You wake up to find yourself in the kitchen, or your partner tells you they found you trying to leave the house at 3 AM. Sleepwalking (somnambulism) affects about 4% of adults and is more common than most people think. Here's what causes it and how to stay safe.
Sleepwalking occurs when a person gets up and walks around while still in a state of deep sleep (Stage 3). The person's eyes are open and they can navigate obstacles, but their brain is not fully conscious. They typically don't remember the episode in the morning.
Sleepwalking runs in families. If one parent sleepwalks, a child has a 45% chance of doing it too. If both parents sleepwalk, the risk is 60%.
Being overtired is the most common trigger. When you're sleep-deprived, your body tries to get more deep sleep, and the transition between deep sleep and wakefulness becomes more chaotic.
High stress levels increase sleepwalking frequency. Stress fragments sleep and increases the number of partial arousals from deep sleep.
Alcohol and certain medications can trigger sleepwalking by disrupting normal sleep architecture and causing unusual behavior during deep sleep.
Sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and periodic limb movement disorder can trigger sleepwalking by causing partial arousals from deep sleep.
It can be. Sleepwalkers can fall down stairs, walk into walls, leave the house, or even drive. Injuries from sleepwalking are common (bruises, cuts, fractures). In rare cases, sleepwalkers have injured themselves or others.
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Gently guiding them back to bed is better than abruptly waking them. If you must wake them, do it from a distance (calling their name) rather than touching them. A startled sleepwalker can become confused or agitated.
No. Sleepwalking occurs during deep sleep (Stage 3), not REM sleep (when dreaming happens). Sleepwalkers are not acting out dreams. The movements are automatic and purposeless, not dream-driven.
Yes, though it's more common in children. Adult-onset sleepwalking is often triggered by stress, medication, or sleep deprivation. If an adult starts sleepwalking for the first time, see a doctor to rule out neurological conditions or sleep disorders.