How sleepwalking manifests itself in adults. Causes and treatment of sleepwalking in adults

Sleepwalking is a systemic parasomnia spectrum disorder that has not been fully explored by modern science. This pathology known in the world under the name "somnambulism", has an appropriate classification according to the ICD, is expressed in the commission of a series of actions by a person who is actually in the process of sleep.

With the onset of sleepwalking, a person can perform both simple and complex actions., V certain situations posing a threat to the patient and others, while not being conscious. What are the causes of pathology, are there methods for its diagnosis and treatment? You will learn about this and much more below.

Causes of sleepwalking in adults

Despite the fact that this pathological condition known since ancient times, exact reasons the formation of sleepwalking syndrome has not been found. Previously, the main factor in the disorder of the parasomnic spectrum was considered to be the individual phases of the lunar cycles, the introduction of otherworldly spirits and other things that are absurd from the point of view of contemporaries.

In some cases, people suffering from sharp forms hypercortisolism due to the presence of real mental disorders in history and the formation of a characteristic external "lunar" appearance, caused active influence on the hormones of the adrenal cortex.

Modern medicine, at the level of hypotheses and theories, connects the causes of somnambulism in adults with a number of such factors:

Immaturity of the nervous system;
sleep deprivation;
Violations of the change of cycles of fast and slow sleep against the background of OSAS and syndrome restless legs;
Great fatigue and nervous excitement;
genetic predisposition;
Parkinson's disease;
Systemic mental disorders;
Taking antidepressants, beta-blockers, benzodiazepine receptor antagonists.

Symptoms of somnambulism

The symptomatology of sleepwalking is expressed so clearly that it is quite problematic to confuse it with the manifestation of any other pathologies outwardly. A person suffering from the syndrome suddenly gets out of bed in the middle of the night, begins to walk around the premises, while performing certain household actions - for example, cleaning, trying to cook food, etc. At the same time, he is not conscious, his eyes can be either open or closed.

As a rule, with somnambulism, the patient performs the simplest actions However, sometimes during sleepwalking, an adult may try to go outside, climb onto a roof, drive a car, and start the engine. His behavior is often calm, although cases of aggression, grasping at imaginary objects, and even attempts to kill were diagnosed.

A simple layman, grown on feature films and pseudoscientific programs about sleepwalking, I am sure that a person suffering from the syndrome moves in jerks, putting his hands forward and bumping into everything that gets along the way. This is not at all the case - all his movements are clearly coordinated and proportionate, and upper limbs can rise only when performing sequential actions with imaginary objects.

Attempts to bring the patient to his senses will not be successful.- speech and direct physical impact he does not perceive, while acting clearly according to the “program” set for himself. The attack lasts on average from 1 to 20 minutes, in rare cases lasts up to 2 hours. A person in a state of sleepwalking comes to his senses abruptly and spontaneously, does not remember the events that have occurred, feels well-rested and fresh.

Diagnosis of the disease

A person suffering from sleepwalking is unaware of the presence of such a pathology, because he does not remember what happened to him before the final awakening, or he recalls vaguely separate passages and associates them with an ordinary dream.

The presence of the syndrome is usually reported to the patient by third parties. relatives, friends or just strangers. After visiting a therapist who will redirect the patient to a neurologist, a specialized specialist the patient will pass initial inspection and checking reflexes, and after collecting an anamnesis, he will be sent for additional instrumental examinations.

Most effective mechanism definition of sleep disorders this moment polysomnography is considered - a study of night rest using a group of sensors and a computer analyzing complex.

Special monitoring elements record body position, breathing, movements chest And abdominal wall, legs, oxygen saturation, they take a cardiogram, a myogram, an encephalogram, they record a video of what is happening to a person. The collected information is analyzed, on its basis a hypnogram is built, the decoding of which will indicate the presence of a possible problem and help establish the final diagnosis.

