Somnambulism is a special state that comes closest to what is called the twilight state of consciousness and mental automatism. This condition always develops during sleep in some neuropathic people.
Symptoms. It is known that one of the signs of nervousness or a neuropathic disposition is that people talk and rave during sleep. At the same time, some rise from the pillow, sit as if having a conversation with someone, laugh, argue. From here it is only one step to somnambulism - all one has to do is for the sleeping person to get up, then go somewhere, perform some action, and this will already be somnambulism.
The actions performed by somnambulists are sometimes very complex. Some of them, getting up, walk around the rooms, unlock the doors, go outside, climb onto trees and roofs. At the same time, one is sometimes struck by the extreme dexterity of movement of sleepwalkers and the complete lack of awareness of danger. Other sleepwalkers carry out their usual work - weaving, sewing, while others perform those tasks that bothered them in the waking state, for example, solving mathematical problems, writing poetry. There is no doubt that many people have fantastic images and dreams that guide their actions.
Observations of sleepwalkers show that in this state there is a possibility of a completely consistent and correct combination of ideas in a certain, limited circle of the thought that is occupied at the given moment by the patient’s consciousness; but at the same time there is complete stupidity, insensitivity to what is not related to this thought. Very often it can be noted that in relation to some external stimuli there is hyperesthesia: patients see in the dark what they cannot see while awake, hear the smallest sounds related to their thoughts, and do not hear sharp noises that are not related to it. Sometimes there is also a one-sided sophistication of mental activity: some sleepwalkers successfully solved problems that they could not solve in a waking state, wrote poetry and essays.
Usually, with sleepwalking, the facial expression does not correspond to normal; Although a person walks with his eyes open, his face corresponds so little to external stimuli that it is easy to notice that he lives his inner life, and not the outer one. Usually the state of sleepwalking lasts several minutes or hours, then the patient falls asleep in a normal sleep and, upon waking up, does not remember what happened. Sometimes, however, the memory persists.
Sleepwalking occurs in nervous, hysterical and epileptic people. It sometimes serves as the subject of forensic medical examination: on the one hand, because there are cases of rape of female sleepwalkers, and on the other, because sleepwalkers themselves sometimes commit acts that are harmful to others. We cannot forget, for example, the following fact: the prior of one monastery, sitting in an armchair at the table reading, suddenly saw a novice who was sleeping next to him enter his room. He holds a knife in his hands and goes straight to the prior’s bed and sticks the knife into the place where the prior’s chest should have been if he were lying on the bed at that time. Having done this, the novice retired to his room and fell asleep. The next morning, when he woke up, he said that he had a dream that the prior had insulted his mother, and he wanted to kill him. Of course, only chance saved the prior from death.
As far as treatment somnambulism, then it comes down to the treatment of the neuropathic lining on which it develops. In relation to the seizure itself, there is a prejudice that sleepwalkers should not be awakened. Of course, if the sleepwalker is in such a dangerous position, for example, on the roof, that, being awakened, he may become frightened and fall, then it is impossible to wake him up without taking precautions; in other cases, you can wake up without any fear.
Sleepwalkers, somnambulists... We have all heard about these people, but many are convinced that this is a rare phenomenon. Not at all, somnambulism, or sleepwalking, as it is more often called “popularly,” is a fairly common disease, known since ancient times. Mentions of lunatics are found in the most ancient Egyptian papyri, in the books of Greek philosophers, and Roman annals. Sleepwalking in those days was a mystery, and families that had sleepwalkers never brought this fact out to the public. This was considered dangerous: people suffering from sleepwalking were classified as sorcerers and witches, they could be expelled from the village and even burned or drowned. It was generally believed that such a person was possessed by evil spirits. But times have changed, and somnambulism has moved from the category of manifestations of an “unclean spirit” to the number of diseases treated by traditional medicine.
