A sleepwalking adult is typically different than a sleepwalking child.  While sleepwalking in childhood is fairly common, sleepwalking by adults is somewhat rare, and is normally caused by different factors.

Somnambulism is the clinical term for sleep walking.  It is part of a group of sleep disorders called parasomnias.  Parasomnias are defined as "disruptive abnormal behaviors during sleep."  Other common parasomnias include adult bedwetting, teeth grinding (bruxism) and night terrors.  It is caused by a glitch or dysfunction of the brain as it transitions from being awake and going to sleep.

While sleep walking is one of the better known parasomnias, it is perhaps, the least understood by both the medical profession and the general public.

We've all seen the funny pictures of a sleepwalking adult; arms stretched straight out, eyes closed.  Sleepwalking is often depicted in cartoons and even movies, with that sort of image.  Reality is:  a sleepwalking adult usually has eyes wide open, although they may have a glassy or dazed appearance.  While they may move around somewhat clumsily, their arms are not outstretched.

In a very minor sleepwalking episode, after rising from the bed, the sleepwalker may move around the room, then return to bed a few minutes later.

In a more complex event, they may leave the bedroom and go into other parts of the house.  Sleepwalking adults have been known to rearrange furniture, talk on the phone, email, eat, clean house, play a musical instrument, and many other routine tasks.  Sometimes they will perform rather bizarre actions, like urinating in a trashcan or removing all the knick-knacks from living room shelves and lining them up around the bathroom sink.

In some of the very serious incidents, sleep walking adults have been known to get in the car and drive, sometimes for long distances.  Oftentimes these road trips have resulted in serious auto accidents.  There are many stories on record of sleepwalkers falling from second story windows or roofs, seriously injuring themselves, or even dying from the fall.  The list of ways that sleepwalkers have discovered to injure themselves is unbelievable!  In some rare instances, somnabulists have walked out into the middle of a busy street, or stepped in front of an oncoming train.

In some extreme situations, somnabulists have committed murder and other serious crimes while sleeepwalking.

So what can a sleepwalking adult or their loved one do, to create a safe environment in the home, to minimize the possibilities of injury?

1.  If possible, the sleepwalker should sleep on the ground floor, to reduce the likelihood of falling down the stairs, a common sleepwalking injury.

2.  If it's not feasible to sleep downstairs, you can install a gate across the top of the stairway, making sure it's securely closed (and if possible, locked) when retiring.

3.  Ensure that all windows and doors in the house are securely locked before bedtime.  It may be a good idea to install an extra lock, a deadbolt or even a chain lock, somewhere above the sleepwalker's eye level on the entry doors.

4.  One possibility, is installing a motion detector in areas of the house where people do not normally go in the middle of the night, however this may not be practical if you have a dog or cat living in your house.

5.  You can purchase an inexpensive door alarm to place on the sleepwalker's bedroom door.  This will set off a beeper to alert other members of the household that the sleepwalker is up and on the move.  Another placed on entry doors would give an extra measure of protection, in case they attempt to leave the house.

6.  Make sure there are no obstacles or clutter in the bedroom or other areas of the house, which could cause a sleepwalker to trip and fall.

7.  If the sleepwalker has previously gone in the kitchen and attempted to cook, it may be a good idea to keep sharp knives put away someplace safe.  If they have actually turned on the stove in the past, you may want to remove the burner knobs before going to sleep, to avoid them burning themselves or starting a fire.

Sleepwalking in itself, is not harmful to a person's health.  But risks of injury are very high.  Take a look around your home, to check for other hazards that could potentially harm your adult sleepwalker.

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