Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, affects around 1.5% of adults and 5% of children, where individuals engage in activities like walking or sitting while appearing awake but having no memory and occurring during slow-wave sleep. While usually harmless, there have been reports of dangerous behaviors resulting in injuries. There are no proven interventions to stop occurrences, but risks can be minimized through sufficient sleep, avoiding triggers, and creating a relaxing routine. Sleepwalking is often outgrown, but persistent cases should be checked by a sleep specialist.

1. Tuesday, January 10, 2017
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.
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.
How To Deal With Sleepwalking
Image source: bbc.com

2. 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.
Posted by Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon at 10:26 PM
Labels: sleep medicine, sleepwalking, treatment
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