SOMNAMBULISM Stacy Struhs Angela Arreola Amanda Issa COGS

SOMNAMBULISM Stacy Struhs Angela Arreola Amanda Issa COGS 175 March 3, 2008

OUTLINE FIntroduction FEvidence of an Altered State of Consciousness FCauses FTreatments FConclusion

Common Misconceptions concerning sleepwalking FA sleepwalker won’t die or have a heart attack if woken FHe’s not acting out his dreams (does not occur during REM)

Sleepwalking? FAwake: FBrain waves are fine and choppy when we’re awake, FSleep: F Brain waves get slower, bigger, and more synchronized. FSleepwalking: FOccurs during deep sleep, stages 3 and 4, where brain waves are the slowest and biggest. (Carthill)

Sleepwalking as an alternate state FAlthough sensory mechanisms are necessary for consciousness, we can still perceive and therefore respond to them without being aware of them. (Carthill) FThe best example of this is sleepwalking….

Sleepwalking is an alternate state FSleepwalkers FMay do dangerous and stupid things, like walking through glass doors FBUT, they can also do complicated, distinctively human things, like: engage in sexual acts or even drive away in a car. FThe phenomenon of sleepwalking shows that you can get distinctively human behavior without consciousness.

Sex is a distinctive human behavior… F“Sleepwalking woman who had sex with strangers”…. wha? ( Nowak) FTherefore, sleepwalkers who engage in sexual acts exhibit conscious or distinctive human behaviors in an unconscious state. FFYI F“Although men predominate, women also may instigate sexual behavior in sleep” - Michael Mangan

The Sleepwalking Alibi FAlibi = Sleepwalking? FInsane or Sane? FAre their actions premeditated? FWould a person do something while sleeping that they wouldn’t do while awake? FAltered State?

Differences in EEG (Espa, 2000)

CAUSES FDisturbed Sleep Cycle (Epsa, 2000) FMore Common in Children (15% experience at least one episode) FGenetics (HLA) FExtreme Stress, Sleep Deprivation FPersonality Disorders (Aggression)

TREATMENTS FDrugs FScheduled Awakenings (Frank, 1997) FHypnotherapy (Reid, 1981)/Psychotherapy

Suggestions for a Sleepwalker FHave a complete physical FGo to a sleep lab FTry to keep a regular sleep schedule FAvoid alcohol and drugs, including prescriptions FSleep in a safe environment

Video Fhttp: //www. youtube. com/watc h? v=tv. Gycr. UEQ 1 M

REFERENCES F Nowak, Rachel. “Sleepwalking woman had sex with strangers”. Melboure. 15 October 2004. Newscientist. com. http: //www. newscientist. com/article. ns? id=dn 6540 F Mangan, Micheal. “Sleepsex: uncovered”. Philadelphia: Xibris, 2001. Ebook. http: //www. sleephomepages. org/books/sleepsex. html F Espa, F. , Ondze, B. , Deglise, P. , Billiard, M. , & Besset, A. (2000). Sleep Architecture, slow wave activity, and sleep spindles in adult atients with sleepwalking and sleep terrors F Frank, N. C. , Spirito, A. , Stark, L. , & Owens-Stively, J. (1997). The use of scheduled awakenings to eliminate childhood sleepwalking. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 22, 345 -353. F Reid W, Ahmed I, Levie C. Treatment of sleepwalking: a con- trolled study. American Journal Psychology 1981; 35 (1): 27 -37.

References Continued F Cartmill, Matt. “Animal minds, animal dreams- consciousness and sleep in animals”. Natural history. March, 1998. Http: //findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m 1134/is_n 2_20485352/pg_2 F “The Sleepwalking Gene: And The Adult Sleepwalker”. About. com. http: //sleepdisorders. about. com/cs/sleepwalktalk/a/walkinggene_2. ht m F Mackay, Irene. “The Sleepwalker Is Not Insane”. The Modern Law Review. Vol. 55, No. 5. (Sep. , 1992), pp. 714 -720. F Nowak, Rachel. “Sleepwalking woman had sec with strangers”. Newscientist. com. (October 2004) 15: 46. F Tafti, Dr. Mahdi et al. “HLA and genetic susceptibility to sleepwalking”. Molecular Psychiatry (2003) 8, 114– 117.