In ancient times, sleepwalking (the scientific somnambulism) scared people. The reason for the night walk of the lunatics was considered the effect of the moon on them and even attributed this phenomenon to evil spirits.
Sleepwalking in children is a fairly common phenomenon (especially in boys from 6 to 12 years old), which occurs in almost 15% of children and adolescents. Attacks usually last from a few minutes to about half an hour. It manifests itself in different ways: from simple movements to complex actions. A lunatic can get out of bed, sit down, speak separate words or whole phrases, walk around the house or go out. His eyes can be open or closed, but with his eyes closed he walks without bumping into objects. The body of the somnambulist is relaxed, movements are smooth, slow. At the moments of sleepiness, people do not experience feelings of fear or anxiety and are able to show strength and dexterity unusual in ordinary situations. The conscious part of the psyche is disabled at such moments. That is why sleepwalkers can safely walk along the edge of the roof or window cornice, and in the morning they don’t remember anything at all.
Sleepwalking in children can be triggered by severe stress, high fever, some forms of epilepsy, or chronic lack of sleep. In addition, science has proved that it can be hereditary. If a mother or father roams in a dream, in 60% of cases their children will also be sleepwalkers. Sleepwalking in children is not dangerous in itself, but it is better for the child to ensure maximum safety, namely: install grilles on the windows, remove all thermo-hazardous objects, lock doors, and block access to stairs. Of particular danger are glass doors. In front of the bed, you can put a wet rag on the floor, stepping on which the child will wake up.
Sleepwalking in adolescents, if it has not disappeared by the time of the draft, becomes the reason why they are not accepted into the army.
Parents should be alert for dreams, during which the child, for no reason, mechanically rubs his hands, smacks, swallows and twitches, can suddenly and abruptly get up and also lie down suddenly. This behavior may indicate signs of seizures, epilepsy, or paroxysmal sleep disturbances. In such cases, you should immediately contact a neurologist and undergo an examination, which must necessarily include an encephalogram.
With age, sleepwalking in children and adolescents in most cases disappears. Only 1% of people who went to sleep in childhood continue to do this in adulthood.
Sleepwalking in adults is usually a sign of a brain disorder, including a disease like epilepsy. Only very impressionable people suffer from somnambulism, but outwardly they are in no way manifest, people. It can also provoke stress, high fever, chronic lack of sleep, drugs and alcohol.
25% of sleepwalkers during sleepwalking can injure themselves or harm others. It happens that people fall out of windows, confusing them with a door, walk in the streets or worse, on the roofs. There are cases when somnambulists committed acts unusual for their nature: various offenses and even serious crimes.
It is worth noting that you should not wake a sleepwalker during his sleepwalking, even if he is in a dangerous situation. This can cause severe fright, which in turn can lead to nervous breakdowns. The situation must be waited, and then, holding the man’s hand, calmly and carefully take him to bed.
Experts recommend that such people darken windows before going to bed, relax, listen to pleasant music, and drink a light sedative or sleeping pill.
Sleepwalking in healthy people is a temporary phenomenon and does not require, as a rule, special therapy. But if it is associated with neurosis, disorders of the nervous system, anxiety or epilepsy, these causative diseases should be treated first.