Why Do Kids Sleepwalk? Understanding the Science Behind Somnambulism

Uttering fanciful nonsense, jumping out of windows, eating cheese blocks while naked, and urinating in non-toilet areas. All of these are reported behaviors of sleepwalking, which is generally harmless but occasionally dangerous.

About 18% of people are thought to have sleepwalked at least once in their lifetime.

What precisely is sleepwalking, then? One needs a solid understanding of the stages of sleep to comprehend this.

A form of sleep disorder called sleepwalking, or somnambulism, makes you perform intricate tasks while you’re still asleep. You could get out of bed, go for a walk, or even take a chance by riding your bike or attempting to leave the house. However, not every sleepwalker is ambulatory. While they are asleep, some people just sit up, stand in bed, or pretend to be reasonably awake.

The eyes of sleepwalkers are usually open, which is a common symptom. But it’s important to understand that they don’t see as well as they do when they’re awake and unaware of their surroundings. They frequently think they are in different rooms of the house or somewhere else entirely.

While most episodes last around 10 minutes, these can last anywhere from a few seconds to as long as 30 minutes. Once the episode is over, the person usually returns to bed on their own and wakes up in the morning without having any memory of what happened last night.

What Happens in the Brain?

We must first realize how many of the things we do daily don’t require our full attention. The conscious, intentional, and decision-making center of your brain is called the prefrontal cortex. You may use your prefrontal cortex to decide to get up and walk, but you don’t need to pay any attention to the complex coordination of muscles and sensory inputs that ensues. Rather, it is primarily carried out by a network of specialized nerve cells, sometimes referred to as “central pattern generators,” that run along the lower portion of the brain and spinal cord.

These regions control automatic motions and fundamental survival-related behaviors.

The deepest stage of non-REM sleep, known as “slow-wave sleep,” is where sleepwalking originates. The cortex, including the prefrontal cortex, is effectively shut down in this state. When someone is awakened from this stage, they typically look sleepy before either falling back asleep or waking up completely.

In essence, a sleepwalking episode is a severe, protracted form of this. A person who sleepwalks lacks executive, conscious control over their behavior because the prefrontal cortex is not functioning. Their brains are active in other areas, though. Furthermore, the body can do a lot without the prefrontal cortex, as is well known.

Sleepwalkers talk, walk, and avoid obstacles, though their speech is frequently absurd. The majority of sleepwalkers are capable of performing simple tasks while in a calm, emotionless, and dreamless state. Rarely, sleepwalkers can carry out more difficult duties like driving and cooking. Sometimes, physical desires, such as the desire to eat or engage in sexual activity, serve as their guides. Additionally, some episodes involve the fight-or-flight response in the brain, where the person may vocalize, cry, or even jump out of bed and flee if they suddenly sense an impending threat. Known as “sleep terrors,” these episodes typically occur naturally and are more prevalent in young children.

Why Do Kids Sleepwalk?

In fact, children are more likely to sleepwalk than adults, possibly due to the developing brain regions that regulate the shift from sleep to wakefulness. Although the exact cause of sleepwalking is still unknown, scientists do know that it is more common in children and that it happens when your brain becomes slightly confused during the sleep cycle.

There are four distinct phases in the sleep cycle. The first three phases of sleep are referred to as non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. In stage one, you go from being awake to falling asleep; in stage two, you go into light sleep; and in stage three, you are in a deep sleep, which is characterized by the slowest brain waves. Following this, you eventually reach the fourth stage of sleep, known as rapid eye movement, or REM sleep, during which you begin to dream.

Your muscles become momentarily paralyzed, preventing you from physically responding to the dream and preventing you from moving until you awaken. However, during a sleepwalking episode, the brain occasionally skips the REM stage and wakes up straight to the stage of being awake, rather than transitioning from the non-REM stage to the REM stage. We sleepwalk as a result of our brain and body becoming confused and caught between deep sleep and wakefulness.

What exactly triggers the brain to make this jump is still giving sleepless nights to the scientific community. But as it’s more common in children, some scientists believe it’s due to their underdeveloped brains. So once they grow older and their brains fully develop, this disorder goes away on its own.

What Triggers It?

The scientific community continues to have sleepless nights over what precisely causes the brain to make this leap. However, since children are more likely to experience it, some scientists think it’s because of their developing brains. Therefore, this disorder disappears on its own as they age and their brains mature.

While some cases are more enigmatic, many seem to run in families. It is believed that the probability is increased by anything that may cause partial awakening. This includes things that encourage deeper slow-wave sleep, like sedatives, hot sleep settings, and working on too little sleep, as well as things that interfere with sleep, like stress and other sleep disorders, like restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.

Physicians typically assess these variables and recommend behaviors that support restful sleep, like regular exercise, stress reduction, and a sufficient and regular sleep schedule. Additionally, they frequently suggest safety precautions like locking windows, installing door alarms, and concealing hazardous objects. They’ll look into specific drugs if this doesn’t work. However, the effectiveness and mechanism of action of many of the available treatments for sleepwalking are still unclear because they have not yet undergone thorough research.

What Should You Do?

It’s a frequent misperception that waking a sleepwalker results in permanent damage. Thankfully, this is untrue. Attempting to rouse them by force, however, may result in confusion and discomfort. It appears that the best course of action is to gently help them return to bed and, if they object, to just make sure they’re safe until the episode is over.

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FAQs

Why do I sleepwalk?
Although scientists are still unsure, stress, sleep apnea, sedative drugs, or a child’s immature sleep-wake cycle may all contribute to adult sleepwalking. The best course of action is to consult a physician for assessment.

What causes people to sleepwalk?
When certain areas of the brain are still deeply asleep while others are awake, this is known as sleepwalking. Genetics, stress, lack of sleep, drugs, and other sleep disorders are some of the triggers.

What causes kids to sleepwalk?
Their underdeveloped brains and the immaturity of the brain regions that control the shift from sleep to wakefulness are thought to be the causes. Children frequently outgrow sleepwalking as they get older.

What percentage of people sleepwalk?
Approximately 18% of people have experienced sleepwalking at some point in their lives. Approximately 40% of kids have sleepwalked, while only 4% of adults have done so.

Can dogs sleepwalk?
Although sleep-related movements and disorders can occur in animals, dogs do not exhibit true sleepwalking, which is a behavior that is seen in humans. But it’s normal for dogs to twitch, paddle, and move while they’re in REM sleep.

Stress is the primary cause of sleepwalking in adults; see our next blog post for a list of 12 stress-reduction techniques.