I had a snack...and I don't remember...

ok funny title, but this is the real for those who experience sleepwalking and sleeptalking. Such as the little girl in the video, eating a snack out of a shoe and tasting some chocolate cake isn't all that unusual. Not all sleepwalkers experience this particular scenario, but definitely something like it.

The official term for sleepwalking is somnambulism. It most often occurs in deep NREM-3 sleep, but can occur in other stages. As in the video, sleepwalking is seen more in children than adults and can be something children grow out of.

Sleepwalking involves more than just walking while sleeping. People who are sleepwalking  perform more complex actions, such as eating, talking, running, or screaming (like the poor girl in the video). Most often, sleepwalkers do not remember the episode or episodes that they have.
As any medical diagnosis, there is always some controversy. Here are some, debunked:

1) Do not wake a sleepwalker.
       It has been said that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker. Have you ever heard who is the one at risk? Researchers say that it is not harmful to wake a sleepwalker. It is safer to wake them and get them to bed before they harm themselves. It has been said that it is dangerous for the waker and not the wakee. The sleepwalker is more vulnerable, so doctors do suggest if they are in any immediate danger, wake them and get them to safety.

2) Sleepwalkers do things for no reason.
       There is some reason for sleepwalkers doing activities at night. There was an instance that I read about in which a man who suffered from sleepwalking woke his dog in the middle of the night to bathe him. He thought the dog was on fire. So although the reasoning doesn't make much sense, try to see where the sleepwalker is coming from. If they do remember doing some activities at night, see what they say for the reasoning.

3) Sleepwalking is random
        NOPE. Most often, it runs in the family. 80% of sleepwalkers have it in their genes.

4) Sleepwalkers are still sleeping when doing activities, so they're not any more tired than anyone else.
        Those who are sleep deprived are actually more at risk for sleepwalking. Also, those who do sleepwalk at night are engaging a part of the brain that should be resting at that time. The brain then is more tired and cloudy during the day, possibly leading to a vicious cycle of not sleeping or more sleepwalking at night.

If you know someone who suffers from sleepwalking, the best thing you can do for them is provide for safety. Clear rooms of dangerous items or furniture that could cause the sleeping person to trip and possibly injure themselves.
If you sleepwalk, the best thing you can do for yourself is to try to stay relaxed before sleep. Also, make sure to get a good night's sleep.

Next blog will discuss other sleep disorders such as insomnia, night terrors, and sleep apnea. Thanks for reading!
References
Sleepwalking. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2015, from http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-disorders-problems/abnormal-sleep-behaviors/sleepwalking
Six Myths about Sleepwalking. (2013, March 14). Retrieved April 11, 2015, from http://www.counselheal.com/articles/4354/20130314/six-myths-sleepwalking.htm
Sleep walking kid. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMPTPjSgseA