Sleepwalking and Other Weird Things We Do in Our Sleep

Picture this. It’s the middle of the night, and you wake up to find your partner walking aimlessly around the room. Creepy as hell? Yes. Paranormal activity? Nah.* You’re not in an episode of The Walking Dead. You’ve just nabbed yourself a sleepwalker.

We all do weird things in our sleep. It’s normal. And it’s harmless. For the most part.

Sleepwalking

Why we sleepwalk is not really clear. What we do know is that sleepwalking is generally more common in children, due to their rapid brain development that can trigger arousal from sleep. Then, some of us don’t outgrow it. And unfortunately, getting caught in your “tighty whities” on the front lawn isn’t as cute when you’re 20+. But on the bright side, it’s a good way to get some extra steps in. Just make sure you wear your FitBit to bed.

Sleeptalking

If you sleep with a sleeptalker, good luck. Much like at the movie theater, random comments in the dead of the night are annoying. But if you’re the yapper, you’ll be happy to know that sleeptalking is far less disorienting than sleepwalking. After all, you’re not running around, you’re just running your mouth. Don’t worry, anything you say is not admissible in court. (Hey, just in case. We’re not judging.)

Sleepeating

If you eat an entire cake but you weren’t conscious enough to remember it, did it even happen? Bad news, friends. Yes, it absolutely did. Sleepeaters can attest to this. While sleepeating, you’ll rummage and eat through kitchen cabinets and refrigerator drawers. Think your unconscious mind cares about calories? Nope. This is what nightmares are made of. Waking up in the morning five pounds heavier with no recollection of how delicious it was to get there.Here’s the thing: If your body is this active in the middle of the night, how much sleep are you actually getting? Just like your mind, your body needs comfort to rest easy through the night. We’ve got some tips for that.

Quick Tips to Getting Better Sleep:

• Turn off the lights. Yes, that means the TV, too.Psst. Netflix shuts off automatically. And some TVs have sleep timers. Just sayin’.

•Avoid spicy foods or heavy meals right before bedtime.So, like, if you had late-night Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles, you might have to wait until morning to fall asleep.

•Avoid alcohol.At the very least, avoid consuming tons of it until you pass out.

•Eliminate stress.Take a breather before bedtime. Read a book, listen to some music, just relax.

Of course, if your experience with any of the sleep behaviors mentioned above is extensive, consider contacting your doctor. Otherwise, doing some or all of these things should help you sleep comfortably throughout the night.

*We are not experts in paranormal activity and therefore cannot guarantee this. You may want to check with your local medium.