In medicine, sleepwalking is designated by the term “somnambulism” (sleepwalking) and refers to episodic events occurring during sleep, i.e. to parasomnias, or more precisely to the first group of parasomnias - “ awakening disorders"(this phenomenon was called sleepwalking because it was believed that its development was influenced by the Moon). Somnambulism is a series of complex motor actions performed by a person in a dream, without awareness of what is happening. According to some data, somnambulism occurs in 15% of the population. According to Ohayon M.M. (Prevalence and Comorbidity of Nocturnal Wandering in the U.S. Adult General Population. Neurology 2012): American scientists conducted a study to study the epidemiology of sleepwalking in the United States. The representative sample consisted of 15,929 respondents aged from 18 to 102 years. The analysis showed that at one time or another in their lives, sleepwalking was recorded in 29.2% of respondents. Thus, somnambulism is observed in one third of people at one time or another in their lives.
The gender ratio is 1:1. They are most often observed at the age of 4 - 12 years and, as a rule, go away on their own with puberty. Sleepwalking is often combined with other sleep disorders (parasomnias) - sleep intoxication syndrome, night terrors, bruxism. Specific forms of arousal disorders may manifest as eating or sexual activity during sleep.
A number of authors believe that in childhood the cause of somnambulism is brain immaturity, confirmed by the presence of sudden rhythmic bursts of delta activity during delta sleep in “sleepwalkers” under 17 years of age. Research also confirms the role of the hereditary genetic factor in somnambulism, since the latter is 6 times more common in monozygotic twins than in dizygotic twins; and children whose parents are “sleepwalkers” are more likely to experience somnambulism. In adults, somnambulism often depends on psychological factors and occurs after acute stress or after globally significant life events, often positive. Also, in adults with sleepwalking, psychopathological changes are more often diagnosed, and in older people, sleepwalking is often combined with dementia.
“Somnambulists” may perform repeated simple movements such as rubbing their eyes, feeling their clothes (sometimes this is all it takes), then getting up and walking around the room or outside the room. They can perform complex creative acts (for example, drawing or playing the piano). To an outside observer, “somnambulists” seem strange, with an “absent” facial expression and wide-open eyes. As a rule, somnambulism ends spontaneously, continuing with normal sleep, and the patient can return to his bed or fall asleep in any other place. During sleepwalking, sleepwalking may occur (which also refers to parasomnia). During an episode of sleepwalking, a person usually does not perceive anything, and it is very difficult to awaken him. An episode of sleepwalking (samnambulism) is accompanied by amnesia, i.e. the “sleepwalker” has completely no memories of what happened at night.
An episode of “sleepwalking” often develops in the first half of the night, when the presence of deep ones (3rd and 4th) is highest. stages of slow-wave sleep At the same time, inhibition of the central nervous system during sleep does not extend to the areas of the brain that determine motor functions; as a result, impulses go to the muscles and the person begins to exhibit motor activity. Episodes of somnambulism last from 30 seconds to 30 minutes, several times a week or only with predisposing (provoking) factors, for example, nervous excitement, lack of sleep, external stimuli (noise), internal stimuli (instability of blood pressure, etc.), alcohol intake before bedtime, taking psychotropic medications (neuroleptics, antidepressants), taking drugs. Diseases that contribute to the development of sleepwalking are: hyperthermia (increase in body temperature), arrhythmias (“interruptions” in the functioning of the heart), asthma (frequent night attacks), nocturnal epilepsy attacks, gastroesophageal reflux (reflux of food from the stomach into the esophagus and pharynx), apnea attacks (temporary cessation of breathing), mental disorders.
Is somnambulism (sleepwalking) dangerous? If we consider somnambulism as a disease, then it does not pose any immediate danger to the body. But since the “somnambulist” is not aware of the danger (since he performs actions unconsciously), this creates a potential threat both for the patient and for the people around him. Statistics show that about 25% of “sleepwalkers” cause some kind of harm to themselves. However, in adults suffering from sleepwalking, the risk of harm is twice as high as in children. For example, during night “walks” they can fall out of a window, fall from a roof, bump into some objects and get injured, etc. Scientific works on sleepwalking describe cases of murder committed during sleepwalking. Naturally, the person in this case is not aware of what he is doing and does not remember what happened. To be fair, it should be said that such cases are isolated and extremely rare.
