Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism or noctambulism, is a sleep disorder that affects an estimated 1.5 percent of adults. It is a bit more prevalent in children, among whom there is an incidence rate of five percent.
It typically occurs during the slow-wave sleep stage, or during the first third of the sleep, and causes the sleepwalker to act as if he is in a state of full consciousness for as short as 30 seconds or as long as 30 minutes. However, he would have little or no memory of what had happened.
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| Image source: bbc.com |
What the sleepwalker does are usually harmless, repeated activities such as walking to other rooms or even just sitting on the bed. However, there have been reports of dangerous behaviors, including cooking, violent actions, and driving, resulting in injuries to the sleepwalker or other people.
There is no clinically proven psychological or pharmacological intervention that can effectively stop the occurrence of sleepwalking.
However, there are different ways of minimizing sleepwalking incidences, such as increasing the length of sleep to achieve the right amount of deep sleep, avoiding possible triggers like fatigue, alcohol, and some medications, and creating a relaxing routine before turning in.
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| Image source: businessinsider.com |
Sleepwalking is also usually outgrown over time, so there is no need to worry about it. But if it persists, consulting a sleep specialist or physician is recommended to check for the possibility of underlying illnesses.
New Jersey-based physician Lisa Marie Cannon earned her degree in medicine from New York City College and her fellowship in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine from the renowned Mount Sinai Hospital. Read more about her medical expertise by visiting this blog.
