Sleepwalking isn't
all that rare, especially not in children. Doctors estimate that 15 to 30
percent of all children wander around at least once at night. Three to
four percent sleepwalking even more often. Sleepwalkers get out of bed at
night and stroll through the bedroom, apartment or even outside. Some of
them are still asleep while others are awake. And these are the
musculoskeletal system and those areas of the brain that control movements.
A sleepwalker can even perform various actions in
his state, such as rearranging clothes, moving furniture, cooking, eating, or
cleaning. The next day he cannot remember what he was doing at
night. Sleepwalking with memories is almost impossible.
Some sleepwalkers don't get out of bed, just sit up
in bed, confused and half-awake, shout something and then go back to
sleep. Sleepwalking occurs during the deep sleep phase, which mainly takes
place during the first half of the night. It usually only takes a few minutes. Sleep
doctors also call sleepwalking "somnambulism", more rarely
somnambulia.
Parasomnias - interrupted sleep
From a medical point of views, sleepwalking is one
of the parasomnias. This means sudden events that interrupt
sleep. Parasomnias can occur in the sleep phases without dreams (non-REM
phases), but also in the dream phases (REM phases). Sleepwalking is one of
the non-REM parasomnias. This also includes night anxiety (pavor
nocturnus) and drowsiness, which causes similar symptoms.
Lunar addiction - run towards the light
In the past, sleepwalking was known as "moon
addiction" or "moon addiction" (lunatimus). The term comes
from the fact that sleepwalkers always move towards a light source. Since
the moon was the only source of light at night in pre-industrial times, it was
believed that sleepwalkers would move towards the moon. The full moon was
even considered a special magnet for night walkers.
This is how the cliché arose that sleepwalkers in
nightgowns with outstretched arms are balancing on the roof gable towards the
full moon. This idea has long been scientifically refuted. It is
extremely rare for a nocturnal walker to climb onto a roof - and if he does, it
is life-threatening. Because the saying that someone with "sleepwalking
certainty" will find his goal is simply not true. Sleepwalkers do not
have a better balance, but rather a significantly reduced ability to
react. They are also disoriented and would fall off the roof pretty
quickly.
Sleepwalking: Dangerous or Not?
Sleepwalking can be dangerous because those
affected have reduced responsiveness, pain perception and are
disoriented. This can have fatal consequences, for example if a
sleepwalker:
- goes down the stairs and falls
- runs against a wall
- starts cooking, leaves the stove on, and then goes back to bed
- A window or the balcony door opens, climbs out and falls down
- leaves the house and goes out into the street
- starts driving and causes an accident
If a person tends to sleepwalk, it is important to
take some safety measures at home to reduce the risk of
injury. Some tips for the four walls:
- There are special mattresses for
sleepwalkers on the market. They ring as soon as he gets out of bed.
- Lock
windows and doors before going to bed. This is
especially true for the house, balcony and patio door. Then hide the
keys.
- Secure
stairs to avoid the risk of falling.
- Clean up tripping hazards such as
carpets and rugs evening away.
- Round off furniture with
sharp edges and corners with soft material .
- Remove all glass objects, such as vases or drinking glasses, from
the rooms.
- Tidy up sharp and pointed objects such as knives and scissors in the evening.
- Attach
tall shelves securely to the wall so they don't fall
over.
- Do not place fragile objects on
the shelves and cabinets.
Also in the hotel room on vacation or on a business
trip, think about appropriate safety measures, because sleepwalkers are in
unknown territory there. And the risk of accident is particular high in
unfamiliar surroundings.
Sleepwalking: Causes and Triggers
Why do you sleepwalk? Researchers have tried
to answer this question. In any case, it is clear that one area of the
brain wakes up while the other continues to sleep. Several factors appear
to be at work in the causes of sleepwalking.
Young sleepwalkers: Immature nervous system
The degree of maturity of the central nervous
system seems to play a central role in whether a person is sleepwalking or
not. That is why the nocturnal strollers are mainly children and young
people. Sleepwalking occurs because the brain partially awakens from deep
sleep and partially continues to sleep. This is confirmed by studies in
which researchers measured the nocturnal brain activity of test subjects with
brain electrodes as part of an electroencephalography (EEG).
It was found that those areas of the brain that are
responsible for movement in sleepwalkers are as active as when they are
awake. In contrast, other areas of the brain that are responsible for
storing memories or for interacting with the environment show a normal sleep
EEG. This also explains why sleepwalkers walk around but are not
responsive and cannot remember their nightly activities the next day.
Sleepwalking - disturbance-prone deep sleep could be to blame
Scientists also suspect that deep sleep in
sleepwalkers is more susceptible to disturbance and less stable. During
this phase of sleep, you therefore react more sensitively to stimuli -
including those from your own body. Doctors refer to this as deep sleep
dysregulation. But there can also be arousal disorders. This means
that external stimuli cause arousal and physical activity more quickly.
Often times, sleepwalking runs in the family
A family predisposition could also play a role in
sleepwalking. Nocturnal, unconscious activity occurs frequently in the
family in around 80 percent of all sleepwalkers. If one parent sleeps, the
chances of their offspring are ten times higher than those of those who sleep
normally are also ten times more likely to become sleepwalkers. If both
parents are sleepwalkers, the children have a 60 percent risk of nocturnal
strollers. Scientists suspect the cause is a hereditary delay in
maturation of the central nervous system.
Emotional stress and lack of sleep
Doctors still know a few triggers for
sleepwalking. Often there is stress , other
emotional stress or a lack of sleep behind it. There are also a few
factors that can promote sleepwalking, for example:
- Light stimuli
- loud noises
- Alcohol consumption
- certain drugs
- physical symptoms such as fever , a
filled bladder, and pain
Sleepwalking: Children are most commonly affected
Sleepwalking is not uncommon for
children. Most sleepwalker are children between the ages of four and eight
because their brains are not yet fully matured and the control of the sleep process
is sometimes not properly coordinated. Experts estimate that around 30
percent of children have sleepwalked at some point. Often, sleepwalking
occurs in children who suffer from migraines. About 28 percent of them
walk around at night.
Sleepwalking is usually harmless in
children. From around the age of ten, the nocturnal hustle and bustle
usually subsides significantly. And when puberty begins, it usually goes
away on its own. Only around one percent of sleepwalkers still suffer from it
in adulthood. @read more:-
