Have you ever gone to bed and woken up on the couch in the living room? Or maybe you woke up with mysterious crumbs all over your pajamas with no memory of a midnight snack? If so, you may be one of the 6.9% of people who have experienced at least one episode of sleepwalking in their lifetime. Although the prevalence of sleepwalking is significantly higher in children, about 1.5% of adults have had an episode of sleepwalking beyond their childhood years. Sleepwalking can be caused by medications, genetics, or health conditions that disrupt your sleep. Here’s what we know about why some people are sleepwalkers.
What exactly is sleepwalking?
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder that occurs in the deepest part of your non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. It most often occurs within 1 to 2 hours of falling asleep.
During an episode of sleepwalking, you can get up, walk around, and even perform normal activities—all while sleeping. Your eyes are open, but in fact you are still in a state of deep sleep, write the power of mind.ro.
The American Psychiatric Association doesn’t consider sleepwalking a disorder unless it happens often enough to cause you distress and disrupts your ability to function during the day.
What causes sleepwalking?
More common in children than adults, sleepwalking is often outgrown by the teenage years. But not everyone stops sleepwalking once they become adults. Although rare, some people may start sleepwalking in adulthood.
Researchers have identified several health conditions, activities, and substances that are known to trigger episodes of sleepwalking. You may also have inherited this.
stress
Stress and anxiety are known to interfere with a good night’s rest. Some sleep scientists also believe that daytime stress can contribute to sleepwalking.
A study of 193 patients at a sleep clinic found that one of the main triggers for sleepwalking episodes was stressful events experienced during the day.
If you want to reduce your daily stress levels so you can get a good night’s rest, you may want to try stress reduction techniques such as these:
– do regular physical exercises
– practice mindfulness
– limit caffeine
– do breathing exercises
– try yoga
Sleep deprivation
People who don’t get enough sleep are more vulnerable to sleepwalking. Researchers who studied MRI brain scans of people with a history of sleepwalking found that sleep deprivation increased the number of sleepwalking episodes people experienced.
Migraine
If you have chronic migraines, you may be more vulnerable to sleepwalking. In 2015, a group of sleep scientists surveyed 100 habitual sleepwalkers and found a strong association between sleepwalking and lifelong headaches, especially migraines.
Fever
Sleepwalking has been associated with fever-causing illnesses, especially in children. A fever can also cause night terrors, which are sleep disturbances during which you may scream, flap your arms, or try to get away from scary things you perceive in your sleep.
Breathing disorders
Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that causes you to stop breathing for short periods while you sleep. Among other things, severe sleep apnea can lead to daytime fatigue, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.
If you have severe obstructive sleep apnea, you are more likely to sleepwalk than people with mild sleep apnea.
There have also been reports of sleepwalking among children with asthma. Asthma can lead to sleep deprivation, and the drug montelukast has triggered sleepwalking in some children.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
If you have GERD, stomach contents can back up through the esophagus, causing uncomfortable burning sensations. For many people, symptoms are worse at night.
People with GERD and other gastric disorders are more prone to many types of sleep disorders, including sleepwalking.
Because GERD interferes with sleep, it can cause long-term exhaustion, which also makes you more vulnerable to sleepwalking episodes.
Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is a nerve condition that affects the body’s ability to move. As the disease progresses, it can affect parts of the brain stem that control movement, as well as parts of the brain that control sleep.
Normally, when you dream during REM sleep, your brain temporarily paralyzes some muscles to prevent you from acting on your dreams and hurting yourself or others in the process.
Some studies indicate that Parkinson’s disease may prevent sleep paralysis from occurring completely. This, in turn, can lead to sleepwalking and other sleep disorders.
How do you know if someone is a sleepwalker?
People who are sleepwalkers usually do not respond when you try to get their attention. They may have a glazed or distant look in their eyes. According to sleep experts, sleepwalkers may also engage in other activities while in their sleepwalking state, including:
– eating
– speaking
– urinating in places that are not toilets
trying to get out of the house
Most of the time, people do not remember a sleepwalking episode when they wake up. If you wake someone while they are sleepwalking, they may be confused about what is happening.
Is sleepwalking dangerous?
Although most sleepwalking episodes end without injury, sleepwalking can be quite dangerous. Some people may try to drive or perform other tasks without being able to perceive what is really going on around them.
In a study involving 100 patients with a history of repeated sleepwalking, 57.9% were injured or injured someone else during an episode of sleepwalking.
The injuries were the result of accidents such as falling down stairs or hitting objects such as walls or furniture. Because someone could hurt themselves or others while sleepwalking, it is a good idea to wake someone who is sleepwalking. Just do it gently, because a person who is sleepwalking may be surprised to be woken up.
When is it important to see a doctor?
Most children grow out of sleepwalking by their teenage years without ever needing treatment. However, if your sleepwalking didn’t start until you were an adult, you may want to talk to your doctor to rule out any underlying conditions that may be causing your sleepwalking.
If you sleep a lot or if your sleepwalking is causing problems with your daily functioning or relationships, it’s a good idea to talk to a doctor.
How is it diagnosed and treated?
The most common way sleepwalking is diagnosed is when someone else sees it firsthand. Because most sleepwalking occurs during childhood, parents are the ones who most often report sleepwalking to health care providers.
If your doctor is concerned about your sleepwalking, a sleep study may reveal more about your condition.
During the sleep study, the healthcare team will check your blood oxygen levels, brain waves, breathing, and movements while you sleep. If sleepwalking is not serious, you may be able to prevent it by reducing the stress in your daily life and improving your sleep habits. If these methods don’t work well enough, your doctor may prescribe medication to help.
Clonazepam (Klonopin) and diazepam (Valium) have been shown to reduce sleepwalking. Antidepressants and benzodiazepines can help with your stress levels so you can rest.
For most children, treatment is usually not necessary, as sleepwalking often goes away on its own as the child matures.
Conclusion
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder in which you walk, talk, or do other activities while in a state of deep sleep. It happens in the deepest part of your sleep cycle, usually within an hour or two of going to bed.
More common in children than adults, sleepwalking is often outgrown by the teenage years. But not everyone stops sleepwalking once they become adults.
2023-08-30 05:46:42
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