Treating Sleepwalking

Many times, it is a sleep partner who informs a sleepwalker about his or her condition. Some sleepwalkers may have the sense that they have been walking at night, but they aren't certain. Sometimes, sleepwalkers have claimed that their suspicions about sleepwalking were confirmed by the appearance of bruises on their limbs that resulted from colliding with furniture and walls.

Treating and Managing Sleepwalking

Much of the time, treating sleepwalking is not necessary, particularly if sleepwalking episodes are infrequent and cause no complications. Safety concerns are of primary importance when it comes to sleepwalkers and to those who are involved with helping to manage the condition. The following steps are usually the most recommended:

1) Sleep in a bedroom on the first floor, if possible.
2) Attach some type of alarm or a bell to the bedroom door.
3) Lock all windows and conceal them with large, heavy drapes.
4) Clear the floors of all potentially harmful objects.
5) Remove all hazardous products and any sharp or dangerous objects from the bedroom and put them in a secure location.
6) Sleep on the first floor when visiting someone else's hom and when staying at a motel or hotel.

Prescribed medication may be recommended in situations where episodes can be violent, injurious, frequent, or otherwise disruptive. Sleepwalking treatments usually consist of either a benzodiazepine, like Diazepam® or Alprazolam®, or a tricyclic anti-depressant. These medications serve to inhibit chemical processes that are connected to sleep regulation, which, depending on the individual, may or may not result in a reduction in the number of sleepwalking episodes. Biofeedback and hypnosis have also been known to be effective at treating some sleepwalking patients.

Many people who suffer from sleepwalking have claimed that the first step in being able to manageme the condition is to recognize that sleepwalking is not a sign of insanity. Since sleepwalking is a completely involuntary behavior, it separates sufferers from the majority of people and can often be wrongly associated with mental illness. As puzzling as its occurrence can be, it is not an indication of mental illness and shouldn't be treated as such.