Why do people wake up angry when their toddler wakes up crying? What to do?

Question

My spouse seems so angry like i intentionally put a crying toddler in our bedroom just to wake him up! He sleeps after I get home from work and he should have went to bed early today because I came home early today. What can I do to get my spouse not to wake up angry?

Answer 1

I agree that parenting is a shared responsibility; however, it may be a sleep disorder that can be diagnosed with a sleep study.  Here is a great WebMD article http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/rem-sleep-behavior-disorder

Answer 2

I am a woman and I've been told by my partner that I have this same issue. I get very angry when suddenly awoke in the middle of my sleep. I don't really remember doing it. I kind of remember some of it but it seems like a dream. I feel really bad about it. My partner has been battling a serious bout of bronchitis lately and she was trying to wake me up because she woke up in a cold sweat and she was scared. Apparently I started cursing at her to leave me alone and then I jumped up and went downstairs. While I was downstairs I started to come to and I remembered some of the things I was saying and I felt really really bad. I don't know why I do this, I just know that I can't control it. I'm thinking of going to the doctor and seeing maybe if I have some kind of sleep disorder. I've always been a deep, hard, sleeper though ever since I remember and people have always had a hard time waking me up. I told her next time she needs me to wake up to set an alarm clock for a minute ahead of whatever time it is and put it by my ear. I'm thinking that on a subconscious level when I hear the alarm my mind will think that I have something to do or that I'm late for something and I'll jump up. Since it won't be anyone "waking me up" I won't have anyone to be mad at. We'll see how it works and I'll let you know. I would just talk to him and see if he's like me. Hopefully he wants to get up and help you it's just that he has a hard time waking up. If it's that he just feels like you should take care of the baby by yourself than I would say that you might have a problem on your hands. Good luck!