Treatment methods and how to get rid of sleepwalking

There is no specific therapy for sleepwalking because modern science could not reveal the mechanisms of formation of the syndrome. To alleviate the patient's condition, as well as reduce the number and duration of seizures, it is usually prescribed:

Taking psychopharmacological drugs. Usually these are antidepressants and tranquilizers. latest generations. Dosage, course duration and other parameters are set strictly individually specialized specialist, based on the individual characteristics of the organism, the complexity and severity of the current syndrome, and other parameters;
Psychotherapy sessions. In most cases they provide positive effect by regularly attending relevant courses;
Anticonvulsant drugs. They are prescribed in the case of secondary somnambulism, when the syndrome is caused by attacks of nocturnal epilepsy;
Row Antagonists medicines . A number of systemic drugs can cause mental disorders and sleepwalking. Their abolition and suppression lasting effect antagonists can improve the patient's condition;
Treatment of the underlying disease. Some of the diseases, pathologies and syndromes can potentiate the occurrence of somnambulism attacks, so therapy given state is directly related to the treatment of the underlying cause that caused sleepwalking.

Control and protection of the sleepwalker during sleep

To create maximum safe conditions night rest of people suffering from somnambulism, it is advisable to adhere to the following recommendations:

Liquid next to the bed. Sleepwalkers do not respond to voice and normal touch, however, get them out of border state Maybe cold water. Put wet towels on both sides of the bed or put wide, low trays with cool water - if a person tries to get up, when the liquid touches the feet, he will immediately wake up and lie back in bed;
Physical direction. If a patient suffering from sleepwalking behaves calmly, then you can try to take him by the hand and with an effort to take him back, laying him on the bed;

Turning off household appliances. Turn off all dangerous household appliances in the apartment to protect the person in case he tries to use them during an attack. It is also desirable to hide all sharp and dangerous objects by placing them temporarily in a place inaccessible to the patient;
Lattices and locks. Doors at night should be locked with a key without the possibility of opening by the sufferer of somnambulism, it is desirable to enclose the windows in bars so that the patient does not accidentally fall out of them.

Preventive actions

Common list preventive measures includes:

Refusal to watch extremely psycho-emotional TV shows and films, especially in the evening or at night;
Moderate physical exercise during the day, in the evening, a maximum of an easy walk or cardio;
Sleep hygiene. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the usual daily rhythms, go to bed at the same time (preferably before 23 hours), rest for at least 8 hours in a row, regularly ventilate the room;
Rejection bad habits and stimulating systemic drugs. Alcohol and narcotic substances, as well as certain synthetic stimulants and other medications, taken uncontrollably, can contribute to the most various violations sleep;
Relaxing activities. Massage, warm shower with aromatherapy, maximum focus on future dreams, yoga is possible;
Stress management. One of the important negative factors that affect the development of somnambulism syndrome is severe stress and depression - try to avoid these conditions.

Sleepwalking in children

Modern medical research show that sleepwalking syndrome is most common among children - about 5 percent of the representatives of this group under 12 years of age suffer from parasomnia spectrum disorders and only 1.5 percent of the entire control group of people are adults.

Doctors associate these figures with the peculiarity of the development of the body in early age. The provoking factor in the formation of somnambulism in children is the immaturity of the nervous system, as well as strong jumps in the child's psycho-emotional background. He is more prone to stress, highly impressionable ( Negative influence It even has a scary movie watched before going to bed).

Besides hormonal background children unstable, multiple violations of the daily rhythms of sleep and wakefulness are often observed, especially against the background of strong physical and emotional stress received at school. Starting from the age of 5, the child may show the first signs of epilepsy, often accompanied by sleepwalking at night.

In most cases, after diagnosing and establishing final diagnosis, children are not prescribed drug therapy , but are limited to special sessions of psychotherapy, correction and normalization of sleep hygiene, optimization of daily life rhythms.

Sleepwalking is an amazing and unusual phenomenon which has given rise to many myths. It combines the phases of sleep and wakefulness, norms and deviations.

Sleepwalking is more ancient name phenomena. In fact, it has nothing to do with the moon, the full moon and its phases. According to the version, this name happened due to the fact that it is easier to identify it in bright nights, that is, when good lighting moon. scientific name- somnambulism.

