A woman called 911 at 4 am to say she was staying at a friend’s house on Galena Pike, and her fiancé sleepwalked away. Around 4:30 am, she called back to say she’d found him.
AT 5:30 am, she called back again to say he’d taken off again on foot and that she believed he was intoxicated.
Deputies searched for the man and located him near Subway. They gave both the man and the woman a ride home to Farley Square in Portsmouth.
Sleepwalking and Its Causes
Sleepwalking, also known as somnambulism, is a behavior disorder that originates during deep sleep and results in walking or performing other complex behaviors while asleep. Various factors can contribute to sleepwalking, including:
- Health and Mental Health Reasons:
- Sleep Disorders: Conditions like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome can trigger sleepwalking episodes.
- Mental Health Issues: Anxiety, stress, childhood trauma, and PTSD are linked to an increased risk of sleepwalking.
- Medical Conditions: Hyperthyroidism and other thyroid issues can lead to sleepwalking.
- Medications with Sleepwalking Side Effects:
- Sedative-Hypnotics: Medications like Ambien (zolpidem) and Lunesta (eszopiclone) are known to cause sleepwalking.
- Antihistamines: Over-the-counter medications such as diphenhydramine (found in Benadryl) can sometimes induce sleepwalking.
- Antidepressants: Certain SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) may have sleepwalking as a rare side effect.
Prevalence of Sleepwalking
Sleepwalking, or somnambulism, affects a notable portion of the population. Studies have found that approximately 3.6% of adults report having experienced sleepwalking at least once in their lifetime. Furthermore, regular occurrences of sleepwalking, defined as episodes happening weekly, are reported by around 0.4% of the adult population. To put that into perspective, 0.4% of the adult population in the U.S. is approximately 1,031,534 people.
