[Guest]

I sleep-walk frequently. Sometimes I remember it, often not - but my husband tells me about it. It's driving him mad as I often disturb his sleep several times a night, so we're both tired at work. I see things in the bedroom (for example, I thought a suitcase was crawling down the wardrobe, or I thought the alarm clock was a squirrel looking at me, etc). Sometimes if I go to bed first, I then get up and walk to my husband in another room, and tell him all sorts of things. I argue with him that I'm awake, but he can tell I'm asleep. I also often feel very sleepy at work in the afternoons which is really annoying. My doctor doesn't take me seriously. I'd love to see a specialist - are there any in England? Thanks.

[Guest]

there are sleep specialists in england and I agree you should see one. Also things that make sleep walking worse are sleep deprivation, abnormal sleep(such as can happen due to caffeine use, alcohol use and nicotine use) and psychological stress. I would encourage you to improve your sleep habits, increase the amount of time you give yourself to sleep and seek help from a specialist in the area. Psychiatrists and psychologists are likely to be trained in sleep walking as well.
[quote] I sleep-walk frequently. Sometimes I remember it, often not - but my husband tells me about it... [/quote]

[Guest]

Thanks for replying. I don't drink tea or coffee and rarely drink anything else with caffeine in. I only drink alcohol once a week, and I don't smoke. So I don't know what's causing my problem! Could there be a link to food intolerances? I'll try to improve my sleeping habits and seek help. Thanks again.
[quote] there are sleep specialists in england and I agree you should see one. Also things that make sleep walking worse are sleep deprivation, abnormal sleep(such as can happen due to caffeine use, alcohol use and nicotine use) and psychological stress... [/quote]

[Guest]

I have the same thing as you described. I've been evaluated by 3 doctors and been in 4 nights of sleep labs. I'm 41F and began sleep walking as an adult. My mother has night terrors-which is a sleep disorder that occurs during the same stage of sleep and is related and hereditary. I "see" things. I get out of bed and look at them and I have hundreds of funny/embarrassing stories to tell you. The thing that made me seek professional sleep clinic help was when I walked out the front door into the snow.

I don't usually wake up but if someone is trying to tell me to go back to bed, I will at times. I have been diagnosed to have sleep walking disorder. I do it between 1-5 times every night. It usually occurs the first 20 minutes after falling asleep. I can live with it but I can't live with the fatigue. I have severe chronic fatigue with this-which the doctors say is not normal. They say that elderly people don't enter into the deep stages of sleep much and they aren't as tired as I am.
I have tried many sleep tranquilizers that do help. I hated Klonopin-which made it worse. It was horrible and I suffered side effects very badly. But I'd recommend Ambien or Temazepan. All can be prescribed by a family practioner or sleep specialist.
The best doctor four years ago, put me on Dexedrine during the day. It's a stimulant that kids take for ADD.
It's changed my life and I can function most of the day like a normal person. It's time-released and I'm ready for bed at night. I still suffer several weeks a year with fatigue that interrupts my day but not like before.

My poor husband has a hard time sleeping with me and has gotten used to it. But when he's really tired, I'll send him to the guest room. He visited the doctor with me and it was good for him to hear that it wasn't psychological but physiological, a chemical imbalance in my brain and that there's not a cure for it now. There's not much I can do about it.
Things that do help a little:
Excercise regularly, no caffeine after 12 noon,or at all, no decaf at night (traces of caffeine in decaf),no chocolate at night(caffeine),
same time to bed, read before bed, no tv at night, no scarey movies, non sugary snack but high carb like popcorn, white noise and a night light all help me but nothing has cured it.

I hope they come up with a cure for this. Just know that you're not crazy and you're not alone. I am open about my problem with friends, and you can't believe how many people suffer from sleep disorders! Most people don't talk about it.

I don't know if this helps but I hoped it will get you to see a doctor and try some meds.

Best of luck!



[quote] Thanks for replying. I don't drink tea or coffee and rarely drink anything else with caffeine in... [/quote]