Parasomnias
Sleepwalkingtreatment, online
Sleepwalking is diagnosed by an experienced specialist from the story of your episodes — no lab stay required. See a board-certified sleep physician by video to review triggers, rule out an underlying disorder, make the night safe, and treat what's driving the episodes.
Medically reviewed by the board-certified sleep physicians at Nocturne Health · Last updated July 2026
What is sleepwalking?
Sleepwalking (somnambulism) is a NREM parasomnia — a behavior that arises from a partial arousal out of deep slow-wave sleep. During an episode a person may sit up, get out of bed, walk, or carry out surprisingly complex behaviors while appearing confused or glassy-eyed. They're typically difficult to awaken and have little or no memory of the event afterward.
It's most common in childhood but also occurs in adults. Because the brain is only partly awake, sleepwalking is not a sign of a psychiatric problem — it's a disorder of arousal from deep sleep, and it's treatable.
You don't need a night in the sleep lab
It's a common misconception that an in-lab study is required to diagnose sleepwalking. The episodes are sporadic, so a single monitored night is unlikely to capture one — which is exactly why typical sleepwalking is diagnosed clinically, from a careful history taken by an experienced sleep specialist. A bed-partner or family account of what the episodes look like is often the most valuable piece of the picture.
An overnight in-lab study is reserved for atypical cases, or when a coexisting condition — suspected obstructive sleep apnea, or nocturnal seizures — needs to be evaluated. For most people, the entire evaluation can happen by video.
What triggers sleepwalking?
Sleepwalking is usually provoked by things that deepen or fragment slow-wave sleep: sleep deprivation, alcohol, fever, stress, and certain medications. In adults especially, new-onset or frequent episodes should prompt a look for an underlying sleep disorder whose repeated arousals set off the events — most often obstructive sleep apnea, and sometimes periodic limb movements.
That's why the evaluation reviews your triggers by telehealth and, when apnea is a possibility, rules it out. If you also snore, gasp at night, or feel excessively sleepy during the day, your physician may explore the symptoms of sleep apnea and order a home sleep apnea test. Treating an underlying disorder often resolves the sleepwalking on its own.
Sleepwalking also sits within a family of NREM parasomnias. If your episodes involve eating while not fully awake, your physician may consider a related condition — sleep-related eating disorder — which is evaluated the same way.
How we diagnose and treat sleepwalking
Take a careful history
Typical sleepwalking is diagnosed clinically — from the story of the episodes, not from a lab. Your physician asks what the events look like, when in the night they happen, how often, and what preceded them. A bed-partner or family account is especially helpful, because you likely won't remember the episodes yourself.
Find and reduce the triggers
Sleepwalking is often provoked by things that deepen or fragment slow-wave sleep: sleep deprivation, alcohol, fever, stress, and certain medications. Your physician reviews your schedule, substances, and medication list to identify reversible contributors — correcting these alone resolves many cases.
Screen for an underlying sleep disorder
In adults especially, new-onset or frequent sleepwalking can be driven by an underlying sleep disorder whose arousals trigger episodes — most commonly obstructive sleep apnea, and sometimes periodic limb movements. When apnea is a possibility, your physician can order a home sleep apnea test to rule it out; treating it often stops the sleepwalking.
Secure the sleep environment
Because episodes can involve walking, leaving the house, or complex actions, safety comes first. Your physician helps you make the bedroom and home safe — securing doors and windows, clearing hazards, and putting simple alarms in place — so an episode is far less likely to cause injury.
Add medication when it's needed
When episodes are frequent, dangerous, or don't settle with behavioral steps, prescription medication can be used to reduce them. Your physician weighs the benefits and risks with you and prescribes when it's appropriate, all through telehealth.
Follow up and adjust
Your physician monitors how the plan is working, confirms any underlying condition is treated, and fine-tunes triggers, safety measures, and medication over time so episodes stay under control.
Making the night safe
Because episodes can involve walking, leaving the house, or complex actions performed while not fully awake, the priority is preventing injury. A few practical measures make a real difference:
- Lock exterior doors and ground-floor windows at night; a bed or door alarm can warn a partner an episode is starting
- Clear tripping hazards, sharp objects, and clutter from the bedroom and the path to the bathroom
- Sleep on the ground floor when possible, and block or gate staircases
- Keep car keys, firearms, and anything dangerous secured and out of easy reach
- Protect a consistent, adequate sleep schedule — catching up on sleep loss reduces the deep-sleep rebound that fuels episodes
Your physician tailors these steps to your home and your episodes, and layers in trigger reduction and — for frequent or dangerous events — medication when it's appropriate.
Get sleepwalking under control
Book a $199 virtual consultation with a board-certified sleep physician. We'll take the history, review triggers, rule out an underlying disorder like sleep apnea, and build a safety and treatment plan. Available to patients in Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
Sleepwalking: common questions
Can I get sleepwalking treatment online?
Yes. Typical sleepwalking is diagnosed clinically from the history of your episodes, so a board-certified sleep physician can evaluate and treat it entirely by video — no in-person or overnight lab visit required to make the diagnosis. Your physician can review your triggers and medications, order a home sleep apnea test if an underlying disorder is suspected, help you make the sleep environment safe, and prescribe medication when it's needed, all through telemedicine.
Do I need an overnight sleep study to diagnose sleepwalking?
Usually not. It's a common misconception that an in-lab study is required. Sleepwalking episodes are sporadic, so a single monitored night is unlikely to capture one — which is why the diagnosis is made clinically, from a careful history taken by an experienced specialist. An in-lab study is reserved for atypical cases, or when a coexisting condition such as obstructive sleep apnea or nocturnal seizures needs to be evaluated. It is not needed to diagnose typical sleepwalking.
What causes sleepwalking in adults?
Sleepwalking is a NREM parasomnia — it arises from a partial arousal out of deep slow-wave sleep. It's most common in childhood but also occurs in adults. In adults it is frequently provoked or worsened by triggers such as sleep deprivation, alcohol, fever, stress, and some medications, and by underlying sleep disorders whose arousals set off episodes. New-onset or frequent adult sleepwalking is worth evaluating precisely because treating the trigger or the underlying disorder often resolves it.
Can sleep apnea cause sleepwalking?
It can contribute. Obstructive sleep apnea causes repeated brief arousals from sleep, and in a person prone to NREM parasomnias those arousals can provoke sleepwalking episodes. That's why an evaluation for new or frequent adult sleepwalking looks for underlying sleep apnea — and why ruling it out with a home sleep apnea test matters. When apnea is present and treated, the sleepwalking often improves or resolves without needing a dedicated sleepwalking medication.
Is sleepwalking dangerous, and how is it treated?
The main risk is injury — falls, leaving the house, or performing complex actions while not fully awake. Treatment starts with safety: securing the bedroom and home. From there, your physician corrects sleep deprivation and other triggers, reviews medications, and treats any underlying sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea or periodic limb movements. For episodes that remain frequent or dangerous, prescription medication can be added when appropriate. Everything can be managed by video.