To make a diagnosis of “somnambulism” (sleepwalking), in addition to actually walking during sleep, it is necessary to confirm the presence of impaired consciousness or impaired ability to think coherently. In addition, one of the following symptoms must be present at this time:
■ difficulty in trying to awaken the child (but not the inability to awaken the child);
■ confusion of his thoughts during awakening;
■ complete or partial amnesia of the episode;
■ presence of habitual activity at unusual times;
■ dangerous or potentially dangerous behavior.
However, one should always take into account the possibility that a child may develop temporal automatism during sleep, similar to the picture of an epileptic seizure. According to V.A. Karlova (1990), epileptic seizures account for 3% of cases of sleepwalking. Features of the clinical picture of sleepwalking, which allow one to suspect (but nothing more than) the epileptic genesis of parasomnia (sleepwalking) are:
■ age of the child under 3 years and after 12 years;
■ occurrence in the second half of the night;
■ simple and stereotypical nature of motor activity;
■ inability to wake up;
■ the presence of epileptiform activity on the EEG during wakefulness.
There are two components to the treatment of sleepwalking: cognitive behavioral therapy and drug therapy. In most cases, sleepwalking does not require medication. In both children and adults, the necessary therapy may include: recommendations for sleep hygiene, abstinence from irritating (provoking) factors, treatment of concomitant diseases, herbal medicine, phototherapy, psychotherapy, as well as behavioral therapy, which, in the case of sleepwalking in a child - carried out with parents. First of all, it is necessary to reassure parents and inform them about the benign, curable nature of this condition. It is necessary to tell them that sleepwalking has nothing to do with dreams and does not have a destructive effect on the child’s psyche. The main danger is the possibility of self-injury.
The next step is to ensure a safe sleeping environment: eliminating glass doors, breaking floor items, limiting the ability to go out onto the balcony or open windows. The child’s sleep schedule is discussed with the parents: does he sleep enough, does he go to bed on time. Before going to bed, avoid stimulating drinks and foods (coffee, cola, chocolate).
Long-term (intense), frequently recurring episodes of somnambulism are a reason for prescribing drug therapy. Drug treatment is prescribed in courses of 1 to 3 weeks. The most effective drugs are clonazepam (0.25 - 2.0 mg) and nitrazepam (1.25 - 5.0 mg) an hour before bedtime (to achieve maximum concentrations of drugs in the blood in the first half of the night). The effect of the GABAergic nootropic drug phenibut and tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline) has not been proven; despite this, they are widely used.
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Somnambulism
The concept of “somnambulism” comes from the Latin Somnus - sleep and ambulare - to walk, walk, wander.
Somnambulism (sleepwalking, sleepwalking) is a pronounced sleep disorder when a sleeping person moves unpurposefully in his sleep or in accordance with a dream, in the morning the memory of this is vague or completely absent.
Causes
Sleepwalking occurs during the slow-wave sleep phase. Sleepwalking is most common in childhood. The peak incidence of somnambulism occurs between 4 and 8 years of age. It is believed that 25% of healthy children have had at least one episode of somnambulism in their lifetime. Numerous studies indicate that the cause of somnambulism may be the immaturity of the cerebral cortex, namely the failure and separation of cortical-subcortical connections. In 25-33% of cases, somnambulism is combined with enuresis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and apnea syndrome. Restless legs syndrome is often associated with sleep talking and nightmares.
It is known that episodes of somnambulism become more frequent after mental stress, stress, sleep disturbances, or lack of sleep. And this confirms that somnambulism is one of the manifestations of neurosis. Childhood somnambulism usually goes away before puberty.
