Why do people insist it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker?
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It is a myth that it is dangerous to wake up a sleepwalker because it may cause them a heart attack, shock, brain damage, or something else. It is not a myth that it is dangerous to wake up a sleepwalker because of the possible injury the sleepwalker may inflict upon themselves or the person waking them up.
According to Dr Giuseppe Plazzi of the Department of Neurological Sciences at the University of Bologna in Italy, rousing a sleepwalking person, especially vigorously, might confuse or distress them temporarily. Disoriented, they may strike out at anyone close. It is best not to be in their way.
Instead, it might be better to simply guide them back to bed in their sleep. It is not likely that a sleepwalker when woken up suddenly will have a cardiac event. It is no different from when a person sleeping normally is suddenly awakened by, say, a loud noise. The important thing is to protect a sleepwalker from themselves.
Dr Plazzi and four colleagues recently reviewed research on sleepwalking in the December 2005 issue of Neurological Sciences. According to the Plazzi study:
Sleepwalking is surprisingly common. Thirty per cent of children between the ages of five and 12 experience at least one sleepwalking episode. Persistent sleepwalking occurs in between one to six per cent of children. Sleepwalking peaks at between ages four and six.
Sleepwalking occurs occasionally in two to three per cent of adults. About one in every 250 adults sleepwalks once a week.
The prime time for sleepwalking is about one to 2-3 hours into sleep.
Sleepwalking tends to run in families.
Stress may be the most common reason for sleepwalking. Other causes in adults include sleep deprivation, alcohol intake, and drug intake.
People sometimes perform elaborate tasks while sleepwalking.
When sexual activity takes place while sleepwalking, it is called somnambulistic sexual behaviour, sleepwalking sexual behaviour, or sexsomnia.
I think it's a myth. My husband and kids sleep walk and i wake them all the time. The only thing that happens is they look confused and go back to sleep! Then in the morning they NEVER remember!
Ever woke someone out of a sound sleep that was laying down, not fun. I can imagine with them walking and having control of their body at that point could result in getting punched or something like that. I think it is also dangerous for the sleepwalker more than the waker.
It is dangerous on you to wake him up because you don't know what reaction he will have.
If someone wakes you up while ur sleepwalking u COULD go brain dead but other then that Its not dangerous. Unless you stab yourselfs wen ur sleepwalking.
I've never heard such an insistance. I'd guess because of the withdrawal you have from waking up can cause a fall or a swift arm movement or something. Another option could be its simply a myth.
It can be quite disturbing and confusing for the younger sleepwalkers if they are woken up..
Incase you give them such a scare they go into a state of shock. Because while sleep walking their mind is more valnaruble than it is during a normal sleep. The best thing to do is guide the person back to bed softly and make sure they dont have a rude awakening! Then when they lie back down, and your sure they are deeply asleep.
Wake them up... lol
they would be very disoriented and it could cause them to get frightened and do something to hurt you
Because they believe the sleep walker will go into shock, but it is just an old wives tale. My brother was a sleepwalker when we were kids, and waking him never done any harm.
Old Wife's tale. The only thing that could be dangerous is that you wake him up in the wrong place (high building and he could fall etc.) or you wake him up and he clobbers you for being disorientated. Recommended is to wake him up gently.
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