How to Deal with Sleepwalking
Causes and Cures for Slow Wave Sleep Disorders
Sleepwalking is certainly one of the weirder sleep disorders. People who engage in sleepwalking often have no memory of what they did or said. They have little awareness of their surroundings and may behave oddly – eating household objects, urinating in the living room, and sharing embarrasing secrets. Find out how to deal with sleepwalking and if it is really possible to murder someone while in this state of automatism.
Causes of Sleepwalking
Research shows that the most common causes of sleepwalking include sleep deprivation, emotional upset, an increase in stress levels, and sickness (particularly fever). However, it is not known why some people go sleepwalking but others don’t. There is probably a genetic link, as sleep disorders can run in families.
Children and teenagers are more likely to go sleepwalking at night. They spend more time in Slow Wave Sleep which is when parasomnias (sleepwalking, sleep talking and night terrors) usually occur. Older people spend far less time in Slow Wave Sleep, and are very unlikely to go sleepwalking.
How to Deal with Sleepwalking
It is a myth that waking a person up while sleepwalking will kill them. However they are difficult to wake up, and may behave erratically, so it is best not to try. Their state of confusion may lead them to think you are attacking them, or trying to take them somewhere they don't want to go. A logical explanation at this point won't help them.
So, what are the best cures for sleepwalking? Usually, people with these sleep disorders are trying to get something done. Find out what it is. Maybe they are hungry, or feel the need to tidy up the house. If this is the case, help them achieve their goal. Don't worry, they won't remember anything. If you are unsure, you can ask them what they are doing, with simple words. They may take a long time to answer, but it is possible to communicate on a very basic level during parasomnias. Once they are done, just guide them back to bed.
It is advisable to see a doctor for long term parasomnia treatments if it becomes a major issue.
Sleepwalking as a Murder Defense
Amazingly, sleepwalking has been used as a murder defense in nearly 70 cases to date. For instance, while sleepwalking in 1987, Kenneth Parks drove 23km to his mother-in-law's house, bludgeoned her to death with a tyre iron, and attacked his father-in-law. He then drove to the police station covered in blood, telling them he thought he might have killed some people. During his trial, the jury was presented with some very convincing EEG data, and he was acquitted of all charges. The jury also noted that he was under considerable financial stress at the time, which could have triggered the sleepwalking attack.
In another shocking case of sleep disorders, Scott Falater stabbed his wife 44 times with a hunting knife. Witnesses watched in horror as he pushed her into the family swimming pool and drowned her. He quickly covered up the evidence, hiding the murder weapon and his blood-soaked clothes, and went back to bed. The police soon arrested him and he was charged with the murder, but he claimed he was sleepwalking the whole time. In this case, his actions were thought to be so calculated and complex that he couldn’t have done it while sleepwalking. Falater was sentenced to life without parole.
If you found How to Deal with Sleepwalking interesting, you may also like:
World of Lucid Dreaming: Sleepwalking, Sleep Talking and Sleep Paralysis