In the past, the disease was very carefully hidden from the public eye, the relatives of the patient were afraid of the actions of the Inquisition. According to the "Hammer of the Witches", sleepwalking is a consequence of the introduction of evil spirits into a person.

Causes

Specific causes have not yet been identified, but according to scientists, heredity affects. The manifestation of somnambulism in two parents also affects the child, he will be at risk.

Sleepwalking in children

Exactly at childhood sleepwalking is often seen for the first time. In most cases, it starts around 4-5 years of age. Sleepwalking is an age-related phenomenon, most likely the child will grow up, and the seizures will finally stop. During the attack, it is not recommended to wake the child, so as not to cause him psychological problems due to surprise and fear. It's better to gently put him back in bed.

Sleepwalking has been shown to be much more common in children than in adults. The reason for this lies in the weak psyche and susceptibility. Children absorb a lot of things all day long. new information and the brain begins to work actively, even during sleep it cannot switch to a calmer mode.

In addition, the cause of the appearance of sleepwalking in children can be a strong experience.

There are simple recommendations on this subject for children: control of the sleep and awakening regimen, compliance with the sleep regimen, cessation of active games 2-3 hours before bedtime. It is better to take this time for quieter activities: drawing, reading, and so on.

Causes of sleepwalking in adults

Adults can also sleepwalk, only to a lesser extent than children. In only 1% of people, somnambulism can occur from childhood. The reasons for its appearance are:

Side effects of medications;
Strong alcohol intoxication;
Stress;
Certain brain diseases;
Action of drugs.

Symptoms

Sleepwalking at any age is characterized by the following symptoms:

Sleep with completely open eyes.
Sleep in a sitting position.
Sleep movements.
Upon awakening, the person is completely disoriented.
Conversation, pronunciation of sounds in a dream.

Usually, an attack occurs at the stage of slow sleep and can have a different continuation: a person sits on the bed, starts to say something, and then again lies down or gets up, starts walking around the apartment or getting dressed.

IN active phase somnambulism, a person is well oriented in space, can easily answer questions. In most cases, he goes to bed, only in a different place (in the living room, in the bath, etc.), and in the morning he does not know how he ended up here.

Risk factors

Sleepwalking can be inherited and occur in several people in the same family, clan. If there is a predisposition, it is better to visit the appropriate doctor before the first symptoms appear.

In the active phase of sleepwalking, a person is very difficult to wake up. His walking can begin two or three hours after falling asleep. episodes of illness may be different frequency manifestations. If they have single character then there is no concern here. You should contact your doctor if:

There are frequent episodes (manifestation of the disease).
The child does not pass until adolescence.
There are unusual symptoms.
Dangerous behavior is observed.

Possible Complications

Sleepwalking can lead to injury if you open windows, walk around your apartment, go outside, or try to get behind the wheel of a car. The long phase is very draining human body, therefore, the "lunatic" will show drowsiness, loss of strength and ability to work.

Diagnostics

Before visiting a doctor, it is better to do the following simple steps:

Record the time of falling asleep, the beginning of the phase, its end, behavior, morning awakening.
Enumeration possible causes(recently experienced stress, possible problems And so on).
Making a list of consumed products and medicines.
Presence at the doctor of the witness of night walks.

At the reception, the specialist will make a physical examination of the patient and a mental examination. In addition to the above, the cause of sleepwalking can be panic attacks and convulsions. In rare cases, a person is examined using polysomnography (detection of causes in a sleep laboratory). In a special room, a person will have to spend the night, and before going to bed they will connect him a large number of sensors that can track even the smallest changes in organism. The data obtained will make it possible to judge mental or neurological diseases.

Treatment

Not all cases of somnambulism require treatment. If you witness sleepwalking, just gently hold the person and guide them to the bed. You should not wake up the "lunatic" - this can cause fear, disorientation and even aggression.

Hypnosis may be used as a treatment. If the cause was the intake of certain medications, then sleepwalking can be eliminated with complete failure from the medications you take.

If sleepwalking attacks can be unsafe for a person and greatly affect his condition and behavior during the day, then a specialist may prescribe benzodiazepines or antidepressants, which will stop the occurrence of seizures.

