Sleep Walking

Sleep walking is a ‘Non-REM (NREM) parasomnia’ sleep disorder where a person performs activities in a low state of consciousness. Sleep walking is exactly as it sounds where sleep walkers get out of bed and walk around while still asleep.

Symptoms vary for this parasomnia disorder; however, sleep walking is often accompanied by other complex actions. These actions can be mundane such as siting up or walking to the bathroom while others can be quite dangerous such as cooking or driving.  To an observer these actions may seem purposeful, however the sleep walker will have no recollection of these actions.

During a sleep walking episode a person’s eyes may be open although they will often have a glazed expression and ‘glassy’ eyes.

Waking a sleep walker during an episode will not harm them although they may be confused or angry.