Sleepwalking is, perhaps, the least studied phenomena with regard to sleeping and why humans actually need to sleep. In fact, most people don’t want to admit that it exists and rarely do people even think about sleepwalking. Recent research, however, indicates that as many as nine million people every year end up strolling around while they are sound asleep.
At least 30% of people have sleepwalked and it is quite common and there have been very few reports of anyone ever being hurt while wandering around. People actually sleepwalk with their eyes open. Sleepwalkers can actually see where they are going and what they are doing. They will look a bit dazed and their eyes will tend to have a far away stare to them. When they finally awake, the sleepwalker will have no idea how they got there.
It has always seemed common knowledge that sleepwalkers should never be awakened. This urban myth is incorrect. Sleepwalkers should be awakened if possible. The best thing to do for a sleepwalker is to try and gently usher them back to bed if possible. Waking a sleepwalker is helpful but quite often the sleepwalker will not want to be disturbed and may physically object to your trying to wake them up.
Certain drugs can seem to set off a sleepwalking episode as well as stress and anxiety. Sleepwalking can come in a few different guises, the most common of which is talking in your sleep. While you have not physically arisen, neither are you in the sound sleep state. Sleep talking is, as many of you might know, quite intense and quite real for the sleeper.
As the conversation grows more intense, as the sleeper falls into deeper REM sleep, that is when they are most likely to get up and start wandering about. People have been known to eat in this state as well as begin to plan their day for the following day and some have even managed to get into their cars and drive away.
Children are more highly prone to sleepwalking than adults. If you are living with someone who you know sleepwalks, prepare the house or the room for them. Remove sharp objects, car keys, and any real or possible weapons. Remember, these are your loved ones. They haven’t all of a sudden been turned into crazy zombies. Children tend to outgrow the sleepwalking but keep trying to steer them toward their beds.
Finally, if it is stress and anxiety related, get to the bottom of it. Find what the stressors are and eliminate them.
PHOTO CREDIT: Nomao Saeki