Sleepwalking and Insomnia: What’s the Connection? #shorts

Sleepwalking, also called somnambulism, affects approximately 4% of the U.S. population on a regular basis – although many more people may not be aware they do it. (Sleepwalking is classified as a parasomnia, or abnormal behavior while you’re asleep.)

Sleepwalking can happen when you are briefly aroused from non-rapid eye movement sleep, which is a deeply restful stage that helps restore body tissue and repair important body functions.

“The non-rapid eye movement stage is approximately 80% of sleep in adults,” said Kenneth Lee, MD, an assistant professor of neurology and sleep medicine and clinical medical director at the UChicago Medicine Sleep Center. “Generally speaking, sleepwalking occurs when you are no longer fully asleep, but also not fully awake – you’re in a limbo between the two states. In addition, things that increase the number of times your brain wakes up puts you at risk for episodes of sleepwalking, if you happen to be prone to them, including sleep apnea and leg movements.”

WebMD explains the symptoms and causes of insomnia, and offers tips for getting a good night’s sleep. #insomnia #sleepwalking #brainhealth #remsleep #webmd #shorts