rakista
1st Aug '07 Wed, 20:15
Sleepwalkers have been known to cook while asleep and even commit murders.
There are countless stories of sleepwalkers suddenly waking up and finding themselves naked in their backyards. Between 1 and 15% of the population are prone to sleepwalking, which involves people getting up and walking around while asleep and often doing bizarre things. Frequent sleepwalking can lead to health problems since it interrupts normal patterns of sleep. But what causes sleepwalking and are there ways to control it?
Sleepwalker
Why do people sleepwalk? Scientists are stil investigating the specific pathways and processes involved.
Possible causes
Sleepwalking occurs in the deep stage of sleep when slow brain waves begin to appear. It is one of a group of disorders known as parasomnias: unusual behaviours or activities that occur during sleep. These range from teeth grinding and restless leg syndrome to having sex or eating while asleep.
But when you get down to what drives these bizarre behaviours, the science gets slightly hazy. Sleepwalking has long been considered a disorder linked to parts of the brain that control arousal, however, the specific pathways and processes involved are still unknown.
Our bodies function according to a 24 hour cycle called a circadian rhythm, where brain wave activity and hormones fluctuate partly under the influence of external factors such as light, but also due to internal regulation. Some researchers believe that slight differences in this cycle could be linked to sleepwalking.
Sue Wilson, a Research Fellow in Psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol in the UK, runs a sleep clinic and is investigating the causes of sleepwalking. Her research has focused on the link between stress hormones and parasomnias. "We think that perhaps sleepwalkers have different circadian rhythms of stress - they're more stressed after a night's sleep than normal sleepers," she says. A sleepwalker's stress levels can get even higher when they become concerned about their sleepwalking. "It's a vicious circle," says Wilson, "they worry about sleepwalking so they have insomnia. And of course, if you sleep deprive yourself you go into a deeper sleep and so you're more likely to sleepwalk."
Dangerous behaviour
Rumour has it that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalking person since this could cause a seizure or brain damage. But is this the case? Stephen Juan, an anthropologist at the University of Sydney disagrees. He claims that the real reason you should not wake up a sleepwalker is because they could harm you or themselves.
From a sleepwalker's point of view, perhaps the most frightening aspect of sleepwalking is the fact that they can't remember what they do, or even that they have been sleepwalking at all.
The brain is apparently able to mislay all kinds of odd and highly dangerous behaviour. Talking to the BBC, former chef Rab Wood described cooking spaghetti bolognaise and fish and chips during his sleep. "My biggest fear is burning the house down obviously. Having the chip pan on when you're sleeping is not a good idea."
Rapes and even murders have been committed during sleepwalking episodes. One woman reported repeatedly having sex with strangers in her sleep, while a man who committed three rapes was recently cleared of all charges on account of sleepwalking behaviour. But it is difficult to deduce whether or not actions carried out during sleep bear any relation to conscious thoughts, especially when other factors such as drugs and alcohol come into play. Following a study of drug related sleep crime, sleep expert Mark Pressman urged forensics to make careful considerations before rushing to conclusions. He claims that doctors prescribe millions of hypnotic medicines every year, which simply doesn't tally up with the relatively few diagnosed cases of drug induced sleepwalking.
Of course, not all sleepwalkers are prone to such terrifying acts. For many it's just a normal, fairly harmless occurrence. "It's part of who I am," says Melinda Carr, who also blames her nocturnal wanderings on lack of sleep due to an irregular work schedule.
Is there a cure?
Many sleepwalkers simply grow out of it. There is a much higher prevalence of sleepwalking among children: 30% of children experience an episode of sleepwalking or a "night terror" episode.
For adults who suffer severely from sleepwalking, there are prescription drugs available. However, in Wilson's experience many sleepwalkers don't want to take medication every day. Some patients will be given a drug called peroxitine on particular occasions when they want to avoid sleepwalking. Changes in surroundings prove to be a real hazard, so some sleepwalkers will only take the drug when they go on holiday.
But there are also some simple lifestyle changes that can make a difference. Adopting a regular sleeping pattern is vital and dietary changes such as cutting down on caffeine, are thought to be highly beneficial. Caffeine acts as a stimulant and contributes to the insomnia that so often goes hand in hand with sleepwalking.
Just like other types of sleep disturbances, sleepwalking affects the amount of uninterrupted sleep a person gets. A poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2002 found that 74% of Americans suffered from a sleeping problem at least a few times a week. For sleepwalkers, interrupted sleep can lead to a whole range of related sleep troubles.
So although sleepwalking is often portrayed as comical - most people tend to envision a zombie-like character with lumbering arms outstretched - for the sleepwalker, it's anything but funny.