If the cause is mental or physical illness, then the elimination of sleepwalking is directly related to the elimination of the root cause.

How to get rid of sleepwalking

Simple tips can help in case of sleepwalking, both in adults and in children. For this you should:

Create a safe atmosphere in the house (apartment): close all windows at night, hide the keys to the doors. Remove all fragile and sharp objects, which can injure the somnambulist.
Come up with and introduce a relaxing ritual that will be performed before bedtime. Minimize extraneous sounds and exclude physical activity before bedtime.
Take a warm bath with soothing aroma oils.
Try to get enough sleep for normal activities.
Control stressful situations.

In any case, you need to be confident in yourself and tuned in to a positive result. In most cases, a person suffering from somnambulism does not need special medication and non-drug treatment and may recover on its own.

Below is a video - a fragment of the program "Live healthy" about the problem of sleepwalking:

in which a person makes various activities(walking, speaking) in the unconscious sleepy state. This is due to violations of the fragile psyche in children, which disappear with age. Sometimes there is sleepwalking in adults, the causes and treatment of which are not fully understood.

Somnambulism in adults occurs in about one in a thousand inhabitants of the Earth, it manifests itself much less frequently than in children.

Sleepwalking in adults: signs

Symptoms of somnambulism are manifested in the form of any actions performed in a dream. In appearance, the lunatic gives the impression of a waking person, but looking closely, you can understand that he is sleeping.

How sleepwalking manifests itself in adults - the signs of somnambulism are as follows:

The lunatic sits on the bed or stands frozen.
Walks around the rooms, performs habitual actions (talking on the phone, holding another object in his hand; trying to cook food without using dishes).
Talks incoherently, asks illogical questions, answers them.
Sometimes sleepwalkers leave the boundaries of housing (through a window, a balcony door), which can end tragically.
The sleeper's eyes are either closed or open, but the gaze is immersed in itself, the face has no expression.
The skin of a sleepwalker is insensitive to touch, pinching, and even minor injuries.
The state of somnambulism lasts no more than half an hour, after which the lunatic returns to his bed and sleeps peacefully until morning, unaware of his travels.
It is almost impossible to wake a person, but if it succeeds, the lunatic experiences shock and does not remember the actions he did in a dream.

Usually sleepwalking in adults manifests itself during difficult periods life, and sometimes lasts for years, the causes and treatment of this phenomenon are individual characteristics organism.

The main causes of somnambulism in adults

Sleepwalking is a disease of inorganic origin, so its manifestations can occur in the following situations:

prolonged stress at work, study;
life shocks (death loved one, divorce, financial collapse);
life threatening (serious traffic accident, animal attack or violent actions of people);
epilepsy;
heredity.

Stress itself is not a trigger for seizures. Those people who, after the incident, continue to think about the problem and intensely look for a way out of the current situation, are prone to sleepwalking.

Extremely emotional and impressionable people suffer from somnambulism. Even if a person is outwardly calm, real passions boil inside him, manifesting in the form of sleepwalking.

Sometimes sleepwalking in adults is associated with overwork or fever during colds. In rare cases, sleepwalking is caused by a genetic predisposition.

Treatment of sleepwalking in adults

In the old days, sleepwalkers were treated folk remedies, however, such therapy did not bring results. Currently, a single manifestation of somnambulism does not require medical intervention, it is enough to analyze the situation, find out the cause of what is happening and observe the night behavior of a person. But if cases of sleepwalking are frequent and are associated with attempts to leave the house, the help of a psychiatrist or neurologist is needed.

Treatment of sleepwalking in adults is reduced to the following actions:

Eliminate stress and emotional tension.
Monitor sleep patterns, as insomnia and disorderly falling asleep provoke disturbances in the body leading to night walking.
Periodic consultations with a neurologist and psychotherapist.
Spa treatments will help reduce or completely stop attacks.
Medications (sedatives, sleeping pills, antidepressants) are prescribed only if a person during sleepwalking poses a threat to himself and loved ones.

