Janice used to think her husband was funny sleepwalking.
He groped in the dark, often muttering incoherently, occasionally hitting a wall.
But one night, he went to the garage to drive, and Janice became worried.
Experts estimate that 1% to 15% of people suffer from sleepwalking, especially in children aged 3 to 7 years, sleepwalking is more common than adults.
According to the National Sleep Foundation's 2004 American Sleep Survey, 1 percent of preschoolers and 2 percent of school-age children sleepwalk at least a few nights a week, and sleepwalking often continues into adulthood.
Why sleepwalking?
Overall, people who are sleep-deprived are more likely to sleepwalk.
Fortunately, sleepwalking is usually not associated with underlying mental or psychological problems. This is just a sleep disorder that usually occurs during deep sleep.
In contrast, sleepwalkers begin to do activities typical of waking states, such as talking, sitting up and looking around the room, getting out of bed and wandering around the house, or even picking up the car keys to go for a ride, all in deep sleep.
Sleepwalkers not only have difficulty waking up, but often remember little or no memory of their nocturnal behavior. Worse still, they may even attack people trying to wake them up.
Lack of sleep is a common cause of this disease. Other causes include the use of sedatives (e.g., alcohol); having a disorder with symptoms of fever; and certain drug factors.
How can I relieve sleepwalking symptoms?
There is no special treatment for sleepwalking, and improving sleep hygiene can alleviate this problem.
Some adults find hypnosis helpful for sleepwalking patients, while others have tried antidepressants (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or tricyclic antidepressants) or other prescription drugs (e.g., benzodiazepines, clonazepam) and have achieved good results.
Waking up sleepwalkers is dangerous, but it's even more dangerous to have sleepwalkers wandering around rooms full of sharp objects or jumping into the driver's seat of a car and driving for a ride.
So what should be done to stop sleepwalkers and get them back to bed?
Gently turn their bodies to make sure they can safely return to the bedroom.
If they resist, stay with them and help them avoid dangerous objects and conditions.
If you must wake them up, make a loud noise instead of shaking or touching them roughly.
How to prevent sleepwalking?
If you sleepwalk yourself, your partner, or your child, there are some precautions you can take:
Make it a habit to go to bed and get up on time every day.
Be sure to have a "quiet time" before going to bed.
If you want to find a way to relax, try taking a hot shower and reading some relaxing books.
Creating a safe environment, especially for sleepwalking children.
Remove sharp objects, lock doors and windows, and install doors on stairs.
Also, doorbell alarms are often helpful.
If the above methods are not useful and you are still sleepwalking, consult your doctor about other treatments.
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