Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Parasomnias
Number of Conditions: 1
Sleepwalking
Specialty: Mental Health and Psychology
Category: Sleep-Wake Disorders
Sub-category: Parasomnias
Symptoms:
walking or performing other complex behaviors while asleep; confusion upon awakening; difficulty recalling the event
Root Cause:
Partial arousal from non-REM sleep leading to mixed sleep and wake states.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Based on a clinical history, eyewitness accounts, and sometimes polysomnography.
Treatment:
Safety measures, stress management, and in severe cases, medication or psychotherapy.
Medications:
Benzodiazepines (e.g., clonazepam ) or low-dose antidepressants (e.g., trazodone ) may be prescribed to reduce episodes.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 4% of adults and up to 17% of children.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Sleep deprivation, stress, alcohol use, and family history of sleepwalking.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Usually resolves in childhood; adults may need ongoing management.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Injury during episodes, disturbed sleep for household members, and social embarrassment.