Tiredness 'increases sleepwalking risk'

Lack of sleep increases risk of sleepwalking

Lack of sleep can increase the risk of sleepwalking, new research suggests.

A study by the Université de Montréal monitored 40 suspected sleepwalkers during normal sleep, and then during rest after a long period without sleep.

The findings showed the number of people sleepwalking rose significantly during their 'recovery' sleep.

Sleepwalking is estimated to effect up to 4% of people in the UK and although sleep deprivation has been linked to sleepwalking in the past, until now the results have proved inconclusive.

Sleep expert, Dr Neil Stanley said that many saw sleepwalking as an insignificant problem, but explained the condition could have serious consequences for sufferers. Some have suffered serious injury through sleepwalking for instance.

Stanley commented: 'It was thought that sleepwalking was mainly a childhood problem, which we grew out of.

'But it seems more and more adults are suffering from sleepwalking and it may be due to the fact that we are increasingly a tired, sleep deprived 24/7 society.'