There are countless stories of sleepwalkers suddenly waking up and finding themselves naked in their backyards. Between 1 and 15% of the population are prone to sleepwalking, which involves people getting up and walking around while asleep and often doing bizarre things. Frequent sleepwalking can lead to health problems since it interrupts normal patterns of sleep. But what causes sleepwalking and are there ways to control it?
Sleepwalker
Why do people sleepwalk? Scientists are stil investigating the specific pathways and processes involved.
Possible causes
Sleepwalking occurs in the deep stage of sleep when slow brain waves begin to appear. It is one of a group of disorders known as parasomnias: unusual behaviours or activities that occur during sleep. These range from teeth grinding and restless leg syndrome to having sex or eating while asleep.
But when you get down to what drives these bizarre behaviours, the science gets slightly hazy. Sleepwalking has long been considered a disorder linked to parts of the brain that control arousal, however, the specific pathways and processes involved are still unknown.
Our bodies function according to a 24 hour cycle called a circadian rhythm, where brain wave activity and hormones fluctuate partly under the influence of external factors such as light, but also due to internal regulation. Some researchers believe that slight differences in this cycle could be linked to sleepwalking.
Sue Wilson, a Research Fellow in Psychopharmacology at the University of Bristol in the UK, runs a sleep clinic and is investigating the causes of sleepwalking. Her research has focused on the link between stress hormones and parasomnias. "We think that perhaps sleepwalkers have different circadian rhythms of stress - they're more stressed after a night's sleep than normal sleepers," she says. A sleepwalker's stress levels can get even higher when they become concerned about their sleepwalking. "It's a vicious circle," says Wilson, "they worry about sleepwalking so they have insomnia. And of course, if you sleep deprive yourself you go into a deeper sleep and so you're more likely to sleepwalk."
Dangerous behaviour
Rumour has it that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalking person since this could cause a seizure or brain damage. But is this the case? Stephen Juan, an anthropologist at the University of Sydney disagrees. He claims that the real reason you should not wake up a sleepwalker is because they could harm you or themselves.
From a sleepwalker's point of view, perhaps the most frightening aspect of sleepwalking is the fact that they can't remember what they do, or even that they have been sleepwalking at all.
The brain is apparently able to mislay all kinds of odd and highly dangerous behaviour. Talking to the BBC, former chef Rab Wood described cooking spaghetti bolognaise and fish and chips during his sleep. "My biggest fear is burning the house down obviously. Having the chip pan on when you're sleeping is not a good idea."
Rapes and even murders have been committed during sleepwalking episodes. One woman reported repeatedly having sex with strangers in her sleep, while a man who committed three rapes was recently cleared of all charges on account of sleepwalking behaviour. But it is difficult to deduce whether or not actions carried out during sleep bear any relation to conscious thoughts, especially when other factors such as drugs and alcohol come into play. Following a study of drug related sleep crime, sleep expert Mark Pressman urged forensics to make careful considerations before rushing to conclusions. He claims that doctors prescribe millions of hypnotic medicines every year, which simply doesn't tally up with the relatively few diagnosed cases of drug induced sleepwalking.
Of course, not all sleepwalkers are prone to such terrifying acts. For many it's just a normal, fairly harmless occurrence. "It's part of who I am," says Melinda Carr, who also blames her nocturnal wanderings on lack of sleep due to an irregular work schedule.
Is there a cure?
Many sleepwalkers simply grow out of it. There is a much higher prevalence of sleepwalking among children: 30% of children experience an episode of sleepwalking or a "night terror" episode.
For adults who suffer severely from sleepwalking, there are prescription drugs available. However, in Wilson's experience many sleepwalkers don't want to take medication every day. Some patients will be given a drug called peroxitine on particular occasions when they want to avoid sleepwalking. Changes in surroundings prove to be a real hazard, so some sleepwalkers will only take the drug when they go on holiday.
But there are also some simple lifestyle changes that can make a difference. Adopting a regular sleeping pattern is vital and dietary changes such as cutting down on caffeine, are thought to be highly beneficial. Caffeine acts as a stimulant and contributes to the insomnia that so often goes hand in hand with sleepwalking.
Just like other types of sleep disturbances, sleepwalking affects the amount of uninterrupted sleep a person gets. A poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation in 2002 found that 74% of Americans suffered from a sleeping problem at least a few times a week. For sleepwalkers, interrupted sleep can lead to a whole range of related sleep troubles.
So although sleepwalking is often portrayed as comical - most people tend to envision a zombie-like character with lumbering arms outstretched - for the sleepwalker, it's anything but funny.