Buzz
Typically, sleep is a tranquil experience. As we head to bed each night, the majority of us don’t think about securing doors, hiding keys, or locking away sharp objects. However, for the 1% of adults who frequently sleepwalk (e.g., at least twice a month), nighttime can bring bizarre and occasionally distressing experiences.
While many sleepwalkers may simply roam around their homes, causing mild embarrassment to their families before returning to bed, others exhibit far more peculiar behaviors.
10. Engage in Sexual Activity
Sexsomnia is a sleep disorder where individuals perform sexual acts while asleep. Unaware of their actions, sufferers may engage in solo or partnered sexual activity, with no recollection upon waking. This condition affects both men and women, though it is more prevalent among men.
Sexsomnia poses significant risks, not only for the individual experiencing it but also for those around them, as understanding consent becomes impossible. In 2007, a Royal Air Force aircraft mechanic was acquitted of rape after evidence showed he suffered from sexsomnia. Kenneth Ecott, after a party, climbed onto an unconscious girl while naked. The jury concluded he was in a state of “automatism” during the act.
Numerous rape cases have invoked sexsomnia as a defense, with varying success. Efforts to ban this defense have largely failed. However, juries tend to acquit only if the defendant can provide documented proof of parasomnias before the charges.
9. Drive While Asleep
Just as sleepwalking involves walking, some individuals can drive while asleep. These sleep drivers may cover considerable distances without awareness. The frequency of such incidents and their contribution to road accidents remain unclear. While sleepwalkers may handle basic driving mechanics, advanced skills like navigation are likely beyond their reach, leaving them to operate on autopilot.
Sleepwalkers can not only drive but also drink and drive. In 2012, Becky Mason from the UK hosted a friend, consumed wine, and went to bed. Later, she drove 8 kilometers (5 miles) to her office in pajamas, only to be informed by a confused security guard that it was Saturday night and her workday was Monday. On her way back, she crashed into a lamppost, with her blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit.
During her trial, the security guard played a pivotal role in her defense, leading to her acquittal on charges of drunk driving due to automatism. Following this incident, she began entrusting her car keys to her roommates each night as a precaution.
8. Commit Murder
In 2009, Brian Thomas from Wales was cleared of murdering his wife after he strangled her during a sleepwalking episode. Thomas, who had experienced night terrors for five decades, typically slept separately from his wife. However, during a vacation, they shared a bed in their camper van.
Thomas had been taking antidepressants, which helped manage his symptoms, but he discontinued them during the trip as they affected his libido. The couple had a pleasant evening, slightly disrupted by a group of youths racing cars nearby.
Shortly after falling asleep, Thomas had a nightmare in which he believed the youths had broken into the van and was defending his wife from an attack. Tragically, he was actually strangling her. Later, he made a bewildered emergency call, admitting he had strangled his wife while asleep.
There have been instances, predominantly involving men, where sleepwalkers have committed killings while asleep. Typically, their victims are their partners. In 1845, Albert Tirrell became the first in the United States to successfully use a sleepwalking defense after murdering his mistress and setting fire to the brothel where they stayed.
One of the most debated acquittals was that of Kenneth Parks in 1987. He drove 20 kilometers (12 miles) to his in-laws' home, killed his mother-in-law, and attempted to strangle his father-in-law. Afterward, he drove to a police station to surrender. The case sparked controversy due to Parks' financial struggles from gambling and his recent job loss from embezzlement. Sleep experts later confirmed his sleep was severely disrupted, and the stress of his gambling addiction likely triggered the violent sleepwalking episode.
7. Wander Naked
While public nudity is a common nightmare scenario, for many sleepwalkers, it becomes a real-life occurrence.
This phenomenon is so frequent that a hotel chain has trained its staff to handle naked sleepwalkers roaming their halls. The issue is almost entirely male-dominated, with guests appearing at reception desks unclothed, asking for wake-up calls or attempting to check out. Staff now keep towels and master keys ready to discreetly assist these guests back to their rooms.
Stress is believed to heighten the chances of sleepwalking, while alcohol or unfamiliar environments can worsen the condition, leading to greater disorientation. Sleepwalkers might think they are at home, in the bathroom, or on a balcony, when in reality, they are strolling through hallways completely unclothed.
