According to medical reports, up to 18% of children will have a sleepwalking experience, with the rate of incidence peaking between ages eleven and twelve. It is less prevalent among adults, although potentially more dangerous. Studies also show that between the two sexes, boys have a higher tendency to sleepwalk.
Characteristics of Sleepwalkers
Sleepwalkers are easy to recognise – among the characteristics they display are open eyes and a confused or glassy look. They may also talk, although it is usually incoherent to everybody but themselves. Sleepwalkers tend to perform activities which are habitual of their daily routine; however their awareness of their surroundings is greatly diminished from their waking state. Hence they can often mistakenly identify a closet for a bathroom, or not recognise family members.
There are countless superstitions against waking a sleepwalker – among these are claims that sleepwalkers are traversing a stage between physical and spiritual dimensions, and if awoken they may sustain brain damage. While there is no scientific evidence to this theory, waking sleepwalkers can result in serious confusion, hence it is best to just allow them to run their course. And they usually have no recollection of their night-time wanderings the next morning.
Stage Three of Non-REM Sleep and Sleeping Habits
Somnambulism is considered a genetic trait, and the chances of a child’s sleepwalking will increase significantly if a parent or another sibling were sleepwalkers. However, experts say most children will outgrow these late-night rambles, so it is not considered a serious medical problem.
So why do kids grow out of sleepwalking? Studies have shown that while sleepwalking, patients’ brainwave patterns are similar to those observed in waking patients, as well as those found in deep sleep. One of the theories is that as people grow older, they spend less time in deep sleep, which is where sleepwalking nearly always occurs.
In humans, the sleep cycle is divided into REM and non-REM sleep. The non-REM part occurs first and is split into three stages. Stage three of non-REM sleep, which is generally the deepest sleep of the night, can occupy as much as 50% of non-REM sleep in the very young. It gradually decreases once children reach adolescence, going down to 25% by age 18 and often disappearing completely by age 40. Once the third stage of non-REM sleep disappears, so does sleepwalking.
A physiological explanation is that as people become older, their sleep patterns become more fragmented, hence they spend more time in light sleep. Other factors such as stress and substance abuse can contribute to sleepwalking, but these are generally less relevant to children than adults.
Dangers of Sleepwalking and Precautions
Sleepwalking is often seen as harmless, and can often result in humorous situations such as when one attempts to eat a stuffed toy. However, it is less of a laughing matter when it involves accidents such as tripping over stairs, falling out of windows or wandering around outdoors on a cold winter night.
There are many precautions that can be taken against these dangers. For instance, people living in high-rise buildings with balconies should take care to lock their doors and windows. Other options are to put gates at the top of the stairs as a barrier to falling down the stairs, hanging bells on bedroom doorknobs to warn parents when their children are on their midnight prowling, and keeping sharp objects out of reach.
A useful strategy for young children is to introduce them to a sleeping routine of short naps. If the sleepwalking episodes occur on a predictable basis, wake the child about half an hour before an episode is due to begin. Keep the child fully awake for a while, before allowing him or her to go back to sleep. Another suggestion is to provide alternate sleeping environments, provided that these new surroundings are also safe – sleepovers can come in handy in this regard.
While these precautions require some effort, bear in mind that they may help save sleepwalkers from causing grievous injury to themselves or others. Moreover, they do not have to be permanent, as with most cases children will stop sleepwalking as they grow older.
Sources:
Wilkinson, T. (2010) “Walking in My Sleep”, The Star Fit4Life, p. 6
Howard, M. (2008) "Sleepwalking" serendip.brynmawr.edu Accessed Aug 2010.
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