HealthyCanada.com

Somnambulism is a condition in which a person walks around or engages in some other activity in an altered state of consciousness, appearing to be asleep. It is a relatively common developmental phenomenon affecting an estimated 17% of children between the ages of 8 and 12, although it can and does occur at any age. Approximately 4% of adults are sleepwalkers. Somnambulism itself is not a serious disorder, although it can be a symptom of other underlying medical conditions.

Many children inherit a tendency to sleepwalk. If one parent walks in their sleep, there is a very good chance that their child will do so as well. The likelihood increases further if both parents happen to be sleepwalkers. If a child has a genetic predisposition to sleep walk, episodes may be triggered by fatigue, fever or anxiety.

Certain medical conditions predispose adults to walk in their sleep, including obstructive sleep apnea, hyperthyroidism and migraine headaches. Medications, especially those used in the treatment of certain psychiatric disorders, also increase the likelihood that one will sleep walk. Emotional or physical stress, sleep deprivation, jet lag and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol are common triggers for adults.

The phenomena itself most often occurs during deep, non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep early in the night or during REM sleep near dawn.

While somnambulism is commonly called sleep "walking", it may involve almost any other activity, including getting dressed, eating and even driving a car.

• eyes open during sleep; pupils dilated with a glassy stare
• confusion upon awakening
• walking or any other kind of activity during sleep
• little or no recall of the event
• garbled or non-sensical speech

Most people have heard somewhere that it is dangerous to awaken a person who is walking in their sleep. This is more myth than reality. So long as you awaken them gently, they will likely experience nothing more than brief confusion. It may be best, however, to simply lead them back to their bed, perhaps with quiet words of encouragement. Some adult sleepwalkers do exhibit violent behaviour, however it is more likely that an injury will occur as a result of tripping or falling.

If you or someone in your family walks in their sleep often and/or engages in potentially dangerous activities while asleep, you should see a doctor who may want to refer you to a sleep disorder clinic.

In most cases, treatment will be directed at any underlying condition that may be triggering episodes. If a drug is to blame, your doctor may want to change the prescription. Some doctors may prescribe short-acting tranquillizers to help reduce episodes of sleepwalking.