6. Talk Excessively
Nearly everyone talks in their sleep occasionally, but some individuals engage in full conversations with themselves. Known as somniloquy, sleeptalking may sound like nonsense to listeners but makes perfect sense to the sleepwalker. While generally harmless, it can often lead to embarrassment for those affected.
Sleeptalking can be hereditary and is often worsened by sleep deprivation, stress, and substance use. Studies reveal that much of sleeptalk includes negative language, such as the word “no,” and a surprising amount of profanity.
Most sleeptalkers tend to use strong language, but contrary to movie portrayals, people rarely reveal deep secrets while asleep. There is no proof that sleeptalk reflects reality. In 2001, the Massachusetts Supreme Court overturned an indecent assault conviction after finding the jury was biased by claims that a child had “disclosed” abuse during sleep.
5. Unleash Creativity
There may be something about unconsciousness that sparks creativity. In 2015, a 13-year-old girl was recorded playing the piano while asleep. Despite snoring and resting her head on the piano, she managed to play a melody.
Sleepwalkers have also ventured into the arts. Lee Hadwin has built a career selling paintings he creates during sleep. He claims he cannot draw while awake but produces artworks at night, with no recollection in the morning. While critics debate whether his work is “real art” or mere “doodling,” his pieces have been sold globally, including to notable figures like Donald Trump.
Although most art experts argue that true art requires conscious intent, it appears the brain can still perform creative tasks while the artist is asleep.
4. Act Out Dreams
For most, a dream coming true is a positive experience. However, for those with REM behavior disorder (RBD), it can mean something entirely different.
Typically, during REM sleep, the brain disconnects communication with most muscles, except for the eyes and diaphragm, which allows breathing. This effectively paralyzes the body during sleep. REM cycles occur roughly every 90 minutes, meaning dreamers experience multiple cycles each night.
For individuals with RBD, their muscles aren’t fully paralyzed during REM sleep, causing them to physically act out their dreams. This can involve violent actions, laughter, or mimicking daytime activities, like packing imaginary bags. Some may even leap out of bed or run around their homes.
Since the sleeper only perceives the dream world as reality, they can sustain real-life injuries without feeling pain in the dream or waking up. It’s akin to a reversed version of The Matrix.
3. Balance (On a Crane)
In 2005, a bystander in London noticed a young girl perched on a crane arm, 40 meters (130 feet) above the ground. Assuming it was a suicide attempt, he alerted emergency services. When a firefighter approached her, it became clear she was asleep.
Rescuers feared waking her during the rescue. The 15-year-old had sleepwalked from her home, scaled the crane, and traversed the narrow beam. After retrieving her phone, they contacted her parents, who gently woke her via a call while firefighters prepared to catch her if she fell.
While the girl had climbed the crane in her sleep, it took a team of firefighters with a hydraulic lift two and a half hours to safely bring her down.
2. Eat While Asleep
Individuals with sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) may maintain a healthy diet while awake but binge on unusual foods during sleep. Common choices include thick, sugary items like peanut butter or syrup, consumed rapidly before returning to bed. SRED sufferers often cook as well, risking injuries from knives or burns.
Sleepwalkers can prepare anything from a simple sandwich to an elaborate three-course meal. However, despite appearing awake, they often lack full awareness of the ingredients they use, making it risky to consume the food they’ve prepared.
SRED can significantly impact health, often leading to weight gain. Some sufferers attempt to curb binge-eating by removing high-calorie foods from their homes, but this can result in consuming hazardous items instead. Instances include eating coffee grounds, bacon rinds, paper, or even drinking toxic substances like bleach.
Overall, keeping the fridge stocked with chocolate seems like a safer alternative.
1. Carry Out Armed Robbery
In 2007, Maria Hudson dozed off in front of the TV. She then donned pink rubber kitchen gloves and pulled tights over her head. After walking ten minutes to a nearby store, she brandished a 30-centimeter (12-inch) kitchen knife and demanded money in a tone reminiscent of Brad Pitt from the movie she had been watching.
She regained consciousness only after being restrained by two police officers who disarmed her on the shop floor. Hudson had no memory of the incident, but medical professionals attributed her actions to “insane automatism” triggered by her epilepsy.
A relative of the shop owners sustained a cut on his wrist during the altercation, though fortunately, it was not severe. He recounted, “She was covered in my blood but remained silent. When the police arrived, she suddenly seemed to snap out of it.” Hudson was later acquitted in court.