In adults, somnambulism also occurs, but more often in adulthood and old age. Some diseases - epilepsy, hysteria, senile delirium, obsessional neurosis, Parkinson's disease, as well as the use of certain drugs (neuroleptics, sleeping pills) are considered as causes of somnambulism.
Symptoms of somnambulism
With somnambulism, people may:
Sit on the bed with your eyes open.
Look with an unseeing, “glassy” gaze.
Moving and talking is awkward and unnatural.
Walk around the house, open doors, turn lights on and off.
Do everyday things: get dressed, cook breakfast and even drive a car.
Scream, especially if you have nightmares.
During episodes of somnambulism, it is difficult to wake a person. Walking usually begins during deep sleep, a couple of hours after falling asleep. If a person goes to sleep for a short time during the day, then episodes of somnambulism are unlikely. A person never remembers an incident at night in the morning.
Episodes of somnambulism can be very different. They can occur frequently or rarely, sometimes repeating several times a night for several nights in a row. Sleepwalking occurs more often in children when their sleep patterns and behavior change.
Diagnostics
For diagnosis, a physical examination of the patient and a mental examination are performed. In some cases, polysomnography is recommended - a study in a sleep laboratory.
During this procedure, the patient spends the night in a special laboratory. Special sensors record pulse, blood pressure, eye movements, breathing rate, brain waves, muscle contractions and blood oxygen saturation. Based on these data, the doctor can diagnose many neurological diseases.
Types of disease
There are several forms of somnambulism, which can be divided into two main groups: somnambulism that occurs spontaneously, and somnambulism caused artificially.
Somnambulism, which occurs spontaneously in a person, that is, spontaneous somnambulism - twilight darkness of consciousness in the form of wandering in a dream while performing habitual movements and actions, is accompanied by amnesia. This type of somnambulism is characterized by a decrease or absence of skin sensitivity, increased excitability of certain sensory organs and the subject’s susceptibility to suggestion.
In adults, somnambulism is quite rare, but in children it is not such an exceptional phenomenon. This condition can be observed in epilepsy and hysterical neurosis.
Artificial somnambulism using hypnosis can be induced in both sick and healthy people. This most complex phenomenon of human psychosomatics manifests itself as: sudden akinesia, catalepsy, amnesia and multimodal anesthesia (lack of visual, auditory, tactile, osmic and kinesthetic perception).
Patient Actions
Rare episodes of somnambulism are not a cause for concern. A doctor should be consulted if the episodes become frequent, are accompanied by dangerous behavior, and the child’s somnambulism does not stop during adolescence.
Treatment of somnambulism
Treatment for somnambulism is not always necessary. If you notice that your child or another family member is sleepwalking, do not try to wake them. The best option is to gently take the person by the hand and lead him back to bed. It is possible to wake up a sleepwalker, but he will be disoriented and frightened after such an awakening. In the case of adults, aggression may be shown towards the one who wakes them up.
Treatment for somnambulism may include hypnosis. In cases where sleepwalking is caused by medication, the symptoms disappear when the medication is stopped.
If sleepwalking causes daytime sleepiness or is associated with a risk of serious injury, your doctor will recommend special medications. Benzodiazepines or some antidepressants are sometimes used. They may stop sleepwalking episodes.
If sleepwalking is associated with a physical or mental illness, then treatment should be aimed at eliminating this root cause. For example, if somnambulism is caused by obstructive sleep apnea, then a continuous positive airway pressure system (CPAP or CPAP) is used. The patient is put on a special mask, and the machine maintains positive pressure in the airways during sleep, which prevents them from closing.
Complications
Sleepwalking sometimes leads to injury, especially when a person goes outside, drives, or confuses a window with a door. Prolonged sleepwalking can cause unusual sleepiness during the day and decreased productivity and academic performance. In addition, people with such problems disturb the sleep of those around them.
Prevention of somnambulism
Introduce a regular relaxing ritual before bed. Before going to bed, be quiet and stop vigorous activity. Take a hot bath. Meditation and relaxation techniques will also help you.
