rhythms, psychological assessment