Sleepwalking

[Karen]

I was wondering whether anyone else has this problem and, if so, if you have found a way to stop it?

My problem is that I have had difficulty sleeping for a few years now but when I do sleep, I either experience very vivid and upsetting nightmares (related to PTSD), or I sleepwalk.

What freaks me out most is that I am totally unaware of what I am doing when I am asleep. I currently live alone, but in the past when I had a friend staying with me, he witnessed my sleepwalking and said I 'appeared normal' but 'less inhibited' than normal.

The frightening thing is that I am now living alone again for the moment and I don't just sleepwalk in my flat. I find evidence the next day that I have been out, sometimes to shops for food (which really distresses me since I have an eating disorder) and I only know I've slept walked because of the evidence I find the next day. I don't know what I am doing at the time and I have no memory or recollection of having been up in the night

My therapist tells me that it is particularly bad at the moment because I am very stressed and anxious, but then these episodes happen and I am so scared of what I might do while my mind is 'asleep' that I am getting increasing panicky about it.

I've tried quite extreme measures in the past to try to prevent it - padlocking the chain across the front door, chaining myself to the bed, putting stairgates across doors etc but nothing works.

I am at a loss of what to do next

Karen xx

[bottleblond]

Karen

That must be awful for you Hun

I don't really know anything about this but what about some kind of alarm on your bedroom door?. Could your doctor maybe recommend you for one of these sleep clinic things that monitor you and your actions while you are asleep? It may be able to throw some light on the matter.

Love Lisa
xxx

[jodie]

hi karen

my little girl sleepwalks she has done for a couple of years now and i know how horrid it is.
i live in fear she will fall down and i dont know about it or she will do down stairs and i wont wake up !so i dont sleep to well and seem to be up and down in the night with her ,she also talks ,crys,and gets very angry to all in her sleep .
lisa is right with the idea of an alarm on the bedroon door thats what we have done now for a while .
the alarm is one of them that you can pit anywere like half of it fits to the door frame and the other on the door.
only thing is poor kid gets such a shock when it gose off and wakes her up.
i have talked to the doc about it he said she will grow out of it and if not they can help her so maybe talk to your doc see what help there is

jodie xxxx

[samc100]

I sleep walk. In a house I had when a student my dad bought a little alarm that was fixed to me bedroom door from a DIY shop and when I switched it on at night it would go off if I opened my bedroom door.

I know they say to let sleepwalkers just walk but I had a nasty accident so my dad decided he'd rather let me be shocked !

[Karen]

Thanks for all your replies

Did anyone see the documentary on ITV last night? It was shocking for me to see someone else who sleeo eats, as well as sleepwalking.

No answers or treatments proved conclusive though which was very disappointing.

Karen xx

[bottleblond]

Hi Karen


I didn't see the one last night but did watch one last year (wondering if it is the same one). Can remember a man getting up in the middle of the night and cooking whilst he was still asleep, Luckily he had a wife who would wake up and go check on him.

Was that the same one?


Love Lisa
xxx

[Karen]

Hi Lisa

No, it doesn't sound like the same programme. This one featured a woman who sleepwalks and sleep eats and that was quite hard to face up to because it is one of my biggest problems.

There was a man who had another problem and someone else who painted and drew in his sleep.

It was a shame there were no solutions or help ideas included in the show so I am no further to solving the problem.

Karen xxx