What is Sleepwalking?
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family. Sleepwalking arise from the slow weave sleep stage in a state of low consciousness and perform activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness. These activities can be as benign as sitting up in bed, waking to the bathroom, and cleaning, or as hazardous as cooking, driving, grabbing at hallucinated objects, or even homicide.
Causes
Sleepwalking has been described in medical literature dating before Hippocrates ( 460 BC-370 BC) is ascribe to her guilt and resulting insanity as a consequence of her involvement in the murder of her father-in -law. Sleepwalking is characterized by a complex behavior ( waking ) occurring while asleep. Occasionally nonsensical taking may occur. The person's eyes are commonly open, but have a characteristic glassy " look right through you" character. This activity most commonly occurs during middle childhood and young adolescence. Approximately 15 percent of children between 4-12 years of age will experience sleepwalking. Usually, sleepwalking behaviors wane by late adolescence. Approximately 10 percent of all sleepwalkers begin their behavior as teens. It appears that persons with certain inherited genes have an increased tendency toward developing sleepwalking behaviors.
There are 5 stager of sleep. Stages 1, 2,3 and 4 are characterized as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the sleep cycle associated with dreaming as well as surges of important hormones essential for proper growth and metabolism. Each sleep cycle (Stages 1,2,3,4 and REM) last about 90-100 minutes and repeats throughout the night. The average person experiences four to five complete sleep cycles per night. Sleepwalking characteristically occurs during the first or second sleep cycles, during stages three and four. Due the short time frame involved, sleepwalking tends not to occur during naps. Upon walking the sleepwalking tends not to occur during naps. Upon walking the sleepwalker has no memory of his her behavior.
The sleepwalking activity may include simply sitting up and appearing awake while actually asleep, getting up and walking around, or complex activities like moving furniture, going to the bathroom, and similar activities. Some people even drive a car while actually asleep. The episode can be very brief or can last for 30 minutes or longer than it.
Symptoms
Following are the examples of symptoms of sleepwalking.
A person's history usually provides enough information for a doctor to diagnosis sleepwalking. This is particularly true in children. More difficult cases may require a consultation with a sleep specialist. The specialist may recommend overnight sleep test called polysomnography. During this test, various body functions are recorded while the person is sleeping. In rare cases, a brainwave recording may be ordered to rule out seizures.
Treatment
Some people mistakenly believe that s sleepwalker should not be awakened. It is not dangerous to awaken a sleepwalker, although it is common for the person to be confused or disoriented for a short time when they wake up. Another misconception is that a person cannot be injured while sleepwalking. Sleepwalkers are more commonly injured when they trip and lose their balance.
Actually, most people do not need any specific treatment for sleepwalking. Safety measures may be needed to prevent injury. This may include moving objects such as electrical cords or furniture to reduce the chances of tripping and falling. You may need to block off stairways with a gate.
In some cases, short-acting tranquilizers have been helpful in reducing sleepwalking episodes.
Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder belonging to the parasomnia family. Sleepwalking arise from the slow weave sleep stage in a state of low consciousness and perform activities that are usually performed during a state of full consciousness. These activities can be as benign as sitting up in bed, waking to the bathroom, and cleaning, or as hazardous as cooking, driving, grabbing at hallucinated objects, or even homicide.
Causes
Sleepwalking has been described in medical literature dating before Hippocrates ( 460 BC-370 BC) is ascribe to her guilt and resulting insanity as a consequence of her involvement in the murder of her father-in -law. Sleepwalking is characterized by a complex behavior ( waking ) occurring while asleep. Occasionally nonsensical taking may occur. The person's eyes are commonly open, but have a characteristic glassy " look right through you" character. This activity most commonly occurs during middle childhood and young adolescence. Approximately 15 percent of children between 4-12 years of age will experience sleepwalking. Usually, sleepwalking behaviors wane by late adolescence. Approximately 10 percent of all sleepwalkers begin their behavior as teens. It appears that persons with certain inherited genes have an increased tendency toward developing sleepwalking behaviors.
There are 5 stager of sleep. Stages 1, 2,3 and 4 are characterized as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the sleep cycle associated with dreaming as well as surges of important hormones essential for proper growth and metabolism. Each sleep cycle (Stages 1,2,3,4 and REM) last about 90-100 minutes and repeats throughout the night. The average person experiences four to five complete sleep cycles per night. Sleepwalking characteristically occurs during the first or second sleep cycles, during stages three and four. Due the short time frame involved, sleepwalking tends not to occur during naps. Upon walking the sleepwalking tends not to occur during naps. Upon walking the sleepwalker has no memory of his her behavior.
The sleepwalking activity may include simply sitting up and appearing awake while actually asleep, getting up and walking around, or complex activities like moving furniture, going to the bathroom, and similar activities. Some people even drive a car while actually asleep. The episode can be very brief or can last for 30 minutes or longer than it.
Symptoms
Following are the examples of symptoms of sleepwalking.
- Episodes range from quiet walking around the room to agitated running or attempts to "escape". The person sleepwalking may appear clumsy and dazed in his or her behavior.
- On questioning the person sleepwalking, responses are slow with simple thoughts, contain nonsense phraseology or absent responses. If the person is returned to bed without awakening, they usually don't remember the event.
- Typically, the eyes are open with a glassy, staring appearance as the person quietly roams the around the house. They do not, however, walk with their arms extended in front of them as is inaccurately depicted in movies.
- Older children, who may awaken more easily at the end of an episode, often are embarrassed by the behavior. In lieu of walking, some children perform repeated behaviors.
- Sleepwalking isn't associated with previous sleep problems, sleeping alone in a room or with others, fear of the dark (achluophobia), or anger outbursts.
- Some studies suggest that children who sleepwalk may have been more restless sleepers between the ages of four and five, and more restless with more frequent awakenings during first year of life.
A person's history usually provides enough information for a doctor to diagnosis sleepwalking. This is particularly true in children. More difficult cases may require a consultation with a sleep specialist. The specialist may recommend overnight sleep test called polysomnography. During this test, various body functions are recorded while the person is sleeping. In rare cases, a brainwave recording may be ordered to rule out seizures.
Treatment
Some people mistakenly believe that s sleepwalker should not be awakened. It is not dangerous to awaken a sleepwalker, although it is common for the person to be confused or disoriented for a short time when they wake up. Another misconception is that a person cannot be injured while sleepwalking. Sleepwalkers are more commonly injured when they trip and lose their balance.
Actually, most people do not need any specific treatment for sleepwalking. Safety measures may be needed to prevent injury. This may include moving objects such as electrical cords or furniture to reduce the chances of tripping and falling. You may need to block off stairways with a gate.
In some cases, short-acting tranquilizers have been helpful in reducing sleepwalking episodes.
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