Author:
Louise Ward
Date Of Creation:
3 February 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
A sleepwalker can sit up in bed while sleeping with eyes wide open, face blank, get out of bed, do everyday activities such as chatting and changing clothes, not reacting to others. , having trouble waking up, having trouble waking up, and not remembering anything the next day! Although quite rare, they may sometimes leave the house, cook, drive, urinate, have sex, harm themselves, or become violent when they wake up. Most sleepwalking usually lasts no more than 10 minutes, but sometimes it can take up to half an hour. If you or someone in your family sleepwalks, there are steps you can take to deal with it.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Minimize the dangers of sleepwalking
Preventing accidents during sleepwalking. Make your home as safe as possible so that the somnambulist cannot hurt yourself or others. Because somnambulists can do complex activities, don't assume they will wake up before doing something that requires coordination.- Lock doors and windows so the person cannot leave the home.
- Hide car keys so the person cannot drive.
- Lock and hide any locker keys that hold weapons or sharp objects that could be used as weapons.
- Block stairs and doors with a soft cushioned guard gate to prevent the person from falling.
- Young children sleepwalking should not be allowed on the upper bunk bed.
- Moving objects can cause a sleepwalker to stumble.
- Sleep on the floor if you can.
- Use a bed with side bars.
- If possible, install an anti-theft system to alert and wake the person if they leave your home.
Advice: Have a family member of the sleepwalker hide objects and erect fences to prevent them. Sleepwalkers won't be able to find something if they don't know where it is, and the fence may be more effective if they don't remember where they stored the object while awake.
Let your family member know so they can be prepared. The sight of a person sleepwalking can be quite frightening or confusing for someone who doesn't understand what's going on. If they know it in advance, they can help the person cope with it.
- You can gently guide the sleepwalker back to bed. Don't touch them, but use your voice to gently guide the person back to bed.
- If you carefully wake the sleepwalking person after they have returned to bed, this will disrupt their sleep cycle, preventing the person from going sleepwalking during the same sleep cycle.
Do you know? Violent behavior during sleepwalking is very rare. It often happens when the person has been approached or held. Since the sleepwalkers are in a dream state, they cannot stop themselves. Let your loved one know they need to stay away from you if you seem agitated while sleepwalking.
See your doctor if the sleepwalking is severe, dangerous, or has signs of any other underlying medical condition. However, patients need to seek medical attention if they sleepwalk:
- Begins in the teenage years or adulthood.
- Involving dangerous actions.
- Happens more than twice a week.
- Affect everyone in the house.
Part 2 of 3: End sleepwalking through lifestyle changes
Reducing stress and building good bedtime habits can prevent accidents caused by sleepwalking.
Sleep more. Being too tired will trigger sleepwalking. The average adult needs at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Young children need 14 hours of sleep, depending on their age. You can reduce fatigue by:
- Take a nap on you day.
- Go to bed early.
- Reduce your caffeine intake. Coffee is a stimulant and will make it difficult to fall asleep.
- Reduce the amount of drink you drink before bed so you don't have to wake up to use the bathroom.
Go to bed at the right time. If you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, you are less likely to experience sleep irregularities. Try to turn off the lights to bed at the same time each night.
- If you like using your phone in bed, install blue light filters and apps that block your favorite software at night. This will help you get to bed on time instead of spending time on the phone.
Avoid changing your sleeping pills or caffeine intake without consulting your doctor. Always follow the right habits every day. If you want to change the sleeping pills, you should consult your doctor first.
- Sleep violence can occur when a person tries a new sleeping pill or suddenly increases their caffeine intake. (These problems are rare though.)
Relax before bed. Stress and anxiety can make people sleepwalking more frequently. You should establish a routine of relaxation before bed, or practice "sleep hygiene". This process can include any of the following:
- Keep the room dark and quiet
- Take a hot bath or soak in hot water
- Read books or listen to music
- Maintain a cool temperature for the room
- Limit use of any device with a screen
- Use relaxation techniques before bed, such as visualizing a peaceful place, meditating, breathing deeply, tensing and loosening each group of muscles in the body gradually, massage or yoga.
