Written by Sara Bozyel
A lot of people believe that the action of sleepwalking is just an act out of dreams or inner thoughts to physical actions that happen because of the hormones secreted during puberty. It became a completely mis-coded knowledge, assumed as simple, unserious, and unworthy of concerning action. However, the action of sleepwalking is much more complicated and quite mysterious.
Sleepwalking is actually classified as a sleep disorder called somnambulism (3). It is the performance of activities that can be performed in a state of full consciousness, while in a state of low consciousness. It is quite common among kids and adolescent individuals but is also seen in a small group of adults (3). Mostly caused by lack of sleep, poor sleep habits, and psychological problems such as anxiety or stress (1). Since, in most cases, the sleepwalker can not recall the process of sleepwalking in the stage of full consciousness, the situation has become a mystery among people.
Even though it is a variable condition among individuals, during the episode of parasomnia (the action of sleepwalking) the person usually has no recollection of the actions they made during the process after they wake up. In the course of parasomnia, individuals do not have any sensory perception, memory formation, or responsiveness towards the environment – they have absolutely no mental interaction with the outside world (2). In other words, they are completely unaware of what they are doing or how they are doing it. To clarify, we can tackle patients in a vegetative state to compare the conditions. These patients go through typical sleep and wake cycles but are unconscious and unresponsive (2). In this sense, they are often referred to as “awake but not aware.” Individuals in parasomnia episodes are neither awake nor aware. Even though it sounds unreal since individuals in a vegetative state are considered to be unconscious, individuals in an episode of parasomnia can be considered to be even less conscious (2). However, there are some exceptions. In adults, a high proportion of sleepwalkers occasionally remember what they did during their sleepwalking episodes (5). Some even remember what they were thinking and the emotions they felt (5). The reason why usually adults remember is considered to be the differences between developed and developing minds.
However, the fact that the person who is having an episode of parasomnia is unconscious, does not mean they are not dangerous. Sleepwalkers can harm themselves and others on a substantial level. They can even kill themselves and others during the stage of low consciousness. They can engage in highly complex behaviors such as driving long distances and hurting others with sleep aggression and violence. Since they do not feel any pain or injury, they are open to acting more violently. For clarification, there is no evidence that individuals with these disorders are inherently violent or predetermined to seek out victims (4). Since it is an open-ended situation, an idea may appear that this disorder is sort of an act out of our primitive instincts. As humans we tend to violence and harm, it is an irrefutable part of our nature. Our primitive instincts may reveal under circumstances of weakness or unawareness. This mindset actually covers up for many cases of harm in sleepwalking such as accomplishing or committing murder. It is not very wrong to have this mindset. However, scientific discoveries are not very much in agreement.
Sleepwalking typically occurs in the first or second sleep cycles; specifically during stages three and four when brain waves are slower (3). Scientists believe that sleepwalking occurs when the brain’s limbic region remains awake. This emits alpha waves while the cortex and hippocampus regions of the brain are in a sleep state (where delta waves are emitted) (3). The result is that the brain becomes activated into a fight or flight type of response. This is associated with what occurs when our basic survival response is triggered (3). There are several predictors of sleepwalking. Evidence shows that you are more likely to sleepwalk if there is a family history of the behavior. There are also medical conditions that can increase your chance of sleepwalking, such as sleep apnea, heart rhythm problems, nighttime seizures, fever, restless legs syndrome, and psychiatric disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder or panic attacks) (3). You can also be more prone to sleepwalking if you are sleep deprived or on a chaotic sleep schedule. Taking medications such as sedatives, stimulants or antihistamines can also affect sleepwalking (3).
As for the conclusion, it is crystal clear that besides the mystery underlying the concept of somnambulism, it can actually become quite dangerous. An increase in awareness is absolutely needed for the ones who are struggling with this disorder and the ones around them. So do not underestimate this disorder and do not forget to keep your eyes wide open.
References:
Martel, J. (n.d.). Pediatric sleepwalking: Causes, symptoms, and treatments. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/sleepwalking-and-children
While you were sleepwalking: Science and neurobiology of sleep disorders & the Enigma of legal responsibility of violence during Parasomnia. (n.d.). PubMed Central (PMC). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4506454/
Why do we sleepwalk? | 2020 | News | Careica health. (2021, March 17). Careica Health. https://careicahealth.com/news/sleep-care/2020/106/why-do-we-sleepwalk/
Violent behavior that occurs during disorders of arousal is provoked. (2022, March 29). American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and Researchers. https://aasm.org/new-study-in-the-journal-sleep-finds-that-violent-behavior-that-occurs-during-disorders-of-arousal-is-provoked/
Sleepwalkers sometimes remember their actions. (2022, August 26). Sleep Education. https://sleepeducation.org/sleepwalkers-sometimes-remember-their-actions/
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