Try to get a good night's sleep. Fatigue can greatly affect your sleep. Try to go to bed earlier, introduce a reasonable work and rest schedule.
Control your stress. Identify the things that irritate you and cause you stress, and limit their influence. Take a closer look at your child's environment.
Many have come across the term “sleepwalking” and know that a sleepwalker is a person who walks in his sleep with his arms outstretched forward.
But this knowledge is not entirely correct.
In reality, sleepwalking looks quite frightening, because the only thing that distinguishes a somnambulist from an ordinary person is a glassy gaze and ignoring the voice of relatives who call him and try to understand what is happening.
Is sleepwalking a mental disorder in adults and children?
Somnambulism is a form of disruption of natural night sleep, which is accompanied by unconscious talking and walking.
This is a very vague phenomenon, occurring in 2.5% of the population.
Such episodic sleepwalking is considered normal if it occurs 1-2 times a month. A person can walk in his sleep due to emotional trauma, the use of medications, alcohol: the reasons can be very different.
And mostly males suffer from this. Signs of this problem most often appear in children aged 4 to 16 years; adults are much less susceptible to this disease.
F51.3 - this is the number under which this disorder is included in the ICD-10, although in most cases it is not a problem for which treatment is necessary.
Features of patients suffering from the disease
Somnambulism is a sleep disorder, but not a mental disorder! This affects very impressionable, emotional people who have certain structural features of the brain.
Outwardly, such people look quite calm and reserved. This disorder can also occur in people who have experienced some kind of failure for a long time.
Causes
In most cases, episodic sleepwalking is no longer a problem after the age of 17.
But adults are exposed to this in different ways:
- acute stress;
- chronic lack of sleep;
- taking drugs and alcohol in large quantities;
- eating junk food, eating a heavy dinner;
- recent traumatic brain injury;
- panic attacks;
- heredity.
There are also quite serious causes of somnambulism: various heart problems (tachycardia or heart failure), formations in the brain, aneurysms, Parkinson's disease.
Hormonal surges also affect the brain, so pregnant women can also suffer from this disease.
Diabetics also experience bouts of sleepwalking as their blood sugar levels drop at night.
Symptoms and signs in adults
Absolutely the same in both children and adults.
During nighttime adventures, a person’s behavior changes dramatically. He begins to move smoothly, often various body movements occur “automatically”.
The sleepwalker's gaze is frozen, his pupils are constricted. Not in all cases, the somnambulist actively moves around in his sleep; he can perform any actions while lying in bed: adjusting his pajamas, rubbing his eyes, and so on.
Sometimes the sleepwalker simply gets out of bed, sits and talks.
A sleepwalker can come, for example, to a table and just stand motionless. Such attacks can last from 5 minutes to 1.5 hours.
Although there are cases when somnambulists actively walk around the house: they turn on appliances, open doors and windows, and take knives.
In such cases, you need to take care of the complete safety of the person.
It is very rare, but there are sleepwalkers who leave the house: they can go to the store, swim in the river and even get behind the wheel (but they will not go far: an accident will immediately occur)!
In such cases, of course, accidents often occur to a person.
Types and forms of the syndrome
There are several types of somnambulism: from the most harmless to aggressive and even dangerous.
Alcoholic
This form of somnambulism occurs with excessive alcohol consumption. A person, having drunk a fairly large amount of alcohol, goes to bed, but begins to walk in his sleep.
Most often, this phenomenon occurs once and does not bother the person anymore. If such episodes are repeated repeatedly, then you should reconsider your lifestyle and consult a specialist.
Sexual
A sleepwalker may exhibit unconscious sexual activity in a dream.
This phenomenon is called sexsomnia.
This form affects people who are sexually promiscuous and consume alcohol and/or drugs excessively.
The manifestation of this form is sexual intercourse in a dream, or other sexual activity. Usually, after this, a person does not remember what happened, and if he does, it is as an ordinary erotic dream.
