Sleepwalking is defined under the larger category of
parasomnias or
sleep disorders where the sufferer engages in activities
that are normally associated with wakefulness while he or
she is asleep or in a sleeplike state. Sleepwalking is usually
defined by, or involves the person affected apparently
shifting from his or her prior sleeping position and moving
around and performing normal actions as if awake (cleaning,
walking and other activities). Sleepwalkers are not
conscious of their actions on a level where memory of the
sleepwalking episode can be recalled, and because of this,
unless the sleepwalker is woken or aroused by someone else,
this sleep disorder can go unnoticed. Sleepwalking is more
commonly experienced in people with high levels of stress,
anxiety or psychological factors and in people with genetic
factors (family history) or sometimes a combination of both.
A common misconception is that sleepwalking is an
individual acting out the physical movements within a dream,
but in fact sleepwalking occurs earlier on in the night when
rapid eye movement (REM), or the "dream stage" of sleep,
has not yet occurred.
Statistics
18% of the world's population is prone to
sleepwalking.
Somewhere between 1% and 16.7% of U.S. children sleepwalk, and juveniles are seen to be
those more prone to the activity.
One study showed that the highest prevalence of
sleepwalking was 16.7% for children of 11 to 12 years of
age.
Males are seen to be more likely to sleepwalk than
females.
Activities such as eating, bathing, urinating, dressing,
or even driving cars,
whistling,
and committing murder
have been reported or claimed to have occurred during
sleepwalking. Contrary to popular belief, most cases of
sleepwalking do not consist of walking around (without the
conscious knowledge of the subject). Most cases of
somnambulism occur when the person is awakened (something or
someone disturbs their SWS), the person may sit up, look
around and immediately go back to sleep. But these kinds of
incidences are rarely noticed or reported unless recorded in
a sleep clinic.
Sleepwalkers engage in their activities with their eyes
open so they can navigate their surroundings, not with their
eyes closed and their arms outstretched, as often parodied
in cartoons and films. The victims' eyes may have a
glazed or empty appearance and if questioned, the subject
will be slow to answer and will be unable to respond in an
intelligible manner.
Dealing with sleepwalkers
Often the best way to deal with a sleepwalker safely is
to direct the person back to the bed. However, the person
may continue getting up until he or she has accomplished the
task that prompted the sleepwalking in the first place. For
instance, if a sleepwalker is cleaning - a common
sleepwalking activity - assisting in the cleaning may help
to end the episode. Telling the person "It looks like you
have cleaned it all up" can help him or her to feel as
though the "necessary" task has been accomplished. As
sleepwalkers do not tend to remember anything said or done
while sleepwalking, there is no need to worry about
embarrassment to you or the individual afterward.
Somnambulists are highly suggestible. Anything they hear or see may trigger
another behavior. Often something said by a person or even
on a television will cause the sleepwalker to engage in the
activity mentioned, provided it is one to which he or she is
accustomed to hearing about or doing. If the sleepwalker is
also talking, it may be helpful to ask what he or she is
trying to accomplish. Ask very simple questions that can be
answered in short, simple replies. If asked a question that
requires a long answer or explanation, the sleepwalker is
unlikely to respond coherently. Talking during sleepwalking
varies from person to person and may not always be useful in
dealing with a sleepwalker. Because sleepwalkers are unaware
of their present surroundings, they may divulge information
that they would otherwise keep secret. They may also exhibit
behaviors which would be considered embarrassing, such as
urinating in inappropriate places, trying to eat invisible
foods, cleaning invisible counters, or even trying to bathe
or engage in sexual intercourse.
Source: Marketdata Enterprises, Inc. research, Wikipedia
