Sleep Disorders Insomnia & More Disorders An Overview of Catathrenia or Sleep Groaning By Brandon Peters, MD facebook twitter Brandon Peters, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist. Learn about our editorial process Brandon Peters, MD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Keri Peterson, MD on May 12, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Keri Peterson, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and operates a private practice, Age Well, in New York City. Learn about our Medical Review Board Keri Peterson, MD on May 12, 2020 Print In the still of the night, a prolonged and disruptive groan comes from the person lying next to you. Or, perhaps, you wake in the morning and are told that you are the one who spent the night moaning and groaning in your sleep. In catathrenia, one of the sleep behaviors collectively called parasomnias, this frequently occurs. What is catathrenia, how is it diagnosed, and are there effective treatments available? Peopleimages / Getty Images Sleep Groaning Symptoms Catathrenia means a person makes a strange sound when breathing out during sleep—sounding similar to groaning or moaning. These sounds occur with an exhalation, but they are also associated with other changes in the breathing pattern. There may be a slowing of the timing of breaths, called bradypnea. In addition, an affected person may even hold his or her breath briefly prior to the initiation of the groaning. There are otherwise no clear signs of respiratory distress observed. Groaning sounds may occur intermittently, in clusters, with each cluster lasting for five to 50 seconds. There may be multiple groans recurring for a few minutes up to one hour. These events usually arise during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep but may even occur in stage 2 of non-REM sleep. When witnessed, catathrenia may most commonly sound like prolonged moans or groans. It may also sound like humming and may even seem mournful. The noises can be very loud. Many times, catathrenia comes to medical attention when it is so loud that it becomes disruptive to others. This may occur in dormitories at college or in the military, or when consistently sharing a bed with another person for the first time. Catathrenia often begins in childhood. It more often affects young men and may persist for years. The cause is not entirely known, but it is not due to any underlying psychological or psychiatric distress. Catathrenia is often not remembered by the person who experiences it. Aside from some hoarseness upon awakening, there may be few associated symptoms that can be self-observed. Without a witness, the sleep groaning may go unnoticed. Diagnosis Though the affected individual typically is unaware of the groaning sounds, it may cause significant sleep disturbance to the bed partner or others nearby. This can lead to an appointment with a sleep specialist. A formal diagnosis of catathrenia can be confirmed with a diagnostic sleep study called a polysomnogram. This study is performed in a sleep center and will show alterations in the respiratory pattern and may even document the groaning sounds. It is important to distinguish catathrenia from other breathing disturbances and sleep disorders. Before accepting catathrenia as a diagnosis, other conditions should be ruled out, including: SnoringSomniloquy (sleep talking)StridorAsthma Treatment The success of treatments for catathrenia has varied. As it is somewhat poorly understood why it occurs, the treatments may not always be effectively targeting the underlying cause. Due to the possible relationship with sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been tried with some success. Not everyone with catathrenia responds to this treatment, however. Occasionally the use of medications that can disrupt REM sleep may be used if the bed partner finds the groaning particularly bothersome. If it predominately occurs during this stage of sleep, it may improve with this intervention. A Word From Verywell If you or your bed partner are experiencing catathrenia, start by speaking with a sleep specialist. After appropriate testing, you can pursue a treatment that returns quietness to your sleep. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tossing and turning night over night can have a big impact on your quality of life. Our free guide can help you get the rest you need. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Alonso J, Camacho M, Chhetri DK, Guilleminault C, Zaghi S. Catathrenia (Nocturnal Groaning): A Social Media Survey and State-of-the-Art Review. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(4):613–622. doi:10.5664/jcsm.6556