Written by Bahar Madani
Sleepwalking (also called somnambulism) is a behavior in which the child gets up during the night and walks or does other activities. The child usually does not remember getting up or being engaged in the activities. Sleepwalking tends to occur during the first part of the night, usually within an hour or two of falling asleep.
About 18% of people sleepwalk at some point in their life. Children who sleepwalk may find that episodes stop occurring as they get older, or they may continue to sleepwalk as adults. Sleepwalking is a common parasomnia affecting up to four percent of adults. Even though most sleepwalking starts in childhood, the condition can begin in adulthood as well. Most children who sleepwalk do not have emotional or psychological problems.
What are the causes of sleepwalking?
Causes of sleepwalking include:
Hereditary (the condition may run in families).
Lack of sleep or extreme fatigue.
Interrupted sleep or unproductive sleep, from disorders like sleep apnea (brief pauses in the child's breathing pattern during sleep).
Illness or fever.
Certain medications, such as sleeping pills
Stress, anxiety.
Going to bed with a full bladder.
Noises or touches.
Changes in the sleep environment or different sleep setting (example: a hotel).
Migraines.
Head injuries.
What are the symptoms of sleepwalking?
In addition to getting out of bed and walking around, other symptoms exhibited by sleepwalkers include:
Sitting up in bed and repeating movements, such as rubbing eyes or tugging on pajamas.
Looking dazed (sleepwalkers' eyes are open but they do not see the same way they do when they are fully awake).
Not responding when spoken to, or responses may not make sense.
Being difficult to wake up.
Talking in their sleep.
How is sleepwalking treated?
For children who sleepwalk more often, doctors may recommend a treatment called scheduled awakening. This treatment works as follows: for several nights, record the time between when your child falls asleep and the beginning of the sleepwalking event.
Then, for the next several nights in a row, rouse your child 15 minutes before the expected time of the sleepwalking event. You do not need to completely awaken the child -- simply disturb the sleep enough to cause a brief stirring. This momentarily interrupts the sleep cycle and may stop the sleepwalking in some cases.
Other ways to try to reduce your child’s sleepwalking include the following:
Have your child relax at bedtime by listening to soft music.
Establish regular nap and sleep schedules and stick with them. Naps are important for the younger child. This will eliminate sleep deprivation (a lack of sleep), a known trigger for sleepwalking.
Cut back on the amount of liquids your child drinks in the evening and make sure he or she goes to the bathroom before bedtime (a full bladder may contribute to sleepwalking).
Avoid caffeine near bedtime (caffeinated products include coffee, tea, colas, some non-cola pops, energy drinks, and chocolates).
Make sure your child's bedroom is quiet, calm, comfortable, cool (less than 75° F), and dark.
If stress is thought to be contributing to the problem, your child may benefit from counseling, hypnosis, or biofeedback. On rare occasions, doctors may prescribe a medication to help your child sleep.
Sources:
“Sleepwalking.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14292-sleepwalking.
Suni, Eric. “Sleepwalking.” SleepFoundation.Org, 14 Aug. 2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleepwalking
“Adult Sleepwalking Is Serious Condition That Impacts Health-Related Quality of Life.” American Academy of Sleep Medicine, aasm.org/adult-sleepwalking-is-serious-condition-that-impacts-health-related-quality-of-life/#:~:text=Sleepwalking%20is%20a%20common%20parasomnia,eye%20movement%20(NREM)%20sleep
“Sleepwalking: Management and Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14292-sleepwalking/management-and-treatment.
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