Stop Sleepwalking

People who sleepwalk may sit up in bed and open their eyes, have a glassy expression, get out of bed, do everyday activities like talking and getting dressed, be unresponsive to others, be hard to wake, be confused when they wake, and then not remember it the next day! Though it is unusual, people sometimes go outside, cook meals, drive, urinate, have sex, injure themselves, or become violent when woken up. Most episodes of sleepwalking occur for a duration of less than 10 minutes, but sometimes it may last for over a half an hour. If you or someone in your household sleepwalks, there are several things you can do.

Steps

Reducing Danger During Sleepwalking

1. Prevent accidents during sleepwalking. Make the house as safe as possible so that when sleepwalking occurs the person will be unlikely to hurt himself or anyone else. Because people who are sleepwalking can do complex activities, do not assume that they will wake up before doing something that requires coordination.
   • Lock doors and windows to prevent the person from leaving the house
   • Hide car keys so the person can’t drive
   • Lock up and hide the keys to all weapons or sharp objects that could be used as weapons
   • Block stairwells and doorways to prevent the person from falling using protective, soft padded gates
   • Do not let a child that sleepwalks sleep on the top bunk of a bunk bed
   • Move things that the person might trip over
   • Sleep on the ground floor if possible
   • Use beds with side rails
   • If possible, set a security alarm that will go off and wake the person if they leave the house
2. Tell other people in your household, so they are prepared. Seeing someone sleepwalk may be scary or confusing for people who don’t know what is going on. If they know, they can help the person deal with it.
   • People who are sleepwalking can often be gently led back to bed. Don't touch the sleepwalker, but try to use your voice and gentle reassurance to guide her back to her bed.
   • Don’t grab, yell at, or startle someone who is sleepwalking. People who wake when sleepwalking are often confused, and this may cause them to panic and be violent. If the person becomes violent, get away as quickly as possible and keep yourself safe in a locked room.
   • If you carefully wake her once she is back in bed, this may interrupt the sleep cycle, preventing her from immediately starting to sleepwalk again in the same sleep cycle.
3. See a doctor if the sleepwalking is severe, dangerous, or shows signs of being related to an underlying condition. However, the person should be checked by a doctor if the sleepwalking:
   • Starts as an adult. Most people who sleepwalk are children and they usually grow out of it without any medical treatment. If it continues into adolescence, then the child should be seen by a doctor.
   • Involves doing things that are dangerous.
   • Happens more than twice a week.
   • Is disrupting the household

