Sleepwalking is a disorder where people perform activities while asleep, often caused by genetics, stress, or physiological factors. It can be dangerous as sleepwalkers are not fully alert and can injure themselves. Waking sleepwalkers is safe, and repeated episodes may require a visit to a doctor or sleep lab.
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder in which people walk or perform other activities while asleep. While the stereotypical image of a sleepwalker involves someone staggering down a corridor with arms outstretched in the middle of the night, sleepwalkers usually move with their eyes open so they can see, and are aware of their actions, but not on a level that will make them remember what happened when they wake up. Because people don’t remember the episodes, it may take some time for a person to realize that they are, in fact, a sleepwalker.
There are a number of potential causes of sleepwalking, including genetics, stress, and a variety of physiological factors. The phenomenon appears to occur during slow-wave sleep and is more common in children, with older adults being less likely to sleepwalk. During an episode, someone may engage in a variety of activities, from walking around the house to driving a car.
This condition can be very dangerous because sleepwalkers are not fully alert and can injure themselves while performing routine tasks. Driving in slow wave sleep, for example, can lead to an accident, and a sleepwalker can also eat or drink something inappropriate or injure himself with a knife or other tool.
It’s usually easy to tell when someone is sleepwalking. Sleepwalkers often have slightly glassy eyes and are slow to respond to questions. They may also act erratic or foolish, and some sleepwalkers have been known to act violently during an episode. Even a sleepwalker will have no recollection of the incident the next morning.
Contrary to popular belief, waking sleepwalkers is perfectly safe, and in fact often recommended, to reduce the risk of injury. Sometimes it may take strenuous effort to wake a sleepwalker, and the person may be disoriented, confused, or upset when he wakes up because he has no recollection of his or her activities. After being awakened, a sleepwalker can be put back to bed.
Repeated episodes may indicate a need for a visit to a doctor or sleep lab. A doctor can discuss the patient’s history to determine why they are sleepwalking and make recommendations that can reduce the frequency of episodes or stop them altogether. In cases where the condition is caused by stress, for example, dealing with the stress usually resolves the sleep disturbance.
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