Sexsomnia is caused by the same reasons as during sleepwalking, but the determining factor is physical contact with the partner. Both men and women are equally susceptible to this form of sleepwalking.
Talking in your sleep
This is rather “mini sleepwalking”, expressed in speaking during sleep. It can occur in any phase of sleep, in contrast to true sleepwalking. And depending on the phase, conversations can be either vague or quite clear.
Speaking in a dream can occur in absolutely anyone. Most often, this type occurs and goes away in the future.
But there are also cases when adults talk in their sleep. This may be due to a genetic predisposition. In any case, this phenomenon is harmless.
Bouts of night eating and drinking
Night eating and drinking syndrome is a dangerous phenomenon, although it seems that there is nothing wrong with it.
But in addition to consuming regular food, a person can also eat inedible items: washing powder, paints, various creams...
And if a person wants to cook something in a dream using a gas stove, then this will be dangerous not only for the somnambulist himself, but also for the people around him.
Rapid eye movement behavior disorder
This disorder occurs during REM sleep. The average person has a defensive reaction to movements from dreams.
That is, when a person sees a dream in which he makes any movements, in reality he does not move. But if the defense fails, then this syndrome occurs.
With this form, actions from a dream are embodied in reality. This is already more serious than simple sleepwalking with primitive movements.
In this state, a person can perform complex movements, such as pinching, kicking, jumping and many others. And it is very difficult to wake a person at such moments.
Diagnosis of the condition
If an episode of sleepwalking occurs for the first time, and there was some kind of stressful situation the day before, then seeing a doctor is not necessary.
But if this happens systematically, then you need to contact a neurologist, neuropsychiatrist or psychiatrist.
A specialist can help with making a diagnosis, that is:
It is best that when visiting a specialist, the somnambulist is accompanied by a witness to all the night’s activities.
The doctor will ask questions, talk with the patient and prescribe additional methods that will help refute or confirm the diagnosis.
It could be:
- electroencephalography(a research method that allows you to identify epileptic foci);
- ultrasound examination of cerebral vessels(allows you to determine the nature of blood flow in the vessels);
- computed or magnetic resonance imaging(detects any changes, including neoplasms);
- polysomnography(a method that is carried out in a special sleep laboratory, where sensors will be connected to the patient, and they will monitor the patient’s condition during sleep).
The doctor may also prescribe consultations with other specialists: cardiologist, pulmonologist, endocrinologist. This will help diagnose diseases that could cause somnambulism.
Treatment of somnambulism
Medication
Medicines are necessary when a person, during attacks of sleepwalking, poses any danger to himself or his loved ones.
The doctor may prescribe antidepressants or sedatives and sedatives, or tranquilizers.
There are quite a few, such as Trazodone (Desyrel), ProSom or Klonopin.
This method of treatment is used only with a doctor's prescription! It also happens that attacks of sleepwalking become more frequent after a course of medication, but this does not last long.
Warning wake-up method
With this method, it is important to know at what time the attacks occur and how long they last.
It consists of waking up a person 15-20 minutes before the start of the episode and not allowing him to sleep the entire time it should last.
This is used for long-term treatment.
Relaxation
This method is more related to traditional medicine. It involves taking a bath (sitz bath or foot bath) before bed with various oils such as:
- St. John's wort;
- sage;
- mint;
- Melissa;
- sweet clover
The water should be warm and the procedure should last about 10 minutes.
Yoga classes can also be considered relaxation.
They will help cope with stress, a possible cause of sleepwalking.
Sometimes the method of mental imagery is used in treatment. This method will be effective if it is carried out under the supervision of an experienced specialist in the field of behavioral therapy (this may be a hypnotist).
Human lifestyle
Daily routine
The daily regimen of a person suffering from somnambulism should include a balanced diet (eating food 5-6 times a day in small portions, observing the proportions of BZHU), proper rest (sleep at least 8 hours a day).
