Sleep walking

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Walking during sleep; Somnambulism

Usually no specific treatment for sleep walking is needed.

Safety measures may be necessary to prevent injury. This may include modifying the environment by moving objects such as electrical cords or furniture to reduce tripping and falling. Stairways may need to be blocked off with a gate.

In some cases, short-acting tranquilizers have been helpful in reducing sleep walking episodes.

Sleep walking may or may not reduce with age. It usually does not indicate a serious disorder, although it can be a symptom of other disorders.

A complication is injury sustained during sleep activities.

Sleep walking usually does not require a visit to your health care provider. However, the condition should be discussed with your health care provider if:

• sleep walking is accompanied by other symptoms.
• sleep walking is frequent or persistent.
• sleep walking includes potentially dangerous activities (such as driving).

Review Date: 07/28/2005
Reviewed By: Kevin Sheth, M.D., Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.