Somnambulism itself is not dangerous. But the variants of its manifestation (attempts to start a car, turn on the device, leave the house) can harm both the lunatic himself and those around him.

How to protect a sleepwalker:

Place a wet towel on the floor next to the bed. Standing on it with bare feet, the person wakes up and goes back to bed.
Set an alarm every 2 hours. By turning them off, a person will be able to independently control the phases of sleep.
Bars on the windows will save the sleepwalker from falling.
Unplug household appliances (e.g. microwave).
Stop watching horror movies and negative TV shows before bed.
Do not exercise late in the evening.
Don't try to wake up a sleepwalker. You need to take his hand and take him back to bed.

Thus, sleepwalking in adults, the causes and treatment of which are not always required medical therapy, since after some time the pathology usually recedes.

Somnambulism is the name of a pathology formed from two Latin words somnus - "sleep" and ambulo - "I move", in literal translation - sleepwalking. In everyday life, another term is often used - sleepwalking. In the old days, it was believed that the problem was directly related to the activity of the moon. Today it is scientifically substantiated that the phases of the moon do not affect a person enough to provoke similar phenomenon.

Causes of somnambulism

It is still not exactly established what are the causes of sleepwalking in adults. More often inappropriate behavior in a dream is associated with impaired functions of the nervous system.

Many studies have been carried out, the results of which made it possible to determine some patterns. , since the children's nervous system is not fully formed and is more susceptible to the effects of negative external factors. It has also been found that sleepwalking in children is often associated with a change in sleep patterns (for example, moving to a different time zone).

Walking during sleep is also noted among adolescents during puberty (from 10-12 to 18 years), when the body is emotionally unstable. By the age of 20 reproductive system is formed completely, and most boys and girls forget about their "night adventures".

Provoking factors

Consider what causes sleepwalking most often:

Constant lack of sleep. Continuous deep sleep vital to the body. Because of increased loads, frequent lack of sleep, snatches of sleep during the day without proper rest at night, the nervous system is depleted from overstrain.
Diseases of the brain (tumors, both benign and cancerous). The neoplasm presses on a certain part of the brain, interfering with its normal functioning. This can provoke sleep disturbances, alternating with memory lapses, which is why sleepwalking occurs in adults.
Disorders of a neurological nature. The group of these pathologies is very extensive, but any of them can provoke sleepwalking. Eg, obsessive state when one single thought firmly settles in the head, an endless cycle of thinking through its solution causes psychosis, sleep disturbance.
mental illness in chronic form- epilepsy, Parkinson's disease.
Pathologies various bodies, autonomic disorders. Aneurysms, disorders of the heart muscle, diabetes, asthma can provoke somnambulism in adults.
Mechanical damage heads - a traumatic brain injury, brain bruises can disrupt the functioning of the brain, cause sleep disorders.
A difficult pregnancy is sometimes a circumstance leading to sleepwalking.
Violation of the regime and diet. Studies have shown that a heavy dinner right before bed has a very negative effect on night rest- from this, nightmares are more likely, because of which a person can begin to walk in a dream. Rigid diets with a disadvantage beneficial trace elements(magnesium) also lead to sleep disturbances.
Excessive emotionality and extreme impressionability of some people associated with the psychotype of personality can become the causes of sleepwalking.
Forced somnambulism. Use alcoholic beverages, narcotic substances, an overdose of medications cause hallucinations that lead to sleepwalking.

Prolonged stressful conditions can also be the cause. IN modern world a person is constantly faced with small troubles and experiences, but stress as a chronic phenomenon significantly affects sleep. Because of increased anxiety nightmares or dreams may occur in which a person is looking for a solution to a problem, from this he can begin to walk in a dream, perform certain manipulations.

Important! During somnambulistic sleep, a person turns off pain threshold, he does not feel fear, his movements are slow, speech is sometimes inhibited, incoherent, his eyes are open, the pupils are dilated.

How sleepwalking manifests itself

The symptoms of somnambulism are pronounced, it is impossible to confuse it with other sleep disorders. The signs of sleepwalking are varied, but those living in the same house with a sleepwalker simply cannot help but notice them.