Also, don’t worry about trifles and minimize stress.
Do they take you into the army?
They take it if somnambulism is caused by a disease such as, for example. But there is no simply sleepwalking in the Schedule of Diseases.
If symptoms of sleepwalking occur during service, the person is hospitalized and undergoes a thorough examination. If mental abnormalities are discovered that are the cause of sleepwalking, the young man is discharged.
How to avoid injury
To prevent various dangers, you need to follow the rules:
- do not leave the somnambulist alone at night;
- remove all light sources;
- lock doors and windows (or put bars on windows);
- make sure that the sleepwalker does not trip over anything or bump into sharp corners;
- do not leave wires under your feet;
- Do not leave keys (of house, car) in visible places.
Consequences and complications
A somnambulist may receive various types of injuries during his adventures. Decreased performance and drowsiness during the day are also possible. In addition, sleepwalkers often disturb the sleep of others.
Prevention measures
Sleepwalking is not a serious condition and in most cases goes away on its own. And when the cause is eliminated, this problem will disappear.
For prevention, you should ventilate the bedroom and do relaxation exercises before bed. You should not go to bed in a “broken state.” A leisurely walk or a cool shower will help relieve fatigue.
Thus, somnambulism is not a death sentence. It can be treated successfully and is not considered a serious problem.
But at the same time, it can appear as a result of any illness, so if an attack of sleepwalking has not occurred for the first time, then there is no need to waste time, it is better to consult a specialist.
Video
Interesting facts about sleepwalking in this video:
In the practice of a medical psychologist, we often have to meet with the parents of children who are in the hospital. And, unfortunately, one of the most common questions is:
- My child gets up at night, talks, walks around the room. What is this? Is it dangerous? How to deal with this?
Let's try to understand this issue...
What is somnambulism?
Somnambulism- lat. Somnus- sleep and ambulare- walk, walk, wander.
Somnambulism is a form of complex behavior that appears to be purposeful, but is unconscious to the person, and is carried out in a dream. Synonyms of somnambulism, in everyday usage - sleepwalking, sleepwalking. Somnambulism called a pronounced sleep disorder, when a sleeping person gets out of bed and moves around undirectedly or in accordance with a dream, the next morning the memory of this is vague or completely absent.”
Somnambulism- occurs if inhibition of the central nervous system during sleep does not extend to the areas of the brain that determine motor functions. An example of incomplete, shallow inhibition is when a sleeping person speaks in his sleep or sits up in bed.
Episodes of somnambulism usually begin 1-1.5 hours after falling asleep during slow-wave sleep.
Picture of somnambulism:subject gets out of bed and makes a series of stereotypical and coordinated movements with his eyes open, his actions may also be of an antisocial nature. During somnambulism, pupils constricted, gaze frozen. Spontaneous transition from an episode somnambulism does not occur during wakefulness, the episode usually ends with a return to normal physiological sleep after 10 - 15 minutes, sometimes longer (20-30 to 50 minutes). When waking up in the morning, there are no memories of what happened in the middle of the night somnambulism.
Who experiences somnambulism?
Somnambulism - most common in childhood and adolescence when the nervous system has not yet strengthened. Due to overload associated with intensive training or stress, this sleep disorder can occur.
Sleep disorders
There are several sleep disorders. One of the most common - insomnia. Its usual cause is nervous fatigue, prolonged intense mental work, sometimes anxiety caused by troubles, and sometimes pleasant experiences, noisy games or reading before bed. A large dinner or large amounts of liquid drunk shortly before bedtime can also cause insomnia. The best remedy for insomnia is establishing a proper work and rest schedule, regular exposure to fresh air, and sufficient physical activity. For insomnia, it can be useful to take a warm (not hot) foot bath at night, drink an infusion of motherwort or valerian root 30 minutes before going to bed. If these measures do not help, you need to seek help from a neurologist who will recommend suitable treatment methods.
