What is somnambulism?

What is somnambulism?? When we sleep, our brain is in a stateinhibition and passive interaction with the outside world. In somnambulism, a person is in a state of sleep, but at the same time he makes movements: walks around the apartment, can go out into the street, fall asleep where he usually does not sleep and so on. He can walk like a couple of minutes, and several hours, while sometimes it's ridiculous to behave: rearrange things from place to place, rave and the like. The morning sleepwalkers do not remember anything about their unconscious travels and are perplexed by stories about themselves.

Somnambulism most often occurs in children. Especially when it's too impressionable, a nervous child. Such children are prone to frequent experiences, closed-minded. Often sleepwalking is accompanied by involuntary urination. With age, somnambulism passes.

Scientists from all over the world have long been interested in thismysterious state, but until the end of sleepwalking has not yet been studied. Somnambulism was considered a disease, which sent to punish the goddess Luna. In our time, this disease is called epilepsy. Since ancient times, among the people, somnambulism is "Lunar illness".

Often somnambulism is considered madness, and lunatics - mentally unhealthy. However, this is a delusion. Sleepwalking is a disturbance of the phases of sleep, in which the central nervous systemis in a state of braking. This condition does not apply to the motor functions of brain areas. Consequently, consciousness is turned off, and the body is in motion.

There is an opinionthat somnambulism is a disease that appearsin man as a result of the action of moonlight. This is not true. Moonlight, experts say, does not have a significant effect on the human body.

Somnambulism may suffer people with diseases of the nervous system, neurasthenics. Often sleepwalking is a consequence of a traumatic brain injury, fright or a strong emotional shock.

What to do if you live with a sleepwalker? How to behave? These questions are of interest to many who have encountered this problem. Somnambula, as a rule, are harmless, but it is quite possible to harm or even injure themselves during travel. Such lunatics, according to statistics, 25%. There are cases when somnambulists climbed into the windows, thinking that these were doors, or they crossed balconies. Such people can walk not only around the apartment, but also go beyond it, make long-distance walks. They can try to perform complex actions (drive vehicles, for example). But because of the lack of reflexes, these actions are hardly possible.

Among somnambulists there are also "passive". They do not go beyond the premises and do not even walk around the apartment. Their actions are limited to chaotic movements of hands, lying in bed, or sitting on the bed.

In a state of somnambulism, it is better not to awaken a person. Rather, he will not wake up. In addition, it can be very frightening. But you can prevent the troubles that can happen to it. It is advisable not to leave a person suffering from somnambulism alone in the room. It is better to sleep with him, if not on one bed, then at least in one room, so that at any moment you can reassure the sleepwalker. To conduct conversations with a somnambulist is just as meaningless. Nothing sensible, except delirium, you will not hear.

Create comfortable conditions for sleep: protect the sleepwalker from noise and sharp light in order to avoid fright, close the windows with curtains.

As somnambulism is directly related to diseases of the central nervous system, it is better to seek medical help from a doctor. Therapy help get rid of walking in a dream and eliminate other unpleasant symptoms of the disease.