A Nighttime Odyssey: Navigating the World of Sleepwalking and Parasomnias

Are you a frequent sleepwalker like me? Well, let me tell you, it can be quite the experience. Just last night, I had a particularly funny episode where I ended up wrestling my girlfriend and jumping on the bed. I woke up this morning to a broken bed and no recollection of the events. But it got me thinking, what exactly is sleepwalking and what causes it?

Picture created by OpenAI

First things first, sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a parasomnia disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of rising from bed and walking about during the NREM sleep stage. It’s estimated that around 1–5% of adults experience sleepwalking disorder, marked by repeated episodes and impairment or distress.

So what causes sleepwalking? Well, research suggests that there may be a genetic component as it occurs more frequently in monozygotic twins and is 10 times more likely if a first-degree relative has a history of sleepwalking. Additionally, environmental factors such as sleep deprivation, chaotic sleep schedules, fever, stress, magnesium deficiency, and chemical or drug intoxication can also trigger sleepwalking episodes.

But what about treatment options? The good news is that sleepwalking is generally a benign condition and the mainstay of treatment is reassurance. Efforts should be made to identify…