Typical Symptoms sleepwalking are:

Sleep anxiety, expressed in trembling of limbs, smacking, swallowing saliva, clattering tongue.
Talking in a dream - a patient with somnambulism sometimes does not just mutter something under his breath, he can scream or enter into a debate with an opponent, while his eyes are open, but his gaze is “glassy” and focused at one point. Such symptoms are typical for choleric people with a quick temper.
Sleepwalking is the most obvious sign of sleepwalking. Sometimes the patient can simply sit up in bed, but often the lunatic begins to wander around the house and perform the usual household activities (turn on the kettle, get dressed, open the refrigerator or window). If the front door is not closed, the somnambulist may even go outside.

In the morning, the lunatic will not remember the attack of sleepwalking, no matter what arguments and facts bring him. Pathology manifests itself and proceeds differently for everyone. An attack can happen only once or be an extremely rare condition against the background of specific circumstances (strong stress, taking drugs), while others have sleepwalking - frequent occurrence occurring up to several times in one night.

When an attack occurs

Attacks of somnambulism always occur in the phase deep sleep- two hours after a person falls asleep completely. In this stage, sleep proceeds without dreams, or they are dim. When conducting studies of the electroencephalogram, it was shown that during a short attack, the patient is always in the phase of deep sleep, without leaving it. With a long episode, periods of wakefulness of the patient or his entry into a state of drowsiness were noted.

The duration and symptoms of seizures vary. In the most loyal form, a person simply accepts sitting position, begins to mumble something unintelligible, after going to bed and again falls asleep deeply. With prolonged attacks, walking in a dream often occurs, the lunatic makes any movements with open eyes, a glazed look, and an expressionless face.

Trying to wake up a somnambulist during an attack is strictly prohibited. A person who suddenly wakes up outside of his bed may be very frightened, hysterical, or get psychological trauma. It can also be unsafe for others - there is the concept of "aggressive sleepwalking", expressed in a lunatic's fit of anger towards those who are next to him at the moment of an unnatural exit from the state.

How does an attack proceed?

Being in a state of somnambulism, the patient is perfectly oriented in the familiar environment. Moreover, he sees all the objects around him, bypasses obstacles without bumping into them. The lunatic hears everything and can even answer a simple question quite smoothly.

Obviously, during an attack, the brain perceives and partially analyzes incoming external signals, retrieves from memory information about surrounding objects, manipulations that need to be performed with them - press the switch button to turn on the light, pull the handle to open the window, push the lever to flush the toilet.

Sometimes the attack ends as suddenly as it began. The patient immediately goes to bed after an episode of somnambulism, this does not always happen in the usual place for this (in the bathroom, hallway), and in the morning the lunatic is unable to understand how he ended up there. A person may vaguely remember his dreamwalking, but most often does not remember anything. There is no remorse and torment, because the patient was not aware of his actions.

In a somnambulistic dream, a person is capable of committing quite serious offenses from a moral point of view. by the most a prime example there is a case when a girl, at the moment of an attack of sleepwalking, shot her father from a revolver that fell under her arm. The case occurred in the USA in 1961, is considered unique and is included in parasomnia reference books.

sleepwalking treatment

Sleepwalking in adults is treatable with frequent and pronounced episodes, is to eliminate the causes stressful condition as the main factor of pathology. Treatment of sleepwalking in adults is impossible without examination by a psychiatrist. It is the psychiatrist who prescribes special medicines according to indications sedatives, antidepressants, tranquilizers.

Important! The selection of drugs is purely individual, self-medication is strictly prohibited.

After a course of drugs, further management of the patient is transferred to a psychotherapist. The doctor conducts sessions in which he determines the causes of sleepwalking, gives a certain psychological attitude aimed at eliminating underlying causes stress, hypnosis sessions are sometimes recommended.

The question of how to treat sleepwalking, people have been asking for a long time. In ancient times, healers tried to treat sleepwalkers with decoctions of herbs, other folk methods, positive results such therapy did not work.

