The medical term for adult sleepwalking is "somnambulism." It is considered to be a parasomnia, which is defined as "undesired events that come along with sleep."
Sleepwalking is fairly common in children, but is usually outgrown by the late teens. Adult sleepwalking is typically caused by different factors, than those causing childhood sleepwalking.
Sleepwalking occurs when you arise from bed and walk around, even though you are actually sleeping. It can include a sequence of complex activities, such as sitting up, looking around in a confused manner; jumping from the bed, and walking or running away.
You may talk or even yell, while walking around. The eyes are usually open and may have a dazed or unfocused appearance. Most adult sleepwalkers will navigate around furniture and other obstacles, as if they can see where they're going.
Sometimes you could perform routine activities, such as drinking a glass of water, or brushing your teeth. Oftentimes, it can involve vulgar or bizzare activities. It is not uncommon for an adult sleepwalker (especially men) to urinate in a wastebasket, closet, or other inappropriate place. Indecent exposure or other sexual behaviors have been known to take place.
Sleepwalkers have been known to rearrange furniture, or climb out a window, even up to the roof.
There are numerous cases of adult sleepwalkers wandering away from home, driving their car, eating, even committing crimes in their sleep.
Adult sleepwalking can sometimes result in hostile or violent behaviors, even by people who are normally non-violent, easy going personalities.
Waking a sleepwalker up can be difficult. If you do wake up, likely you'll be confused and disoriented. More often, than not, you'll have little or no memory of the episode. Rarely, you will have a clear memory of everything that occured. It's possible you could even attack the person who wakes you. This happens more often with men than with women, but can occur with any sleepwalker, even kids.
Sleepwalking can sometimes end, by the sleepwalker waking up and finding themselves in an embarrasing or awkward place, with no memory of how they arrived there. They might wake up in the morning on the sofa or somplace else besides their own bed. Many times, somnambulists will climb back into bed, having never awakened.
Adult sleepwalking normally occurs during the first third of the night, during the slow-wave sleep cycle. Sometimes it can happen while taking a nap. Incidents can take place rarely, or or quite frequently. For some people, the episodes can occur more than once per night.
The mains risks of sleepwalking are injury to self, bed partner, or others in the household.