Stopping Sleepwalking with Lifestyle Changes

1. Sleep more. Being overtired can trigger sleepwalking. The average adult needs at least eight hours of sleep per night. Children may require as much as 14 hours, depending upon their age. You can reduce fatigue by:
   • Taking short naps throughout the day
   • Going to bed earlier
   • Sticking to a regular schedule so your body will be prepared to sleep and wake at the correct times
   • Reducing your caffeine intake. Coffee is a stimulant and may make it harder to fall asleep.
   • Reduce the amount you drink before bed, so you won’t have to wake up to go to the bathroom.
2. Relax before going to bed. Stress and anxiety may cause people who are prone to sleepwalking to have an episode. Establish a routine of relaxing before bed, or practice good "sleep hygiene." This could include any of the following:
   • Keeping the room dark and quiet
   • Taking a warm bath or shower
   • Reading a book or listening to music
   • Keeping the room cool
   • Refraining from using anything with a screen — television, smartphone, computer, tablet, etc. — before bed
   • Using relaxation techniques before bed, such as visualizing calming places, meditation, deep breathing, progressively tensing and relaxing each muscle group in your body, massage, or yoga.
3. Improve your stress management skills. Develop healthy ways of coping with stress to prevent it from disturbing your sleep. Stress is frequently linked to sleepwalking.
   • Find an exercise regimen that works for you. Your body releases endorphins which will help you relax and feel good. The relaxation will be most effective if you do something you enjoy. Try jogging, fast walking, swimming, or joining a community sports team.
   • Keep close connections with friends and family. They can provide you with support and help you deal with the things that are causing anxiety.
   • Join a support group or see a counselor if there are things you need to talk to about that you can’t tell friends or family. Your doctor may be able to recommend support groups or counselors that would fit your situation.
   • Give yourself time to pursue hobbies that you enjoy. This give you something enjoyable to focus on and distract you from the things that are stressing you out.
4. Keep a diary to track sleepwalking episodes. This may require someone else in the household to keep a record of how often and when in the night it occurs. Make a sleepwalking diary so all the information is in one place.
   • If there is a pattern in when the sleepwalking occurs, it may help determine why the person is sleepwalking. For example, if the person sleepwalks after stressful days, it may mean that stress and anxiety trigger the sleepwalking episodes.
5. Try anticipatory awakening. This is a technique, where, if the person knows when in the night he usually sleepwalks, someone else can wake him shortly before that time.
   • The person should be woken about 15 minutes before the time when he typically sleepwalks and should then stay awake for about five minutes.
   • This disrupts the sleep cycle and may cause the person to go into a different sleep stage when falling back asleep, preventing him from sleepwalking.
   • If you sleepwalk and live alone, try setting your alarm to wake you.
6. Reduce your alcohol consumption. Alcohol can cause sleep disturbances and may trigger sleepwalking. Avoid drinking alcohol before bed.
   • Women and men over 65 should drink no more than one drink per day. Men under 65 should have no more than two drinks per day.
   • Do not drink if you are pregnant, have been diagnosed with alcoholism, have had problems with your heart, liver, or pancreas, have had a stroke, or are on medications that may interact with alcohol.

Seeking Medical Help

1. Ask your doctor if any of your medications may cause you to sleepwalk. Some medications may disrupt people's sleep cycles and cause sleepwalking. But do not stop taking your medications without consulting a doctor first. Your doctor may be able to recommend a different medication that will still treat your health problem but reduce the sleepwalking too. Medications that may cause sleepwalking as side-effects include:
   • Sedatives
   • Medications for psychiatric conditions
   • Short-acting hypnotics
2. Talk to your doctor about whether your sleepwalking could be a symptom of another underlying condition. Though most sleepwalking is not a sign of a more serious condition, there are a few conditions that may trigger sleepwalking:
   • Partial complex seizures
   • Brain disorders in the elderly
   • Anxiety
   • Depression
   • Narcolepsy
   • Restless legs syndrome
   • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
   • Migraines
   • Hyperthyroidism
   • Head injuries
   • Strokes
   • A fever over 101°F (38.3°C)
   • Abnormal breathing patterns while you sleep, such as obstructive sleep apnea
3. Get tested for a sleep disorder. This will probably require you to sleep in a sleep lab. A sleep lab is a laboratory where you spend the night and a team of doctors run a polysomnogram. Sensors will be connected from your body (usually stuck to your temples, scalp, chest, and legs) to a computer that will monitor your sleep. The doctors will measure:
   • Your brain waves
   • The oxygen in your blood
   • Your heart rate
   • Your breathing rate
   • Your eye and leg movements
4. Try medications. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medications to deal with the sleepwalking. The following are sometimes prescribed:
   • Benzodiazepines, which generally have sedative effects
   • Antidepressants, which are often helpful for treating anxiety-related disorders

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• Cope with Sleep Paralysis
• Sleep when Someone Is Snoring
• Sleep Comfortably on a Hot Night
• Sleep Comfortably on a Cold Night

Sources and Citations

See also

• Recognize Symptoms of Sleep Apnea
• Cure Insomnia
• Have Lots of Energy After Having Little Sleep
• Stop Snoring
• Prevent Insomnia
• Avoid Sleeping and Yawning During the Day
• Cope with Sleep Paralysis
• Deal with Sleep Apnea
• Stop Snoring Naturally
• Know if You Have Insomnia

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