00:00You have probably heard that if you wake up a sleepwalker, they could have a heart attack
00:04and die on the spot.
00:05It sounds like something straight out of a horror movie, but the truth is this is a complete
00:09medical myth.
00:10Today we are breaking down the science of sleepwalking to find out what actually happens
00:14when you rouse a midnight wonder.
00:15You might start by asking, if it is not deadly, why does everyone think it is?
00:20Historians believe this myth goes back to our old beliefs that the soul leaves the body
00:24during night.
00:25People fear that if you woke someone up too fast, their soul wouldn't have time to return.
00:29While we know that this is not true today, this myth sticks around because sleepwalkers
00:34look so airy with their open glassy eyes and blank expressions.
00:37So what exactly is going on in their brain while they are walking around?
00:41It is an unusual state where the brain is stuck between being awake and being in a deep sleep.
00:45The parts of the brain that handle movement are active, but the parts responsible for
00:49thinking and memory are still in a very deep stage, called state 3 and REM.
00:53Because they are only partially aroused, they can perform complex tasks without any conscious
00:57awareness.
00:58This leads to some truly hilarious and bizarre situations.
01:01For instance, one person woke up trying to carry all their bedsheets to the laundry room
01:05in the middle of the night.
01:06Another person was found in their underwear, staring a vacuum cleaner around.
01:10Even thought it was not even plugged in.
01:12There was even a guy who was caught eating a frozen tackle and got so annoyed that he told
01:16his roommate to go back to Peru.
01:18You might wonder if they are doing such weird stuff.
01:20Shouldn't I just woke them up?
01:22Experts generally say you should not wake them unless you absolutely have to.
01:26When you force a sleepwalker away, you are snapping them out of a very deep sleep, which
01:30leads to something got a confusional arousal.
01:32They will likely be extremely disoriented, groggy, and might even be angry or scared because they
01:37have no idea how they got to the kitchen or the garage.
01:40This disorientation can actually trigger a fight-or-flight response.
01:43If they feel threatened in their confused state, they might lash out and accidentally hurt you or
01:48themselves.
01:48So should I ever be a sleepwalker?
01:50Yes, you definitely should wake them if they are in immediate danger.
01:54The real danger of sleepwalking is not the waking up part.
01:56It is the fact that they could fall down the stairs, walk out of the house, or even try
02:00to drive a car when they are totally unconscious.
02:03If you see a loved one heading for a hazard, safety comes first.
02:06But how can you do it safely without getting punched?
02:09The best way is to make loud, sharp noises from a safe distance rather than touching or
02:13shaking them.
02:14You can call their name repeatedly or use a grim voice to gradually roll them.
02:17However, if they are safe, the gold standard is to gently guard them back to bed without
02:21waking them at all.
02:23You can use a calm soothing voice and perhaps a very light touch on the elbow to lead them
02:27back to their room.
02:28They will usually go along with it and won't remember a single thing the next morning because
02:32the memory-making parts of their brain were offline.
02:35You might also ask why does this happen to some people and not others.
02:38It often runs in families.
02:40So if your parents were sleepwalkers, you are much more likely to be one too.
02:43Other triggers include being super stressed or just not getting enough sleep.
02:47If you have a frequent sleepwalker in your home, simple things like clearing toys off
02:51the floor, locking the windows, and putting a bell on the bedroom door can help prevent
02:55accidents.
02:56So while waking them up is not as dangerous, as legend says, being a gentle guide is usually
03:00the best way to handle it.
03:01That would be the best way to handle it.
03:03That would be the best way to handle it.
03:17SLIDE
03:18To be continued
03:20to
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