Today, with a single manifestation of sleepwalking, you should not panic, it is enough to establish the cause, it is often obvious, without outside interference to attract relatives so that they observe the sleepwalker's nighttime behavior. With frequent episodes of sleepwalking, persistent attempts of the somnambulist to leave the house on the street, help is required. medical professionals.

There is no specific methodology, but to deal with frequent attacks sleepwalking is possible and necessary.

The main methods of how to get rid of sleepwalking:

exclusion of traumatic factors, stressful situations, nervous tension;
tracking, normalization of sleep patterns - insomnia, irregular, disruptive sleep cause malfunctions in the body, leading to walking in a dream;
observation by a neuropathologist, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, somnologist;
spa treatment in sanatoriums dealing with sleep pathologies;
taking medication as prescribed by the attending physician.

As a disease, sleepwalking is inherently not dangerous to the psyche or the functioning of the vital important organs. The danger is the actions that the lunatic performs at the time of the attack - an attempt to start the car, turn the valve on the gas stove, but not set fire to the gas - such actions can injure and even cripple both the lunatic and the people around him.

How to deal with sleepwalking and protect the sleepwalker?

What to do if someone in the household suffers from sleepwalking? Here are some easy recommendations:

Put a damp cloth on the floor next to the bed. Getting up on her bare feet, the sleepwalker will immediately wake up and lie back in bed.
Set an alarm every two hours before bed. By turning off the alarm and waking up accordingly, you can control your sleep cycles.
Install bars on the windows to prevent the sleepwalker from falling out with frequent episodes of illness.
Before going to bed, turn off all electrical appliances from the sockets, make the gas stove valve removable, and remove it at night.
Close front door on all locks (install a lock with a key opening on both sides, hide the key at night).
Do not watch horror films, TV shows with a negative broadcast format (descriptions of tragic events and sad news) before going to bed.

Sleepwalking has a medical name - somnambulism. This word is translated from Latin as "walking in a dream." The second name for this pathology is “sleepwalking”. It is worth noting that sleepwalking has nothing to do with the moon. Perhaps the name of the disease was due to the fact that sleepwalking in most cases occurs during bright moonlit nights.

Somnambulism is a sleep disorder, the main symptom of which is unconscious walking in a dream. Pathology manifests itself quite often. Every 50th person suffers from it. The disease is usually observed in children whose age is from 4 to 12-16 years. How to get rid of sleepwalking, what are the symptoms of the disease, what is the cause of its development, and how is it diagnosed?

What causes sleepwalking?

As mentioned earlier, in most cases, it is children who suffer from sleepwalking. This pathology is especially common in boys. Perhaps, children's sleepwalking (treatment of this disease, as it turned out, is possible) is associated with instability and underdevelopment of the central nervous system.

In addition, you can walk in a dream for other reasons: emotional shocks, quarrels, scandals, watching TV or playing on the computer before bed. All these factors stimulate nervous system, and she simply does not have time to tune in to a night's rest.

Important! Sleepwalking companions are often other pathologies - restless legs syndrome, enuresis, diabetes mellitus, arrhythmia, nervous tics, intrusive thoughts, asthma, sleep apnea, etc.

Sleepwalking in adults develops for the following reasons:

taking antihistamines, narcotic, sleeping pills, painkillers, as well as tranquilizers and neuroleptics;
neuroses;
panic attacks;
migraine;
epilepsy;
chronic lack of sleep;
tumor and other diseases of the brain;
asthma attacks at night;
stress;
Parkinson's disease;
diabetes;
apnea;
overeating before bed;
senile dementia;
taking alcohol before bed and taking drugs;
traumatic brain injury;
arrhythmia in severe form;
magnesium deficiency in the body (is the result of poor nutrition).

Based on the stories of relatives of people who walked in a dream, it was found that quite often lunatics harm themselves and those around them. Sometimes unknowingly murders are committed. After waking up, a person does not remember what happened.

Symptoms

The very first manifestation, sign, symptom of sleepwalking is sleepwalking. At the same time, the person's eyes are open, but the look is completely absent. At this moment there is no reaction to the words of the surrounding people, touches.

