Somnambulism - what is it? The people of people suffering from this pathology are called sleepwalkers. This is a special condition characterized by disinhibition of the motor centers at the time of sleep, that is, in the complete absence of consciousness. Simply put, in the process of sleep, such a person gets up and performs any action.
a brief description of
This type of pathology belongs to the group of sleep disorders and is not subject to medical treatment. Only in rare cases can antidepressants be used. In medical sources, pathology is called parasomnia.
Historically, our ancestors were completely sure that somnambulism was directly related to the energy of moonlight.
The disease is equally common in both men and women. The largest percentage of lunatics among children aged 4 to 8 years. Although, according to statistics, only 15% of all inhabitants of the planet at least once in their life have encountered such a problem. The most interesting thing is that scientists to this day cannot explain the mechanism of the appearance of such an anomaly. It is reliably known that the attack of somnambulism always occurs in the phase of slow sleep, which falls on the first half of the night. At this moment, a person has sudden outbreaks of electrical activity in the brain, as a result of which consciousness is sleeping, and the centers of the brain that are responsible for movement work.
A similar phenomenon occurs in people who can fall asleep in a standing position, or a woman who cradles a baby falls asleep herself, but her hands hold the baby tight. However, in such cases we are not talking about sleepwalking, but only about the fact that a person attaches himself psychologically to a certain behavior.
Causes
Somnambulism falls at the end of the first phase of sleep. It has already been clearly established that sleep has a clear structure:
- falling asleep and superficial sleep - about 10%;
- deep, or slow, sleep, when the eyeballs do not move, there are no dreams - 50%;
- transition phase - 20-25%;
- the phase at which dreams begin, with the active movement of the eyeballs - 15-20%;
- awakening.
Our ancestors directly linked sleepwalking and the full moon phase, because it was he who was the main provocateur of the phenomenon at a time when there was no electric light.
If the phenomenon has a single character, then there is nothing to worry about, you can not even go to the doctor.
Childhood
Somnambulism in children for the first time can manifest itself at the age of 4 to 5 years. As a rule, such attacks are of an age-related nature and completely stop a little later. The main reason for this condition is excessive sensitivity and a weak psyche. It is at this age that the baby absorbs information about the world around him as much as possible, constantly analyzes it, so the brain may not rest even at night. Strong experiences can provoke sleepwalking.
Parents are strictly forbidden to wake up children in such a state that they are not afraid. It is best to put the child back to bed. It is also recommended to stop any active games before going to bed at least two hours before the start of a night's rest.
According to statistics, only 1% of children have a pathology that lasts a lifetime. It is also estimated that around 25% of all children between the ages of 4 and 8 have experienced walking at night. In 30% of cases, snowmaking is associated with enuresis and sleep apnea syndrome. If the child has parallel dangerous symptoms and in adolescence sleepwalking has not passed, then an urgent need to consult a doctor.
Adults
Adult somnambulism may appear against the background of:
- brain diseases;
- alcohol intoxication;
- exposure to narcotic drugs;
- the use of certain medications;
- severe stress.
Most often, in adults, the phenomenon is observed against the background of chronic fatigue, Parkinson's disease or with a neurosis of obsessive conditions.
The mechanism of sleepwalking can be triggered by insomnia, or chronic lack of sleep. Sometimes even the strongest noise at the moment when a person is sleeping can trigger a partial awakening.
Risk factors
The state of somnambulism can be inherited. If both parents were at least once in this state, then it is likely that the child will sleepwalk. If in kinship the phenomenon occurs only in some relatives, then there is still a great risk that the child will have a nightmare.
Symptoms
Somnambulism - what is it, what kind of behavior is characteristic of such individuals? Sleepwalking can manifest itself in a variety of motor complexes, from simply walking around the room to sitting on the bed, while the eyes are open, but still. Most often, after some time, the patient goes to bed on his own, only in very severe cases, he begins to move around the house. At the same time, the somnambulist does not always make aimless movements; he can open a door or window, look for some book. As a rule, in this state the hands of the sleepwalker are hanging, and the steps are small, the body is slightly inclined forward.
But the most important symptom is that after night walks a person does not remember anything, that is, at the time of what is happening, he completely lacks clear consciousness. The lunatic never comes in contact with another person, he never answers questions and completely loses his sense of danger.
You already know what it is - somnambulism. Is it worth it to wake a person in this state? In no case can this be done, and it is quite difficult to do it. If you wake the sleepwalker, he will come to his senses for a long time, the person is alarmed, and he may have a feeling of fear.
Diagnostic measures
First of all, the doctor at the reception is trying to figure out the full clinical picture. It is better to come to the reception with relatives who have witnessed this condition. It is very important how often this phenomenon recurs.
After a thorough survey of relatives and the patient himself, magnetic resonance diagnostics of the brain is most often prescribed, a little less often - electroencephalography. In some cases, it is possible to find out the true cause of what is happening only after examining a night's sleep.
It is electroencephalogram and polysomnography that will help to find out if nighttime walking is a consequence of temporal lobe epilepsy.
Types of disease
Pathological sleep, lethargy, somnambulism - often these concepts are confused. In fact, a pathological dream does not differ much from normal, but only people with such a pathology sleep too much during the day and can only get up to eat food and correct their natural needs. Lethargy is also a pathological dream, but already characterized by a clear decrease in physical strength and a decrease in metabolism, such a dream can last from several minutes to several weeks. Somnambulism is also a form of pathological sleep, but is characterized by drowsiness. The only thing that unites all these conditions is the fact that the most common reason for their appearance is stress or hysteria.
There are two forms of sleepwalking:
- Spontaneous or spontaneous. In this case, a person has a decrease in skin sensitivity, twilight dizziness and amnesia.
- Caused by artificial causes, that is, hypnosis.
Therapy
There are still many disputes regarding the choice of treatment methods for somnambulism in the medical field. Russian medics adhere to drug-free tactics in treatment, but provided that the following conditions are met:
- cases are repeated several times a month;
- the child does not do complex actions;
- the nightmare lasts several minutes.
Expectant tactics consist of the following preventive measures: put a wet towel near the child at night. In order to wake the baby, just touch this towel to the feet. Good results are given in saline or soothing baths before bedtime. Parents are advised to adhere to a certain ritual before going to bed, for example, read a bedtime story or bathe.
If the sleepwalker performs complex actions at night, regardless of age, then therapy involves the use of medications. These can be antidepressants, sedatives, and antipsychotics. In this case, the doctor individually selects a course of treatment depending on the mental or neurological condition of the patient.
In other cases, when the phenomenon is associated with other pathologies, for example, arose against the background of the presence of cancer or epilepsy, then initially the treatment is directed to eliminate the root cause.
Forecast
We have already talked about what it is - somnambulism. What are the predictions for recovery? The best predictions for children, especially if the anomaly appeared spontaneously and is not accompanied by severe symptoms.
An unfavorable prognosis in people whose sleepwalking is associated with tumors or epilepsy is quite difficult to cope with such pathologies, and if the root cause is not eliminated, then it is impossible to get rid of the dreaming. The same situation, if the phenomenon occurs in old age, most likely this is due to senile dementia.
Prevention
If we are talking about children's somnambulism, then the child needs to ensure a favorable psychological environment both at home and at school, in kindergarten. It’s best to limit your viewing of TV shows, especially with violence and bedtime scenes.
Do not forget about the relaxing ritual before going to bed, do not engage in active sports or allow the child to play outdoor games, better let them draw.
An adult is recommended to sleep more and optimally combine work days and rest, try to control stressful situations and remove any things from your life that are annoying.