Night walks

Sleep is a state habitual for all of us, when the body is resting, and the brain processes the information received during the day. It would seem that the process is as simple as possible, in fact, during sleep, complex processes occur, which are divided into two main periods - a slow and a fast phase. Any deviation from the norm is called parasomnia, the most interesting sleep disorder to study is sleepwalking or somnambulism. What is the nature of sleepwalking and how to treat it?

Signs of sleepwalking

People suffering somnambulism, during sleep they behave atypically, this can be expressed in walking or talking, all actions are unconscious, although from the outside they may seem quite purposeful. Many do not even realize that they are susceptible to this ailment, and meanwhile statistics say that about 50% of the globe is somehow related to sleepwalking.

The main symptom of somnambulism is walking at night, when a person suddenly wakes up, gets up and performs some actions for a few seconds to half an hour, in rare cases this lasts about an hour. Sometimes the condition is manifested not by walking, but by sitting, a child or an adult wakes up, but does not get out of bed, and then lies down again. The eyes can be closed or open, the look and facial expression do not express anything at all. The skin is not sensitive to pinches or other types of exposure. If the sleepwalker is stroked or slapped on the hand, he will not even notice it. It is impossible to wake up a person, and it is not worth it, in the morning he will not even remember his travels and will be sincerely surprised when you tell him about it.

Other signs of sleepwalking:

• bruxism or teeth grinding some experts also refer to the signs of somnambulism;
• twitching hands and feet, smacking, etc.
• screaming during sleep, incoherent conversations, dialogues with oneself, indistinct muttering;
• repetitive movements, such as opening and closing doors;
• involuntary urination - in children.

The reason for sleepwalking

Often young children and adolescents (especially boys) are susceptible to sleepwalking, this fact is explained by the immaturity and vulnerability of the nervous system, when the slightest stress has a powerful effect on the psyche. In the adult state, the phenomenon of somnabmulism is much less common, the cause is mainly stress and chronic fatigue, but sometimes this signals serious pathologies. A specialist consultation is necessary if sleepwalking provokes a certain disease, in other cases it is harmless. However, while walking in a dream, a person, especially a small child, can accidentally injure himself or others, sometimes such a disorder poses a real threat to life and health, there are cases when murders were committed while walking or fell from roofs to death.

Doctors cannot point with complete certainty to certain phenomena that cause somnabmulism. It is believed that people who are impressionable, emotional, with a high degree of anxiety most often suffer from sleepwalking.

Other factors affecting the onset of parasomnia:

• overwork, chronic fatigue, physical and mental stress;
• life shocks or threat to life;
• the use of certain medications, including sedatives;
• unusual, new for a person environment, vivid impressions;
• diseases associated with the nervous system, physical pathologies - head trauma, epilepsy, fever attacks, severe headaches, panic attacks, as well as the abuse of psychotropic and narcotic substances, alcohol, energy drinks;
• genetic predisposition.

Sleepwalking treatment

The study and treatment of all kinds of sleep disorders is within the competence of the sleep doctor. The diagnosis is made on the basis of stories and complaints from relatives, and only then a comprehensive psychological and physical examination is carried out, which includes:

• EEG, according to its results, the presence or absence of epileptic foci will be determined.
• Polysomnography, during the study, sensors are attached to the patient and find out how the nervous system behaves during sleep.
• An ultrasound of the brain and blood vessels will determine the level of blood flow.
• An MRI will detect neoplasms, if any.
• The complex uses the method of awakening, when for several nights the lunatic is monitored in order to determine the period and time of somnambulism. A few minutes before the alleged sleepwalking session, a person is woken up, this allows you to control his behavior and restart the existing sleep cycle.
• Consultations of narrow specialists to identify diseases that provoke the appearance of sleepwalking.

Sleepwalking treatment, first of all, it is to determine the causes and eliminate stress factors. If the phenomenon is permanent, the patient will be helped by sedatives and antidepressants; in the case of episodic sessions of somnambulism, consultation of a psychologist or psychotherapist is necessary.

To protect the child from sleepwalking, establish a sleep and wakefulness regime, walk more in the fresh air, do not create stressful situations for him, do not burden him with intellectual and physical work, do not turn on the TV and computer. Before going to bed, a light massage, a bath with lavender oil, a good fairy tale and herbal extracts of chamomile, St. John's wort and mint will help to relax.