Sleepwalking – The Do’s and Don’ts (Part 1)
Sleepwalking can be very disconcerting. Imagine going to sleep at night, burrowing under the covers, but waking up in a totally different place? Or, perhaps you wake up in your own bed, but family members tell tales of you walking and talking to them, sometimes even completing different tasks and you have no recollection of the events. Sounds spooky, doesn’t it? Approximately ten percent of the population has bouts of sleepwalking, many of them children. Also known as somnambulism, sleepwalking often occurs during the deep sleep phase. The common belief that you should not wake sleepwalkers is dangerous. In fact, if you do not wake them, they have a great potential of hurting themselves or the people around them.
Some people are unsure about the symptoms of sleepwalking and whether they or a loved one could be suffering from it. Sleepwalkers often appear awake. If you are unsure if a loved one is actually sleepwalking, look into their eyes. If they stare absently and don’t see you or track your movements with their eyes, chances are that they are indeed sleepwalking. Another symptom of sleepwalking is weird or uncharacteristic behaviors.
Talking or mumbling is common in sleepwalkers as is disorientation or confusion if awakened suddenly. Aggressive behavior toward a person trying to waken a sleepwalker is another symptom and also plays into that myth about it being dangerous to awaken sleepwalkers. It is especially important to wake up a sleepwalker if they are showing signs of wanting to go outside or even perform certain tasks that can prove harmful if asleep like cooking or using power tools.
