Sleepwalking
By lisado
@lisado (1227)
United States
July 18, 2007 11:40am CST
I was curious if anyone else has a problem with this. The other night I was, apparently, sleepwalking. I've been pretty depressed and haven't been sleeping well, so not sure if that is why it happened or not? To my knowledge it's never happened before.
I woke myself up several times calling out to someone, but I don't know who. I woke my husband up, as well, but he couldn't make sense out of what I was saying, either. Apparently sometime in the night, I got up, sat at my desk and got on my computer.
When I woke up the next morning I found an email on my computer that was ready to send, except there wasn't anyone in the "to" field. It was kind creepy. I wrote that I was the only one up and heard a man talking to a little girl. She was laughing and would run away, like they were playing a game. I couldn't make out what they were saying, their voices were muffled. No one else was up and nothing was on. No TV, radio or anything.
When I read that I started shaking. I don't remember getting up, much less typing that email. I looked started looking for my phone to call my husband and saw two post-it notes that weren't on my desk the night before, either. They didn't make sense. It's like they were many incomplete and random thoughts. It was my handwriting, but it was a little different than my "usual" handwriting. It was more sloppy, like it was written in a hurry.
I called my husband and was more than a little freaked out. He asked me if I remembered anything about the night before and I said no, why? He said that I had yelled up to him (in the middle of the night) asking where Jesse (our 14 month old) was. He and both boys were upstiars in bed. My husband said he came to the end of the stairs and called down (softly since he was trying not to wake the boys) that he was sleeping. I guess I didn't answer. He said that I was standing in the middle of the living room, with all of the lights off, looking lost.
I was more than a little freaked out by this time. Has anyone else ever had this happen? I know my depression has gotten worse, but my doctor and I are working on it. I have been extremely stressed lately, not to mention I have a double ear infection again. I'm also having surgery at the end of the month, again, so maybe it's because I have to much on my plate? I was pretty shaken up about it, believe me! I still am, to some extent.
Has anyone else been thru something similar or know of someone this has happened to? Last night went well. I didn't sleepwalk or anything, so, so far, it has only been the one night. I'm hoping it doesn't happen again.
2 people like this
7 responses
@wisconsin26 (3859)
• United States
18 Jul 07
Yes when i was way younger i used to sleep walk. My parents had to lock the doors at night so that i wouldn't go outside at night. My son also does sometimes and he also always talks in his sleep as well. I can never figure out what he says though sense all it is mumbling. My husband does the same stuff..
1 person likes this
@arcidy (5005)
• United States
18 Jul 07
No I dont think I have ever sleeped walked in my life I might of we just dont know or remember if we did unless if someone tells us and I dont think any one in my family has ever sleep walk either I know one of my friends talks in his sleep and thats about it but no one sleeps walks its a very weird thing to be walking during your sleep.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
19 Jul 07
I used to sleepwalk when I was over-tired, or really stressed out about something. Although I don't do it anymore, my family has many tales of when I used to sleepwalk, lol. I used to get up in the middle of the night and write out a poem, or a song, from a dream. I'd always be surprised to find something I wrote the next day. Try getting some extra sleep here and there, and try to de-stress yourself. Yeah, I know it's easier said than done, but taking some 'me time' to de-stress really does help. Good luck!
@lisado (1227)
• United States
20 Jul 07
Thanks. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one this happens to. lol I've been stressed before but this is the first time this has ever happened. I guess the body learns to deal with things in it's own way. My husband has helped by taking over some of the household stuff, which has really helped. Just taking over bills and helping with the boys more has made a huge difference.
@kareng (54724)
• United States
19 Jul 07
That is really strange and scary! I've never had any sleepwalking experiences like that but I used to sleepwalk when I was a teenager. It took us a long time to figure out who was doing the sleepwalking but finally my Dad I believe it was got up in the middle of the night at the same time I did and witnessed my actions.
We were finding things in our kitchen cabinets that didn't belong. For instance, I would get a drink of water, take a glass from the cabinet, get the water pitcher out of the refrigerator and put the pitcher back in the cabinet instead of the refrigerator.
It always varied, for instance the dirty glass would go back in the cabinet sometimes, the pitcher would be placed in the kitchen sink...etc. It was weird and I remembered NOTHING about getting up.
My dad was up for water and watched me put the pitcher in the cabinet. He asked what I was doing and I told him putting the water up. Then I went back to bed.
He asked me about it the next morning and I didn't remember anything. I thought he was joking but apparently he wasn't. I was caught! lol
I hope things get better for you! Take care!
@vampoet (825)
• Singapore
19 Jul 07
I have sleep walked once before. I think I am not sure. But I fell asleepin the hall. Iremember watching this scary movie. And I fell asleep. And when the sun came up, I was in my own bedroom. At least, I hope I sleep walked and nothing supernatural floated me to my room. Lol
@deepakg4 (895)
• India
19 Jul 07
Sleepwalking (Somnambulism)
Is a Sleep Disorder characterized by walking or other activity while seemingly still asleep. Sleepwalking (Somnambulism) is a series of complex behaviors that are initiated during slow wave sleep and result in walking during sleep. Sleepwalking is a rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder occurring in the dream stage of sleep. During this phase, the body releases a chemical that paralyzes the body. However, those who sleepwalk do not have this chemical trigger, hence the behavior.
Symptoms and Features:
Ambulation (walking or moving about) that occurs during sleep. The onset typically occurs in pre-pubertal children.
difficulty in arousing the patient during an episode
amnesia following an episode
episodes typically occur in the first third of the sleep episode
polysomnographic monitoring demonstrates the onset of an episode during stage 3 or 4 sleep
other medical and psychiatric disorders can be present but do not account for the symptom
the ambulation is not due to other sleep disorders such as REM sleep behavior disorder or sleep terrors.
Fatigue (which is not the same as drowsiness),
stress and
anxiety
The normal sleep cycle involves distinct stages from
