... like I'm 5 years old
Let's start with the basics, sleepwalking is exactly what it sounds like - walking or doing other activities while you're still asleep. It's something you may have seen in cartoons or movies, but it happens in real life too. Imagine you're a robot that's been programmed to do certain tasks. Sometimes, even when you're turned off for the night, your programming kicks in and you start performing those tasks. That's kind of what sleepwalking is like.
Sleepwalking is quite common in children but less so in adults and it's not usually something to be overly worried about. However, it can be hazardous if the sleepwalker exits the house or drives a car. Yes, there have been cases of sleep-driving!
Think of sleepwalking like a computer that's in sleep mode but still downloads updates in the background. The computer is not fully active, but it's not completely shut down either.
... like I'm in College
Sleepwalking is a disorder that originates during deep sleep. The human sleep cycle consists of several stages, including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. The deep stage of non-REM sleep is when sleepwalking usually takes place.
Sleepwalking is believed to result from a disruption of the brain's natural transition from deep non-REM sleep to a lighter stage or wakefulness. Instead of making a smooth transition, the brain gets caught between sleeping and waking states. Hence, the person is unconscious but still capable of complex actions.
Several factors can trigger sleepwalking, including stress, sleep deprivation, alcohol, and certain medications. It also tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic component to the disorder.
Imagine a Lego city you've built. The city comes alive when you play with it during the day and rests when you go to bed. Now, imagine if one of your Lego figures started moving on its own in the night. You didn't command it to, it's supposed to be resting, but it's up and walking around.
Think of your brain as the person controlling the Lego city. When you're awake, it's like playing with the Lego city, everything is under control. But when you sleep, the city should be at rest. Sleepwalking happens when one of the Lego figures (parts of your brain) starts moving while the rest of the city is still resting.
The Lego figure isn't aware it's supposed to be at rest because the person controlling the city (your brain) is also asleep. This is essentially what happens in your brain when you sleepwalk.
... like I'm an expert
From a neurological perspective, sleepwalking, or somnambulism, is categorized under Parasomnias – unusual or abnormal behavior of the nervous system during sleep. It's primarily associated with slow-wave sleep during the earlier parts of the night.
The precise pathophysiology of sleepwalking is still not entirely understood. It is hypothesized that there is an over-arousal of the motor cortex and a simultaneous under-arousal of the prefrontal cortex, responsible for executive functioning and decision making.
The neurochemical factors underpinning sleepwalking are also a subject of research. It has been suggested that sleepwalking episodes may be triggered by fluctuations in neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, or an imbalance in the brain’s GABAergic system.