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Have you ever wondered why you get out of bed in the morning while lying in bed all night? The most plausible assumption is that you were sleepwalking. Let’s discover!
What Is Sleepwalking?
Sleepwalking is a behavior disorder originating while your deep sleep and lead to walking or performing other complex behavior while still asleep. Children are more likely to experience it than adults, and those who lack sleep, frequently wake up at night or have a family history of the disease are more likely to do so. Accidents during these episodes have the potential to result in injury, and sleepwalking is linked to poorer sleep and tiredness during the day. For many people, active therapy may not be required, but when episodes are more frequent or severe, a variety of treatment alternatives may be advantageous.
What Can Happen During Sleepwalking?
A person may simply sit up in bed and look around during certain sleepwalking episodes, momentarily seeming perplexed. Others could get out of bed, move around, open cabinets, dress, or eat while appearing anxious. In extreme situations, the person might leave the house and engage in difficult tasks, including operating a vehicle.
While sleepwalking, the eyes are typically open, but the person will gaze straight through strangers and not recognize them. They frequently maneuver around familiar objects with ease.
When you speak to someone who is sleepwalking, they might only react partially or say things that are illogical.
Although they might be longer, sleepwalking episodes typically last less than ten minutes. The individual may wake up or go back to bed and fall asleep at the conclusion of each episode. In most cases, they won’t remember anything about it in the morning or their memory may be hazy. A person who is sleepwalking and who is awakened may feel disoriented and have trouble recalling what transpired.
What Threats Do Sleepwalking Risks Involve?
The effects of sleepwalking might be detrimental to one’s health. A person can sustain injuries if they fall or hit anything while running or walking. Using sharp objects improperly or attempting to operate a vehicle while having an episode can be fatal. Violence can hurt the sleepwalker or other people.
A sleepwalking episode’s actions could disgrace the person. For instance, a person might feel embarrassed about engaging in sexually explicit activity, having violent outbursts, or peeing inappropriately.
Additionally, a bed partner, housemate, or roommate may suffer as a result of sleepwalking. Episodes can interfere with their ability to sleep, and they can also have a negative impact on them if they act inappropriately.
What Leads People to Sleepwalk?
According to sleep experts, sleepwalking typically occurs when someone is in a deep sleep stage and is partially awakened in a way that causes them to move around while still mostly asleep.
There are some sensible reasons that may lead to sleepwalking:
Sleep deprivation
Lack of sleep has been linked to an increased risk of sleepwalking, which may be brought on by an increase in the amount of time spent in deep sleep following a period of sleep deprivation.
Some medications
Drugs that have a sedative effect can put people to sleep in a way that enhances the likelihood that they will experience sleepwalking.
Brain damage
Conditions that affect the brain, such as brain swelling, may cause sleepwalking.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol late at night can cause sleep phases to become unstable and may increase the ability to sleepwalk.
Fever
Research has shown that children who have a fever are more prone to engage in sleepwalking, which may be due to frequent nighttime awakenings brought on by the illness.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
OSA is a sleep disorder when the airway becomes blocked, resulting in brief breathlessness while you’re asleep. These breaks in sleep, which can happen dozens of times per night, cause disturbances that could lead to sleepwalking.
Stress can have a variety of effects on sleep, including fragmenting or interrupting it more frequently, which can make sleepwalking more likely. Physical stress, such as that caused by pain, can also be emotional. Certain sorts of stress may be brought on by discomfort or change, such as while traveling and staying in a strange area to sleep.
Being abruptly awakened from a deep sleep by a loud noise or touch.
A sudden need to use the restroom causes you to awaken from a deep sleep.
How to treat sleepwalking?
Depending on the patient’s age, how frequently it happens, and how hazardous or disruptive the episodes are, different treatments are available for sleepwalking. It is recommended to discuss concerns about sleepwalking with a doctor so that they can investigate the most likely reason and develop a specialized treatment plan for both children and adults.
Due to the rarity of episodes and low harm, they offer to the sleeper or those nearby, sleepwalking frequently doesn’t need active treatment. With time, episodes tend to become less common, so for some people, sleepwalking can go away without the need for any special treatment.
A treatment plan may include a variety of strategies when it is required to take action to combat sleepwalking. Here are some possible treatments:
- Aim to go to bed at the same hour every night.
- When you retire to bed, make sure your bedroom is dark and silent.
- Reduce the amount of caffeine-containing beverages you consume before bed and use the restroom before bed.
- Before going to bed, find ways to unwind, including taking a warm bath, reading, or deep breathing.
- At bedtime, encourage your youngster to unwind by playing soothing music.
- Set up the consistent nap and sleep patterns and follow them. For younger children, naps are crucial. By doing this, sleep deprivation—a proven cause of sleepwalking—will be eliminated.
- Windows and doors should be closed and locked as necessary. It might be necessary to install latches or bolts on exterior doors that are out of your child’s reach.
- If required, let your youngster sleep on the first floor of your house to prevent falls from the stairs.
- Clear the area around your child’s bed of any sharp items, and clean the floors of any clutter.
- To avoid burning yourself, lower your water heater’s set point.
- If your child consistently sleepwalks at the same hour each night, try gently waking them for a few minutes 15 to 30 minutes earlier than usual. Changing their regular sleep cycle may prevent them from sleepwalking.
Sleepwalking can do harm to you, try to avoid it!