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Amanda Alvarado
Miss Becky
Grade 10 Psychology
15- December- 2015

Sleepwalking
While sleeping one night a six and a half year old girl was awaken by screams
coming from her neighbor's yard. After alerting her parents she later learned that she
had heard the screams of her elderly neighbor. The elderly neighbor woke up in a pond
near his house surrounded by alligators. The man had sleepwalked from his bedroom to
the pond where he was awaken. What is sleepwalking? What could have caused this
man to leave his bed and walk down to the near pond? Was he interpreting a dream?

The definition of sleepwalking is, The act or an instance of walking or

performing another activity associated with wakefulness while asleep or in a sleeplike
state. Also called somnambulism. We know somnambulism as a time when a person is
able to perform complicated actions in their sleep, like walking. Some sleepwalkers
merely just sit up in bed while others have been known to drive cars. When
sleepwalkers wake up they do not remember the previous night's activities.
Sleepwalkers usually look awake, with their eyes open, but they will not respond if
asked questions or spoken too. Plus, sleepwalkers are not easy to awake because they
are deep in sleep, so a sleepwalkers should usually just be guided back to bed.

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Researchers do not really know what happens when we sleepwalk or why

exactly it happens but they do have some ideas. Some people suggest that a sleepwalker
is acting out their dreams but this is a mere myth. We know that it is not possible for a
sleepwalker to be acting out their dreams because dreams occur in the REM sleep while
sleepwalking occurs in the NREM sleep or non REM sleep. This sleep occurs right after
a deep sleep, when there is a rise in the level of consciousness. At this time the body is
awake but the mind is still partially sleeping. Researchers also believe that stress can
affect sleep disorders including sleepwalking. Still, they do not conclude that stress is
the only factor.
In treatment, Hypnosis has been effective for children and adults. Also,
Benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety or sleep-inducing drugs) and anti-seizure medicines have
been proven useful in the treatment of this disorder. A small dose of diazepam (Valium:
sleeping aid and muscle relaxer) eliminates the episodes or considerably reduces them.
In the home, preventive care is the best assistance for the chronic sleepwalker. Secure
dangerous objects and close off access to stairwells. Remove tripping hazards from
spaces the sleeper may occupy in his nocturnal travels. It may be wise to put alarms in
the area to awaken the sleepwalker or a family member to help.
Somnambulism affects children much more regularly than adults. In fact,
sleepwalking affects approximately 1% to 17% of children and is more frequently seen
in boys. Interestingly, 15% of children aged 5-12 years sleepwalk at least once, but only
3-6% sleepwalk more than once. It has been noted that the incidence of sleepwalking
decreases with age. Although the exact prevalence of sleepwalking in adults is not
known, it is estimated to be as high as 10%. It has also been noted that those individuals
who start to sleepwalk as adults are more prone to serious problems with it. Because it
is found more commonly in children, who are undergoing many physical and chemical

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changes, if it is seen to start in adults it is thought to be linked to mental disturbances

other than fatigue or anxiety. However, mental disturbances can be present without
counting as a symptom.
No one seems to know exactly what the cause of somnambulism is, but there are
theories that have been suggested. Once asleep, it is thought that the part of the brain
that controls muscle function is aroused and the "sleepwalker" begins to move even
though he or she is still asleep. In children, it may be related to fatigue, prior sleep loss,
or anxiety. In adults, sleep walking is usually associated with a disorder of the mind but
may also be seen with reactions to drugs and/or medications and alcohol, and medical
conditions such as partial complex seizures. It is also interesting to note that in 10-20%
of cases there is a familial history of sleep walking, so there is a possibility that it is
genetically inheritable.