Improve stress management skills. Developing healthy ways to deal with stress will help keep sleep disturbed. Stress is often related to sleepwalking.
- Choose the right exercise regimen. Your body releases endorphins that help you relax and feel better. This relaxation will be more effective if you do something that you enjoy. You can go for a jog, go for a brisk walk, or join a community sports team.
- Stay connected with family and friends. They will provide support and help you deal with the triggers.
- Join a support group or see a counselor if you need someone to talk to and can't share with friends or family. Your doctor can recommend a support group or counselor tailored to your situation.
- Spend time pursuing a hobby that you enjoy. This will help you focus on an activity that you enjoy and stop thinking about the things that are stressing you.
Keep a journal to track sleepwalking. This measure requires someone in your family to keep a record of how often and when you sleepwalking during the night. It's a good idea to keep a sleepwalk so you can keep everything in one place.
- If sleepwalking occurs according to a certain rule, a journal will help identify the cause of sleepwalking. For example, if the person sleepwalks after stressful days, this means that stress and anxiety are the triggers.
Use the method of awakening ahead of time. This is the technique used when someone knows when they usually sleep at night, and someone else will wake them up before this time.
- The person needs to be awakened about 15 minutes before the time when they normally sleepwalk and remain awake for about 5 minutes.
- This will disrupt the sleep cycle and cause the person to enter another sleep phase when they return to sleep, preventing them from sleepwalking.
Reduce alcohol consumption. Alcohol can disrupt sleep and trigger sleepwalking. You should avoid alcohol before bedtime.
- Men and women over 65 should not drink more than 1 drink of alcohol per day. Men under 65 should drink no more than 2 drinks per day.
- Do not drink alcohol if you are pregnant, have been diagnosed with alcoholism, have problems with your heart, liver, or pancreas, have had a stroke, or are taking medications that may interact with wine.
Part 3 of 3: Seeking medical help
Consult with your doctor if the medications you take are the cause of sleepwalking. Some drugs can disrupt a person's sleep cycle and cause sleepwalking. However, you should not stop taking it without consulting your doctor first. Your doctor may give you another medicine that will still treat your illness and reduce sleepwalking. Drugs with side effects that cause sleepwalking include:
- Sedative
- Drugs for mental illness
- Hypnotics have short-term effects
Do you know? Some medicines can cause serious side effects if you stop taking them suddenly. Always talk to your doctor before you stop taking a medication. They will teach you how to gradually reduce the dose.
Consult with your doctor if sleepwalking is a symptom of another underlying medical condition. While sleepwalking isn't usually a sign of another serious health condition, there are several types of illnesses that can trigger this process:
- Complex local epilepsy
- Brain disorders in the elderly
- Concerned
- Depression
- Narcolepsy
- Restless leg syndrome
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Migraine
- Hyperthyroidism
- Head injury
- Stroke
- Fever higher than 38 ° C (101 ° F)
- Abnormal sleep breathing, such as sleep apnea syndrome.
Talk to your doctor about stress management. If you have been under stress lately, talk to your doctor about this and ask for medication. They will advise you on how to adjust your lifestyle to cope with life's challenges.
Get tested for a sleep disorder. This process requires you to sleep in the lab bedroom. This is the lab where you sleep the night and a team of doctors will run a sleep meter (polysomnogram). Sensors will be connected from your body (usually mounted on your temples, scalp, chest, and legs) to a computer that monitors sleep. The doctor will measure:
- Brainwave
- The amount of oxygen in the blood
- Heartbeat
- Breathing
- Eye and leg movements
Use medicine. In many cases, a doctor will prescribe medication to treat sleepwalking. Your doctor will occasionally prescribe the following medications:
- Benzodiazepines, often have a sedative effect
- Antidepressant, which is often quite helpful in treating anxiety-related disorders.
