If you've ever walked in your sleep or been around someone who sleepwalks, you know that it can be a jarring experience. The sleep doctors at Bogan Sleep Consultants in Columbia, SC, want to take some of the mystery out of this condition for you. Keep reading to learn about what actually causes sleepwalking.

Sleepwalking is more common in children than it is in adults, and many children who sleepwalk will grow out of this before they become adults. Sleepwalking is a disorder where people walk or perform other complex tasks while still mostly asleep. Sleepwalking is more common in people who are sleep-deprived, who tend to wake a lot during the night, or who have a family history of the condition.

Causes of Sleepwalking

Sleep doctors in Columbia, SC, know that some causes of sleepwalking include:

  • Family History or Genetics: Many studies have been done about sleepwalking and the results have shown that people who have one or both parents who have a history of sleepwalking are more likely to sleepwalk themselves
  • Sleep deprivation: Being deprived of proper sleep can make you more likely to sleepwalk
  • Medications: People can react to certain medications that are designed to sedate the person by having a sleepwalking episode.
  • Alcohol: Alcohol consumption can cause a disruption in your sleep patterns and cause an increased risk for sleepwalking.
  • Head or brain injury: Some brain injuries, including any that cause swelling of the brain, can increase the odds of sleepwalking.
  • Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA): Sleep apnea affects the way you breathe during sleep. Those disruptions can lead to episodes of sleepwalking.
  • Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): RLS can arouse you from your sleep due to the uncontrollable urge to move your limbs and this can also trigger sleepwalking episodes.
  • Stress: Stress can have a wide variety of detrimental effects on our bodies. Stress can manifest itself in a variety of ways, including emotionally, mentally, and physically. A physical way that stress can manifest itself is through sleepwalking since it can cause disruptions in your sleep patterns. The stress of sleeping in unfamiliar places is a particularly vulnerable time for the potential of a sleepwalking incident.

A sleep doctor can help if you or a loved one experiences bouts of sleepwalking. If you are looking for a sleep doctor, contact Bogan Sleep Consultants in Columbia, SC, by calling (803) 251-3093 today!