Learning that you’ve been walking in your sleep can be somewhat upsetting, especially if you had never done so before…at least not that you know of! If you find yourself a victim of this rather embarrassing condition, you probably just want to know “Can you cure sleepwalking?”
Although sleepwalking in children is fairly common, adult sleepwalking is relatively rare. Adult sleepwalking can begin at any age, even up into the 70’s, and is potentially more dangerous than in childhood. It can have many causes, including genetics, certain medical conditions, some medications, alcohol/drug use, stress, sleep deprivation, or sometimes no known reason at all.
Depending on the cause of the sleepwalking episodes, there are steps you can take to help reduce or prevent sleepwalking.
1. Establish a regular bedtime—and stick to it! Also, have a set time you get up in the morning, making sure to allow 7-8 hours for sleep. One very common trigger for sleepwalking is sleep deprivation.
2. Before going to bed, do something to help put you in a relaxed state of mind: soak in a nice hot bath; read a book; listen to soft music. Do not watch television before retiring. While it might relax your body, it will stimulate your mind, and interfere with falling asleep. Also, it’s a good idea to stay away from computer/video games prior to bedtime for the same reason.
3. If you find that sleepwalking episodes occur around the same time each night, you can try setting an alarm to wake you up shortly before the time you would be getting up to sleepwalk. For some people, doing that for several nights in a row can help to break the cycle.
4. Don’t drink large amounts of alcohol late in the evening. Alcohol and/or recreational drug use are very common causes of sleepwalking.
5. Try to remove causes of stress or anxiety in your life. I know that’s easier said than done, but it can be done. Mental, emotional, or physical stress is one of the most common causes of sleepwalking. Avoid arguments with household members, as this can disrupt sleep patterns.
6. Yoga or meditation helps many people to calm and clear their minds.
7. Some herbal teas have a calming effect on the mind and can help you relax and become drowsy. Drink a cup just before bedtime.
8. If you are prone to sleepwalking episodes AVOID at all costs, the use of Ambien, Lunesta and certain other prescription sleep aides. These drugs can trigger very dangerous sleepwalking activities, such as sleep driving, and can cause very embarrassing behaviors.
So can you cure sleepwalking?
There are no medications that can cure sleepwalking. A mild dose of muscle relaxer, such as Valium or Xanax have been found to help a small percentage of sleepwalkers, to reduce or eliminate sleepwalking episodes.
Self-hypnosis has proven to be an excellent way to stop sleepwalking. With this method, the sleepwalker trains himself to awaken, as soon as his feet touch the floor. Self-hypnosis programs are very inexpensive and extremely effective for sleepwalking and many other issues.
Your best bet for stopping sleepwalking, is to try the above steps. If they do not resolve the problems, it’s time to seek professional/medical help.
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