TOgetting up in the middle of the night, walking around the house, maybe even turning on the television or opening the refrigerator. The strange thing? Do it while you are sleeping. Sleepwalking is a sleep disorder that is impossible to diagnose on your own because, once they go back to bed, people tend not to remember what happened. Behind the phenomenon, which develops mainly in children, there are many causes, including genetics.
Sleepwalking, a disorder affecting children. But not only that
There are many causes behind sleepwalking, including genetics: «Sleepwalking, also known as NREM sleep parasomnia, is a sleep disorder that it manifests itself with complex motor behaviors, such as walking or talking, while the person is still asleep. It typically occurs during deep sleepusually in the early hours of the night” explains the Dr. Beatrice Casoni, Psychiatrist at the Erresse Dental Medical Clinic in Ferrara. As the expert specifies, the phenomenon is common in children«can involve 15% of the youngest, but it can also occur in 2-4% of adults». There are many causes behind the phenomenon, including genetics but also daily stress.
“The The first factor to consider is genetic: it has in fact been observed that 80% of sleepwalkers are familiar with it with the phenomenon due to a close relative who already suffers from it. They then follow neurological and physiological factorssuch as incomplete brain maturation in children, instability of deep sleep, alterations in the excitability of the central nervous system. Finally, they can cause episodes of sleepwalking stress, anxiety, consumption of alcohol or sedative drugsassociated sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), and some psychiatric conditions. In addition to feverish states, but this happens especially in the little ones.”
The alteration of chromosome 20 behind sleepwalking
As has been highlighted by some studies also reported on psychological platform stateofmind.itbehind sleepwalking there may also be an alteration of chromosome 20an anomaly that does not allow the condition of continuous rest to be reached. This hyperalert condition it does not promote real cognitive-motor relaxation which therefore causes episodes of sleepwalking. It is as if those who suffer from this disorder are constantly in a state of alert and always have the motor area of the brain active. Those who suffer from sleepwalking are as if they were half asleep: to simplify, one part of the brain rests and the other does not. The result is a lack of synchronization that makes it impossible to sleep or be awake.
They also go hand in hand with genetics psychiatric conditions such as «anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder, mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorders, dissociative disorders, psychotic disorders although in this case the antipsychotic drugs themselves could worsen sleepwalking.”
How to treat the disorder
For this reason, as the expert explains, it is necessary to consult a specialist if the episodes become very frequent: «The diagnosis is clinical and is based on the collection of the patient’s history and the nocturnal behaviors that he reports or that are told by family members. Instrumental tests such as Polysomnography (sleep examination with monitoring of brain, muscle, respiratory and cardiac activity) and Video-polysomnography can also be used to document complex or suspected episodes of other neurological disorders (e.g. nocturnal epilepsy)” explains the expert.
Intervene to cure the Sleepwalking in children means first of all teaching correct sleep hygiene: regular hours, quiet environment, lack of stimuli before sleeping such as TV or video games. «Subsequently it can be integrated with stress management with relaxation techniques and psychotherapy when indicated. A useful technique, especially in children with recurrent episodes, is that of programmed awakening: the child wakes up 15-30 minutes before the usual time of the episode, interrupting the cycle of sleepwalking.”
And if instead the Does the disorder occur in adults? «If they are serious or persistent forms, then we intervene with pharmacological treatments. However, it depends on the cause. For example, if sleepwalking is due to stress, then we first act by trying to eliminate the cause itself.”
Can sleepwalking be cured?
«In children, sleepwalking tends to regress spontaneously as they grow and the maturation of the nervous system. About 70-80% recover by adolescence, without the need for therapy. In adults, the disorder may persist or arise again: In these cases, recovery depends on the underlying cause and response to treatment. If well managed, it is possible to achieve the disappearance or significant reduction of the episodes both in terms of frequency and intensity” explains the expert who however specifies: “In some cases, sleepwalking can get worse. For example when it persists or begins in adolescence and adulthood becoming more complex and potentially dangerous, with episodes of aggression or danger for the sleepwalker”.
This happens when there are phenomena that fuel the disorder such as chronic sleep deprivation, alcohol and substance abuse, psychiatric or neurological disorders, sleep apnea, or a poorly managed period of high stress. In all these cases, especially in adulthood, the disorder tends to become chronic «and the signs that indicate a worsening are the increase in the frequency of episodes, the onset of more complex or dangerous behaviors, total amnesia of the event with a feeling of daytime tiredness, the appearance of injuries to oneself or others. In these cases it is even more important to seek the help of sleep disorder specialists who can intervene early.”