Some facts

• No formal statistics in Singapore, but internationally, sleepwalking occurs in 1 to 15 per cent of the population

• Occurs most commonly in childhood, decreases through adolescence

Causes

• Partial arousal from deep sleep

• Sleep deprivation can act as trigger

• Other triggers include fever, noise, or presence of sleep disorders, which interrupt deep sleep (eg. obstructive sleep apnoea, urinary problems)

Dangers

• Patients may be agitated, violent and aggressive, and injury can occur during episodes.

• Guide sleepwalker back to bed

• Keep doors and windows locked

• Don't intervene during episode as this may prolong it

• Install alarm system to alert caregivers

What sleepwalker can do

• Get enough sleep

• Establish good sleeping habits

• Take daytime naps if needed

• Limit fluid intake at night

• Behavioural training used in milder cases without self-injury. In severe cases, drugs which sedate patient and relax muscles can be used, as advised by doctor.

Where to get help

• Patients should seek help from healthcare practitioners first, and often may be referred to specialist Sleep Disorders Clinics.

Information provided by Dr Lim Li Ling, Director, Sleep Disorders Unit, Singapore General Hospital

This article was first published in The New Paper on Jan 30, 2008