How can adult-onset sleepwalking be managed?

Question

Hello doctor,

Lately, I have been doing weird stuff in my sleep that is freaking me out, like walking around, eating entire meals without knowing it, and even having sex while asleep. It is like I am totally out of it at night, and my body's just doing its own thing. I looked it up online, and it seems like it might be a parasomnia or sleep disorder. But is that really a thing? Or am I just going crazy? It has gotten so bad that I am scared to sleep some nights. What if I accidentally hurt myself or someone else? This is seriously messing up my life.

Do you have any idea what might be causing this? Do I need tests or treatment? Or should I just lock my bedroom door super tight?

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

What you are describing, as you also indicated, is parasomnia. Considering the walking and complex behaviors that you mentioned, it appears to be a form of adult-onset sleepwalking. This is a serious situation because, as you have also noticed, there is a high risk of injury during such episodes. Adult-onset sleepwalking is relatively rare. In contrast to cases in children and adults, it is usually secondary to stressful events, sleep deprivation, medications, alcohol, mental health issues, and sometimes seizures.

You need to be seen by a neurologist, preferably one with a subspecialty in sleep medicine. Brain imaging, blood tests, and a polysomnography study are necessary. The latter is crucial because it shows what happens during your sleep. Until then, you should secure your bedroom (windows, doors, and any potentially harmful objects) to reduce the risk of trauma to yourself or others.

I hope this information is helpful to you.

Thank you.