Stress, menstruation, and alcohol use are just a few factors that can trigger sleepwalking. For some people, sleepwalking can accompany other health conditions, including certain mental health disorders and dementia.
Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a type of sleep disorder called a parasomnia. Parasomnias are unusual behaviors experienced as you fall asleep, while you sleep, or as you begin to wake.
Sleepwalking occurs in the first half of the sleep cycle for most people. It happens during slow-wave sleep, the deepest form of non-REM sleep, and waking someone in a slow-wave sleep stage is very difficult.
For most children, sleepwalking lessens and fully resolves as they grow older.
Sleepwalking is not a diagnostic indicator of any medical condition other than parasomnia. It can occur in people with no other health issues, but it can also be associated with a variety of things, including:
- genetics
- stress
- alcohol use
- menstrual cycle
- migraine headache
- other sleep disorders
- sleep deprivation
- stroke
- brain injury
- hyperthyroidism
- obstructive sleep apnea
- restless leg syndrome
- neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease
- mental health conditions, like depression
- medications
The exact mechanisms underlying sleepwalking aren’t fully understood, but experts believe changes in the brain’s activity and blood flow patterns at night
Many factors can affect blood flow patterns and brain function, but most sleepwalking is
Medical conditions that alter how your brain functions during sleep can potentially contribute to sleepwalking. When it comes to mental health, sleepwalking has been associated with:
- anxiety disorders, like obsessive-compulsive disorder
- major depressive disorder (MDD)
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- substance use disorder
- psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia
Changes in your brain’s structure, chemical balance, and neuron function, and the use of medications like antidepressants and antipsychotics are possible contributors to sleepwalking in mental health disorders.
Sleepwalking does not mean you’re living with a mental health disorder. Many people living with mental health conditions never experience sleepwalking, and most people who sleepwalk do not live with a mental health condition.
Mental health conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, and psychotic disorders have core symptoms that will also be present in addition to sleepwalking.
Because sleepwalking may occur before noticeable symptoms of another physical or mental health concern, speaking with a healthcare professional when you experience parasomnia is always recommended.
Sleepwalking may be a risk factor for dementia in some adults.
According to a large prospective cohort study from 2023, sleepwalking in older adults could indicate the beginning of underlying neurodegenerative processes that contribute to the development of dementia.
“Dementia” is an umbrella term for clinically significant cognitive decline across areas of memory, reasoning, behavior, and motor skills, among others. It represents a level of impairment that goes beyond what’s expected in typical aging.
Many different conditions can cause dementia, and some of these, like Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer’s, may affect the parts of your brain that regulate sleep cycles and transitions.
Not everyone with dementia experiences sleepwalking, and sleepwalking does not mean you are absolutely going to develop dementia.
Sleepwalking is a parasomnia, a type of sleep disorder that involves unusual movements or behaviors during your sleep cycle. It’s usually benign and doesn’t require treatment.
Sleepwalking can occur in otherwise healthy people due to factors like stress, substance use, and hormone changes, but it can also be a symptom of underlying mental and physical health conditions. Speaking with your doctor about sleepwalking can help rule out other medical concerns.