Buzz
Reader Gabrielle reached out with the following question: 'Why is waking a sleepwalker discouraged? Is it something we can't do, or simply something we shouldn't?'
Though popular myths claim that waking a sleepwalker could cause them to go into shock or even suffer a heart attack, it's actually harmless. While it is possible to wake them, it's generally not advised, both for your safety and theirs.
Waking a sleepwalker has never been proven to cause them any harm, but it does present some risks for the person attempting to wake them. Sleepwalking typically happens during Stage 3 non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, also called slow-wave sleep, which is a particularly deep phase of rest. While it's challenging to wake someone from this stage, it can be done—but doing so may leave them disoriented and cognitively impaired (a condition known as sleep inertia) for up to 30 minutes.
Sleep specialists caution that abruptly waking someone from a deep sleep can leave them startled, disoriented, or agitated. In their confused state, they might not recognize you and could react by pushing, hitting, or otherwise striking out. Even if they don't become aggressive, some sleepwalkers have been known to engage in activities like driving or cooking while asleep, and having a groggy, disoriented person behind the wheel or at the stove poses risks to both them and others.
Rather than attempting to wake a sleepwalker, the Sleep Disorders Center at NYU advises gently guiding them by the arm to safely lead them back to their bed.