Other symptoms include:

abruptly adopting a sitting posture in a dream for a few seconds or minutes;
performing in a dream, without getting up, stereotypical movements, for example, straightening clothes, rubbing eyes, etc.

At the time of sleepwalking, human movements are slow and smooth. Sleepwalking itself can last only a few minutes. But there are whiter cases up to 1 hour. A sleepwalker can walk around the house, turn the lights on and off, open cabinets, doors, go outside. This behavior can lead to various consequences.

At what time does sleepwalking appear?

It should be said that sleep is divided into 2 phases - phase REM sleep and slow. Slow begins after falling asleep and continues until deep sleep. fast phase characterized active work eyeballs. During this period, a person looks through dreams.

So, sleepwalking occurs precisely in the phase of deep sleep, in the first third of the night. During daytime somnambulism is observed very rarely, since its duration is insufficient.

Important! The longest phase of deep sleep occurs in children younger age. Therefore, the probability of sleepwalking in this category increases several times.

Consequences

Very rarely, somnambulism occurs every day. Usually, the facts of such behavior are recorded no more than 1-2 times in one month. But during these periods, others need to be extremely careful.

A sleepwalker, for example, may go outside, get in a car, and start it. However, he cannot control driving. In such a situation, not only vehicle, but also a sleepwalker, as well as nearby objects and people.

Since in the process of walking in a dream, behavior is not controlled, a person can open a window and step over the ledge. Then the consequences can be very deplorable, even fatal.

After bouts of sleepwalking in the morning, fatigue, lethargy, muscle pain are felt, and efficiency decreases.

Which doctor to contact for sleepwalking

When somnambulism is detected, you should immediately contact a specialist to confirm or refute the presence of such a condition.

Sleepwalking in adults is a particular sleep disorder. If you have a problem, you should contact the following doctors:

a neurologist to check the condition of the nervous system;
psychiatrist.

In some cases, it is required to spend nights within the walls of the hospital so that specialists can record sleepwalking in a dream, its frequency and manifestations.

Diagnostics

If the episode of sleepwalking occurred once and is associated with emotional stress, then you can wait a little while with the appeal to the doctor. If sleepwalking attacks are observed frequently, then you should urgently go to a doctor - a neurologist or psychoneurologist to determine the cause and prescribe treatment.

The following steps will help in making a diagnosis:

Get a notebook in which you note the time of going to bed, the time of the onset of the attack, its duration, the behavior of the patient and the time of awakening.
Think about and point out what might have triggered the sleepwalking episode.
Indicate in your notebook if you have used Lately sick any medication.
Write what foods the patient has recently eaten.

Necessarily when making a diagnosis, the doctor will conduct a series of studies:

encephalography;
ultrasound of the brain;
CT or MRI;
polysomnography (the patient will have to spend the night in a special laboratory room, where special sensors will be connected to his body, which will note changes in the functioning of the nervous system).

You may also need to consult other doctors.

What should be done to avoid injury?

Sleepwalking in adults, the causes and treatment of which have long been known to doctors, is often accompanied by injuries. To prevent the patient from harming himself and others, the following recommendations should be observed:

Do not leave a sleepwalker alone in a room at night.
The room where the patient sleeps should be dark.
Remove bunk beds from the bedroom to prevent falls.
Close the doors, if possible, block the windows, install bars. Sometimes the patient confuses the window with the door and "exits" through it.
Do not leave electrical wires on the floor, turn off all electrical appliances at night.
Hide all piercing and cutting objects.
If possible, glue rubber softeners to all corners of the furniture.
Hide your car and door keys.
Remove items that could injure the patient.

Read also! how to overcome teeth grinding in sleep

What can not be done with a lunatic?

Somnambulism is special condition man in a dream. Family members and others should be aware of what can and cannot be done while sleeping.

Waking up a somnambulist in a state of walking in a dream is not allowed. All the more abruptly. In such a situation, an abrupt transition to a state of wakefulness can occur. In this case, a person may fall, injure himself on nearby objects. This method is also bad for the state of the nervous system.