Sleepwalkers may sit in bed and open their eyes, stare blankly, get up from bed, perform daily activities such as talking and dressing, unresponsive to others, difficult to wake up, confused when awake, and not remembering all these things the next day! While unusual, some go outside, cook, drive, urinate, have sex, injure themselves, or even become violent when awakened. Most sleepwalking events last about 10 minutes, but sometimes they can last for more than half an hour. If you or someone at home sleepwalks, there are several things you can do.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Reducing the Danger of Sleepwalking
Step 1. Prevent accidents during sleepwalking
Make the house as safe as possible so that when a person sleepwalks, he does not hurt himself or others. Since sleepwalkers can perform complex activities, don't 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 the car keys so the person can't drive
- Lock and hide keys that access all weapons or sharp objects that can be used as weapons
- Barricade stairs and doors using gates with padded edges to prevent the person from falling
- Don't let sleepwalking children sleep on top of bunk beds
- Move things that might trip the person
- Sleep on the floor if possible
- Use a mattress with bars on the side
- If possible, install a security alarm that goes off and wakes the person if he or she leaves the house
Step 2. Tell other people in the house so they can prepare
Seeing someone sleepwalking may be scary or confusing to people who don't know what's really going on. If they find out, they can help the person deal with it.
- Sleepwalkers can often be guided to lie back on the mattress gently. Don't touch the person, but try using your voice and gentle coaxing to get them back to bed.
- Do not grip, yell at, or startle someone who is sleepwalking. People who wake up while sleepwalking are often confused and that can cause them to become panicky and violent. If someone acts rudely, get away as quickly as possible and secure yourself in a locked room.
- If you carefully wake him when he's back in bed, it could disrupt his sleep cycle and prevent him from going back to sleepwalking again soon.
Step 3. See a doctor if sleepwalking is severe, dangerous, or shows symptoms that it is caused by another disease
However, the person should see a doctor if sleepwalking:
- Begins in adulthood. Most sleepwalkers are children and generally this habit will stop with age without needing treatment. If sleepwalking continues into the teens, the person should see a doctor.
- Involves dangerous behavior.
- Happens more than twice a week.
- Disturbing the household.
Part 2 of 3: Stopping Sleepwalking With Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Get more sleep
Too tired can trigger sleepwalking. The average adult needs at least eight hours of sleep per night. Children may need up to 14 hours, depending on their age. You can reduce fatigue by:
- Take a nap all day
- Sleep early
- Follow a regular schedule so your body is ready to go to sleep and wake up at the right time
- Reduce caffeine consumption. Coffee is a stimulant and can make it harder for you to sleep
- Drink less before bed so you don't have to get up to go to the bathroom
Step 2. Relax before bed
Stress and anxiety can cause people who have a sleepwalking tendency to relapse. Set up a routine to relax yourself before bed, or adopt good sleep habits. It could include the following:
- Keep the room dark and quiet
- Take a warm bath or shower
- Reading a book or listening to music
- Keep the room cool
- Avoid using sailing objects, such as televisions, smart phones, computers, tablets, and others
- Use relaxation techniques before bed, such as imagining a relaxing place, meditating, breathing deeply, progressively tightening and relaxing each muscle group, or yoga.
Step 3. Improve your stress management skills
Develop healthy ways to deal with stress so that your sleep is not disturbed. Stress is often associated with sleepwalking.
- Find an exercise routine that works for you. Your body produces endorphins that help you relax and feel better. Relaxation will be more effective if you do something you enjoy. Try jogging, brisk walking, swimming, or joining a neighborhood sports team.
- Get close to friends and family. They can provide support for you and help you with things that cause you anxiety.
- Join a support group or see a counselor if there's something you need to talk about that you can't talk about with friends or family. Your doctor can suggest a support group or counselor that fits your situation.
- Take time to pursue hobbies that you enjoy. You will have a pleasant focus that can distract you from things that trigger stress.
Step 4. Keep a diary to monitor when sleepwalking occurs
You may need the help of others at home to keep track of how often and when sleepwalking occurs. Write in a sleepwalking journal so that all the information is in one place.
If there is a pattern of when sleepwalking occurs, it may help determine why the person is sleepwalker. For example, if the person is a sleepwalker after a hard day, it means that stress and anxiety are triggering a sleepwalking relapse
Step 5. Try to wake up anticipatory
To do so one must know when he usually sleepwalks. The person can ask someone else to wake him up just before he sleepwalks.
- A sleepwalker should be awakened 15 minutes before his or her usual time of sleepwalking and should remain awake for five minutes.
- Doing so will disrupt the sleep cycle and may cause the person to enter a different stage of sleep when they fall asleep again, preventing them from experiencing sleepwalking again.
- If you are a sleepwalker and live alone, try setting an alarm to wake you up.
Step 6. Reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages can cause sleep disturbances and induce sleepwalking. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages before bed.
- Men and women over 65 years should not drink more than one alcoholic beverage per day. Men under 65 should not drink more than two alcoholic drinks per day.
- Don't drink alcohol if you're pregnant, diagnosed with alcoholism, have heart, liver, or pancreatic problems, have had a stroke, or are taking medications that react to alcohol.
Part 3 of 3: Seeking Medical Help
Step 1. Ask your doctor if the medication you are taking can cause sleepwalking
Some medications can disrupt a person's sleep cycle and cause sleepwalking. However, do not stop taking medication without consulting your doctor first. Your doctor can suggest a different medication that can still treat your health problem and relieve sleepwalking. Drugs that have sleepwalking side effects include:
- Dope
- Medicines for mental illness
- Short-acting sleeping pills
Step 2. Talk to your doctor about your sleepwalking relationship with other ailments
While sleepwalking isn't usually a sign of a serious condition, there are some conditions that can trigger sleepwalking:
- Complex partial seizures
- Brain disorders in the elderly
- Worry
- Depression
- Narcolepsy
- Restless leg syndrome
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Migraine
- Hyperthyroid
- Head injury
- stroke
- Fever above 38, 3°C
- Abnormal breathing patterns during sleep, such as obstructive sleep apnea
Step 3. Get yourself checked for sleep disorders
This may require you to sleep in a sleep lab. A sleep lab is a lab where you stay overnight while a team of doctors run a polysomnogram test. Sensors will be connected from your body (usually glued to your forehead, head, chest, and feet) to a computer that monitors your sleep. The doctors will measure:
- brain waves
- Oxygen levels in the blood
- Heart rate
- Respiratory rate
- Eye and leg movements
Step 4. Try to take medication
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe medication to treat sleepwalking. The following medications are usually prescribed:
- Benzodiazepines, which basically have an anesthetic effect
- Antidepressants, which are often effective in treating anxiety-related disorders
