What causes Sleep Walking?

Do you often go to bed and wake up on the sofa of your living room? On the other hand, probably, you have midnight snacks all over your body and you just cannot recollect the memory of midnight snacking. If the scenario is same, you are probably suffering from sleepwalking issues. It is natural that you are worried about your current condition. If you are looking for the answers to your queries regarding sleepwalking, you are in the right place for gathering information. There are various reasons, which can trigger sleepwalking issues. Let’s discuss those along with their solutions.

What is Sleepwalking?

Sleepwalking comes under the division of parasomnia. It is an undesirable experience while you are sleeping. During the deepest cycle of NREM, this phase Sleepwalking may happen as a disorder of arousal. Along with this, sleep terror, another NREM disorder may occur with sleepwalking.
To put it in easier words, Sleepwalking, known as somnambulism, can be a result of medication, heredity, or several health conditions, which disturb your sleep.

What are the root causes of Sleepwalking?

Basic factors that can cause Sleepwalking include,
-    Sleep deprivation
-    Stress
-    Fever
-    Sleep disruptions
-    Interruptions with sleep due to stress, travel or something else
Various underlying health conditions can interfere with your sleep including,
-    Sleep disorders along with abnormal breathing while one is asleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is one of such conditions.
-    Consuming various medications, which include sedatives or other medicines used for psychiatric disorders
-    Excess alcohol consumption
-    GERD or Gastroesophageal reflux disease
-    Restless legs syndrome

What are the symptoms of sleepwalking?

Sleep is certainly one of the most relaxing phases of the day. But it is hard for you, when you are facing sleep disorders. Sleepwalking happens because of sleeping disturbance. This may occur when your NREM sleep or non-rapid eye movement sleep is going on. Within one or two hours of sleeping, sleepwalking takes place.  The symptoms of sleepwalking may sound a little strange but those are real. Someone who is suffering from sleepwalking can sit, stand, walk around, or perform different activities, while sleeping deeply. Though eyes remain open, the person is in a deeper phase of sleep cycle.

Other symptoms of sleepwalking:
•    Unknowingly getting out of the bed and walking around
•    Sitting straight in the bed with wide-open eyes
•    Having the expression of a glassy-eyed
•    Unable to connect with others or respond to their queries
•    Finding it difficult to wake up while they are experiencing sleepwalking
•    Stay confused or unable to remember the morning episodes
•    Having problems with functioning throughout the day as you had lack of sleep
•    Experience sleep terrors while sleepwalking phase is on

What can increase the risks of Sleepwalking?

There are certain factors that may increase the risks of sleepwalking.  These factors include,
•    Genetics: Sleepwalking keeps going on in families. When any of the parents have sleepwalking history, it is common that you have inherited the same.
•    Age: Sleepwalking issues often go away as a child grows up. Adults face fewer problems with sleep disorders as well as sleepwalking compared to children.
•    Sleep disorders: If someone is suffering from sleep disorders, it can increase the chances of sleep disruptions. Irregular sleep or sleep deprivation can make sleepwalking issues worse.

When should you go for Sleepwalking Treatment?

Many experts do not accept sleepwalking as a disorder in the preliminary stage. Until this condition keeps happening frequently, brings in distress, interrupts your functionality, sleepwalking is not considered as a sleep disorder.
A person who is suffering from sleepwalking, is more likely to live like common human being except a few unusual activities.
-    Unusual activities like getting engaged in sexual activities with zero awareness
-    Getting injured, jumping out of the window, or falling down
-    Become violent right after waking up or while sleepwalking

What is the Sleepwalking Treatment?

Sleepwalking is a more common issue for adults than children. During the teen years, the chances and frequency of sleepwalking are higher. Once they grow up into adults, it generally goes away with maturity. But, it may remain in few as well. If mild symptoms of sleepwalking take place, doctors may not recommend any particular treatment. Reducing your stress level and following a healthy sleep habit may help a lot. Polysomnography, known as sleep study, can be one of the most effective ways that diagnoses sleep disorders. During this study, the patients go through the monitoring of the phases of sleep cycle. This works affirmatively in finding the reasons of your sleep disorder and their solutions as well.

If you are suffering from some specific sleep-related disorders, your expert can suggest you sleep study or Polysomnography. Sleep study is useful to identify:
-    Any type of sleep disorders including Sleep Apnea where you catch abnormal breathing while you are asleep.
-    Narcolepsy is the condition when you have extreme drowsiness during the days and sudden disorders take place while sleeping.
-    Periodic limb movement disorder that is closely connected with another disorder named restless legs syndrome.
-    REM sleep behavior disorder that makes you follow the dreams and act out when you are asleep.
-    Some unusual behaviors, which include walking or moving around frequently during sleep
-    Chronic insomnia: When you are consistently facing issues with falling asleep or having problems with sleep, an expert may suggest you polysomnography.

Conclusion
The problem of sleepwalking mostly remains in the families. Also, it can happen because of stress, or some other reasons including breathing disorders, migraine, sleep deprivation, medications, and neurological issues. If you find that your problems with sleep or sleepwalking issues are increasing, you can immediately contact a specialist. Perhaps, this wandering during nighttime may create problems. Stop imagining yourself as an unnatural being. Even if you are frightened about the disorder you are experiencing, you need not worry at all. Sleepwalking is most likely a temporary result of sleep disorders that most of the time disappears on its own with age.

Note: The article is meant for general awareness of the readers. The information can’t be used as a substitute to a medical prescription or diagnosis by a medical professional. In case you experience above or related symptoms, kindly consult a registered medical professional.

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