Is Sleepwalking a Sign of a Mental Health Issue?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat to Know About SleepwalkingWhat Causes Sleepwalking?How to Cope With Sleepwalking

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

What to Know About Sleepwalking

What Causes Sleepwalking?

How to Cope With Sleepwalking

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Although sleepwalking is somewhat common, especially among children, it is not a harmless occurrence.Most people are aware of the fact that sleepwalking can make a person vulnerable to injuries, but there are also strong connections between sleepwalking and mental health.

For example, some mental health conditions may make you more likely to experience sleepwalking.Moreover, sleepwalkingcan triggeror exacerbate several mental health conditions, and may have negative impacts on your relationships and quality of life.

Let’s take a look at the mental health impacts of sleepwalking, how to manage them, as well as how you can cope with sleepwalking in general.

Sleepwalking is a kind of parasomnia, or abnormal sleep behavior. A person who experiences sleepwalking is in an “in-between” state of sleep and waking.Most bouts of sleepwalking occur within the first few hours of falling asleep, and people who sleepwalk usually do not have any recollection of doing so.

Many people—about 18%—will have a bout of sleepwalking at some point in life, though sleepwalking is most common in childhood and is usually something that children grow out of.However, adults can experience sleepwalking as well. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine found that about 3.6% of U.S. adults report an episode of sleepwalking in the previous year, which amounts to about 8.4 million people.

Symptoms

Sleepwalking looks different for different people and can vary from one episode to another. Contrary to popular belief, sleepwalking doesn’t even always include walking!

Here are some things that may occur during an episode of sleepwalking:

Importantly, sleepwalking can be dangerous. For example, a study published inSleepfound that 57.9% of adult sleepwalkers exhibited violent behavior while sleepwalking. This behavior resulted in either injury to themselves or to others, and had negative impacts on the sleepwalkers’ quality of life.

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Sleepwalking usually has multiple causes, and the causes of sleepwalking can differ from one individual to another. Some of the most common causes of sleepwalking include:

How Does Mental Health Affect Sleepwalking?

The state of your mental health, as well as a preexisting mental health condition, can cause you to sleepwalk.

One main trigger of sleepwalking is experiencing heightened or chronic stress. Some researchers have surmised that experiencing episodes of anxiety and anger throughout the day may increase the chances of sleepwalking in people who are prone to it.

Other research has found that people who sleepwalk have difficulty managing their feelings of aggression. Experiencing unresolved conflicts during the day, and living with unprocessed trauma may also be contributing factors for sleepwalking.

Additionally, there are certain mental health conditions that may increase a person’s risk of experiencing sleepwalking, including:

What Effect Does Sleepwalking Have on Mental Health?

Just as certain mental health conditions and struggles can trigger or exacerbate sleepwalking, sleepwalking itself can lead to mental health challenges.

Here are some of the mental health impacts of sleepwalking:

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If you experience sleepwalking, it isn’t just something you should ignore. Sleepwalking can impact your health and wellbeing, and it can cause physical harm to yourself or others. The good news is that there are several steps you can take to manage the condition.

The first thing you should do is make an appointment with your healthcare provider or a sleep specialist. This way, any underlying health issues that you are having that may be causing your sleepwalking can be addressed, including conditions like sleep apnea. Additionally, your healthcare provider will consider any medications you take that may be contributing.

Treatment plans for sleepwalking also need to include ways of decreasing the risk of injury. So, you should ensure that any sharp objects are locked away and out of reach. Windows and doors should be securely locked. Some people set up alarms that go off if they get out of bed and begin to wander.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)is a type of psychotherapy that can help you manage the anxiety that might trigger sleepwalking or that might result from sleepwalking.If you live with mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder,major depressive disorder, or schizophrenia,speak with a doctor or psychiatrist about how these conditions may be impacting your sleepwalking and what treatment plans would be appropriate for you.

What This Means For YouBeing a sleepwalker can be alonelyand upsetting experience, and many people who sleepwalk experience deep shame and embarrassment.But sleepwalking isn’t something to be ashamed of. You didn’t do anything wrong, and the behavior is something that is largely out of your control.That being said, it’s important to seek help if you are experiencing sleepwalking, as sleepwalking can be dangerous to yourself and others, can be a symptom of a larger health issue, and can have concerning impacts on your mental health.

What This Means For You

Being a sleepwalker can be alonelyand upsetting experience, and many people who sleepwalk experience deep shame and embarrassment.But sleepwalking isn’t something to be ashamed of. You didn’t do anything wrong, and the behavior is something that is largely out of your control.That being said, it’s important to seek help if you are experiencing sleepwalking, as sleepwalking can be dangerous to yourself and others, can be a symptom of a larger health issue, and can have concerning impacts on your mental health.

Being a sleepwalker can be alonelyand upsetting experience, and many people who sleepwalk experience deep shame and embarrassment.But sleepwalking isn’t something to be ashamed of. You didn’t do anything wrong, and the behavior is something that is largely out of your control.

That being said, it’s important to seek help if you are experiencing sleepwalking, as sleepwalking can be dangerous to yourself and others, can be a symptom of a larger health issue, and can have concerning impacts on your mental health.

