Interesting Facts about Sleepwalking

Sleeping is not only beneficial but it is also essential for well-being. Not having enough sleep makes us feel terrible the whole day while getting a good night’s sleep can make us feel refreshed and ready to face another day.

Scientists have proven the great benefits of a good sleeping habit. They have discovered that sleep plays an important role in our immune system function, memory, metabolism and learning. But how about people who walk in their sleep? Do they experience the same benefits from sleeping?

Sleep walking or somnambulism is one of the sleep disorders under the family of parasomnia. It happens when a person rises from the slow wave of sleep stage of short consciousness  and performs some activities he used to do when awake.  It could be harmless activities such as sitting on bed, walking thru the bathroom and cleaning. It can also be dangerous things  such as grabbing, violent gestures, driving, or worse – homicide.

Here are some interesting facts about sleepwalking:

  • common in children between the ages of 5-12 but can happen to any age
  • may be a symptom of organic brain syndrome in the elderly
  • runs in the families
  • walking can last for 30 seconds to 30 minutes
  • eyes are open but vision is not the same as when the person is awake
  • facial expressions are dim and actions are clumsy
  • person cannot remember any episode of sleepwalking

What is sleep texting?

There’s another bizarre episode of sleep disorder uncommon to us that is now being documented. This is sleep texting which is also known as an act of sending incoherent or semi-coherent text messages to friends, relatives and families in the middle of one’s sleep without the person being aware of doing it. There have been reported cases of sleep texting or sleep phone calls. In most cases, the messages don’t really make sense.

In Ohio, 2008, an incident similar to sleep texting called sleep emailing has been reported. One of the participants got out from her bed, turned on her computer, opens her email and sends 3 emails and then went back to bed. She did all those things without her knowing it.

Why do these things happen?

According to Dr. David Cunnington, a sleep consultant in the Melbourne Sleep Disorder Center, if the patient is suffering from sleep deprivation, he may perform his usual motor functions even in a deep sleep. Therefore, if your phone is in bed or next to the bed, once it beep or buzz to alarm you that you have a new message or call, you will automatically pick it up, type and hit send or call without noticing it. Sometimes, it sends coherent message or incoherent message that can cause problems.

Here are some interesting facts about sleep texting:

  • modern episode of sleepwalking
  • occurs mostly among the teenage population in this generation
  • starts at the age of  9 years old to 17 years old
  • too much exposure to cell phones may lead to sleep texting

What are the  major causes of sleepwalking and sleep texting?

  • Sleep deprivation which allows the brain to play more tricks
  • Fatigue and extreme exhaustion
  • Medical conditions such as fever, asthma, arrhythmia and apnea
  • Psychiatric disorders such as panic attack, stress and multiple personality disorders

The key point to solve the issue of sleepwalking and sleep texting is to:

  • Getting enough sleep.
  • Leave your phones away from your bed.
  • Keep all harmful objects outside the bedroom.
  • For severe cases it is advisable to seek medical advice.

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Healthy Sleep

JW

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One thought on “Interesting Facts about Sleepwalking”

  1. Getting a pro sleep trainer for my baby was one of the best things I could have done for both of us.

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