A widely known and common sleep disorder is somnambulism- manifests itself in the fact that the sleeper, without waking up, gets out of bed and begins to wander around the house, showing amazing dexterity in his movements. Typically, within a short period of time, he returns to his room and goes to bed. The next morning, the somnambulist usually does not remember anything about his nightly “adventures.”
Who suffers more often from somnambulism - children or adults?
Sleepwalking occurs quite often in children, but usually goes away with age. Like night terrors, episodes of sleepwalking occur more often during periods of tension and anxiety, while children are completely mentally healthy.
Causes of somnambulism:
Somnambulism maybe or manifestation of twilight states consciousness, when wandering in a dream with externally ordered actions is subsequently amnesic (forgotten) OR one of the first epilepsy symptoms as the nonconvulsive equivalent of seizures OR as a manifestation twilight stupefaction during hysteria. It happens that sleepwalking is caused by poisoning worms.
Somnambulism is a fairly common phenomenon.. About 2% of all people periodically sleepwalk.
In adults sleepwalking requires more serious attention. It can be caused by stress, anxiety, and sometimes epilepsy. Therefore, adults need medical help, in particular the use of tranquilizers, antidepressants or hypnosis. If sleepwalking associated with epilepsy, requires the prescription of anticonvulsants.
Suffering somnambulism should contact a neurologist for examination and treatment.
With the phenomenon sleepwalking There are many legends associated with it: it was considered a sign of madness; they said that it was dangerous to wake up a sleepwalker and that he was acutely aware of danger and could not harm himself. None of this is true. Somnambulism is by no means a sign of madness; It is very difficult to wake up a sleepwalker- it is better to carefully guide him back to bed; about 25% of sleepwalkers cause various injuries to themselves during night wanderings. It happens that somnambulists fall out of windows, mistaking them for doors. Sometimes you hear stories about how you are able somnambulism people drove cars, flew airplanes, and performed other complex activities. In fact, this is unlikely. Although, being in a state of confusion, a somnambulist is able to get into a car and start the engine, he will not be able to drive it normally due to the lack of quick reflexes at such moments - an accident will immediately occur.
A lunatic should never be frightened, you must try to carefully put him to bed or very calmly, quietly wake him up. Sleepwalking is treatable. Sleepwalking should be interrupted in the same manner as sleep - calmly, in a quiet voice.
Is it curable or not?
Yes. You need to see a neuropsychiatrist. He may recommend an electroencephalogram (EEG), Dopplerography of the vessels of the head and cervical spine, and other necessary studies and refer you to an ophthalmologist to examine the fundus.
Isolated, rare cases of somnambulism do not require special treatment. In case of neurotic disorders, it is necessary to eliminate or disactualize, that is, make less significant, traumatic effects on the psyche (psychologist, psychotherapist). It is possible to prescribe sedatives and restoratives. An increase in attacks may indicate organic disorders and requires immediate consultation with a specialist.
Is this the body's defense or a disorder?
Somnambulism- this is a disorder. In occurrence somnambulism, conflict situations can often play a role: the child’s reactions to insult, quarrel, punishment, fear. Somnambulism can occur as a manifestation of general neurosis (hysteria, neurasthenia).
Of great importance are the psycho-emotional characteristics of the individual, as well as acute chronic and somatic diseases, perinatal (congenital) pathologies, neuroinfections and traumatic brain injuries.
Can this be overcome?
Can you live with this?
Somnambulism- (aka sleepwalking, aka sleepwalking) represents a potentially dangerous condition.
During an attack somnambulism falls and injuries are possible, as a result of which the sleeping person wakes up. To avoid accidents, the windows and doors of the room where a person suffering from somnambulism sleeps should be kept closed, electrical appliances should be turned off, open fire should be removed, etc. Sleepwalking should be interrupted in the same manner as sleep - calmly, in a quiet voice.
Do not self-medicate, consult a doctor!
Medical psychologist
Igor Aleksandrovich Stepanov