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8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Suni E.Sleepwalking. Sleep Foundation.Conway S, Castro L, Lopes-Conceição M, Hachul H, Tufik S.Psychological treatment for sleepwalking: two case reports. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2011;66(3):517-520. doi:10.1590/s1807-59322011000300028Lopez R, Jaussent I, Scholz S, Bayard S, Montplaisir J, Dauvilliers Y.Functional impairment in adult sleepwalkers: a case-control study. Sleep. 2013;36(3):345-51. doi:10.5665/sleep.2446Cleveland Clinic.Sleepwalking.Brandt M.Sleepwalking more prevalent among U.S. adults than previously suspected, researcher says. Stanford Medicine.Ohayon M, Mahowald M, Dauvilliers Y, Krystal A, Léger D.Prevalence and comorbidity of nocturnal wandering in the U.S. adult general population. Neurology. 2012;78(20):1583-9. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182563be5Kaskie R, Graziano B, Ferrarelli F.Schizophrenia and sleep disorders: links, risks, and management challenges. Nature and Science of Sleep. 2017;9:227-239. doi:10.2147/NSS.S121076Lopez R, Jaussent I, Scholz S, Bayard S, Montplaisir J, Dauvilliers Y.Functional impairment in adult sleepwalkers: a case-control study. Sleep. 2013;36(3):345-51. doi:10.5665/sleep.2446

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Suni E.Sleepwalking. Sleep Foundation.Conway S, Castro L, Lopes-Conceição M, Hachul H, Tufik S.Psychological treatment for sleepwalking: two case reports. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2011;66(3):517-520. doi:10.1590/s1807-59322011000300028Lopez R, Jaussent I, Scholz S, Bayard S, Montplaisir J, Dauvilliers Y.Functional impairment in adult sleepwalkers: a case-control study. Sleep. 2013;36(3):345-51. doi:10.5665/sleep.2446Cleveland Clinic.Sleepwalking.Brandt M.Sleepwalking more prevalent among U.S. adults than previously suspected, researcher says. Stanford Medicine.Ohayon M, Mahowald M, Dauvilliers Y, Krystal A, Léger D.Prevalence and comorbidity of nocturnal wandering in the U.S. adult general population. Neurology. 2012;78(20):1583-9. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182563be5Kaskie R, Graziano B, Ferrarelli F.Schizophrenia and sleep disorders: links, risks, and management challenges. Nature and Science of Sleep. 2017;9:227-239. doi:10.2147/NSS.S121076Lopez R, Jaussent I, Scholz S, Bayard S, Montplaisir J, Dauvilliers Y.Functional impairment in adult sleepwalkers: a case-control study. Sleep. 2013;36(3):345-51. doi:10.5665/sleep.2446

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Suni E.Sleepwalking. Sleep Foundation.Conway S, Castro L, Lopes-Conceição M, Hachul H, Tufik S.Psychological treatment for sleepwalking: two case reports. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2011;66(3):517-520. doi:10.1590/s1807-59322011000300028Lopez R, Jaussent I, Scholz S, Bayard S, Montplaisir J, Dauvilliers Y.Functional impairment in adult sleepwalkers: a case-control study. Sleep. 2013;36(3):345-51. doi:10.5665/sleep.2446Cleveland Clinic.Sleepwalking.Brandt M.Sleepwalking more prevalent among U.S. adults than previously suspected, researcher says. Stanford Medicine.Ohayon M, Mahowald M, Dauvilliers Y, Krystal A, Léger D.Prevalence and comorbidity of nocturnal wandering in the U.S. adult general population. Neurology. 2012;78(20):1583-9. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182563be5Kaskie R, Graziano B, Ferrarelli F.Schizophrenia and sleep disorders: links, risks, and management challenges. Nature and Science of Sleep. 2017;9:227-239. doi:10.2147/NSS.S121076Lopez R, Jaussent I, Scholz S, Bayard S, Montplaisir J, Dauvilliers Y.Functional impairment in adult sleepwalkers: a case-control study. Sleep. 2013;36(3):345-51. doi:10.5665/sleep.2446

Suni E.Sleepwalking. Sleep Foundation.

Conway S, Castro L, Lopes-Conceição M, Hachul H, Tufik S.Psychological treatment for sleepwalking: two case reports. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2011;66(3):517-520. doi:10.1590/s1807-59322011000300028

Lopez R, Jaussent I, Scholz S, Bayard S, Montplaisir J, Dauvilliers Y.Functional impairment in adult sleepwalkers: a case-control study. Sleep. 2013;36(3):345-51. doi:10.5665/sleep.2446

Cleveland Clinic.Sleepwalking.

Brandt M.Sleepwalking more prevalent among U.S. adults than previously suspected, researcher says. Stanford Medicine.

Ohayon M, Mahowald M, Dauvilliers Y, Krystal A, Léger D.Prevalence and comorbidity of nocturnal wandering in the U.S. adult general population. Neurology. 2012;78(20):1583-9. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182563be5

Kaskie R, Graziano B, Ferrarelli F.Schizophrenia and sleep disorders: links, risks, and management challenges. Nature and Science of Sleep. 2017;9:227-239. doi:10.2147/NSS.S121076

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