Sleepwalking Health Dictionary

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Sleepwalking: From 1 Different Sources

Walking while asleep.

Sleepwalking is usually calm and aimless, although it is sometimes more frantic when it occurs with night terror.

Some people regularly sleepwalk.

Sleepwalking in children is not normally a cause for concern and tends to disappear with age.

In adults, it may be related to anxiety or the use of sleeping drugs.

Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association

Sleep, Disorders Of

There are three main groups of SLEEP disorders:

Parasomnias These include medical disorders such as ASTHMA, ANGINA PECTORIS or EPILEPSY which are made worse by sleep, and a range of behavioural alterations which are usually related to a speci?c sleep stage or to a change from one state of sleep to another. Sleepwalking, night terrors, and nightmares are examples.

Insomnia Insomnia is de?ned as a di?culty in initiating or maintaining sleep. It affects around 15 per cent of the population at any one time, and is often due to a poor pre-sleep routine (e.g. taking excessive stimulants such as ca?eine); unsatisfactory sleep due to poor environments such as an uncomfortable bed or a cold or noisy bedroom; anxiety and/or depression; or occasionally to a physical problem – for example, pain – or a medical disorder associated with sleep such as obstructive SLEEP APNOEAS or periodic limb movements.

Excessive daytime sleepiness This is usually due to sleep deprivation caused either by inadequate duration of sleep, or by poor quality of sleep. The individual’s lifestyle is often a cause and modi?cation of this may relieve the problem. Other common causes of excessive daytime sleepiness are depression, obstructive sleep apnoeas, periodic limb movements, excessive alcohol or other drug intake, and, less commonly, NARCOLEPSY.... sleep, disorders of

Sleep

The natural state of lowered consciousness and reduced metabolism.

There are 2 types of sleep: (rapid eye movement) and (nonrapid eye movement) sleep, which alternate in cycles. sleep consists of 4 stages of progressively greater “depth”, with slowing of brain activity. In sleep, the brain becomes more active; the eyes move rapidly and dreaming occurs.

Sleep is a fundamental human need, as shown by the effects of sleep deprivation, although its purpose is not understood in detail. The need for sleep varies from person to person and decreases with age. Sleep disorders include difficulty in falling or remaining asleep (see insomnia); difficulty in staying awake (see narcolepsy); disruption of sleep by jetlag and bed-wetting, night terrors, or sleepwalking. (See also sleep apnoea.)... sleep

Somnambulism

See sleepwalking.... somnambulism

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