Sleep-related eating behavior in RNEM disorders include experiencing unwanted recurrent episodes of eating with varying degrees of amnesia, in which individuals may range from being completely unaware or aware but with the inability to avoid or stop eating. Inappropriate foods or nonfood items (e.g. candy wrappers, small toys) may be ingested. This condition is more commonly seen in women.

Sleep-Related Eating Behavior in NREM Disorders

For those with sexsomnia, varying degrees of sexual activity (e.g. groping, masturbation, sexual intercourse) may occur in sleep without conscious awareness. This condition is more common in males and may lead to serious interpersonal relationship issues.

Sexsomnia

Specialized forms of sleepwalking include:
• Sleep-related eating behavior
• Sleep-related sexual behavior, or Sexsomnia

University of California, Berkeley

Individuals who sleepwalk experience repeated episodes of complex motor behaviors during sleep (e.g. getting out of bed and walking around) and have lowered alertness and responsiveness to others around them, with little recall for the episodes.

Sleepwalking episodes can begin during any stage of NREM sleep, most commonly during the first third of the night in which there is slow-wave sleep.



Sleepwalking Type

American Psychiatric Association Publishing. (2022). Non–Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Arousal Disorders. In Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition text revision: DSM-5-TR (5th ed., pp. 452–457). section. 

Non–Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Arousal Disorders from the DSM-V

10-30% of children have had at least one episode of sleepwalking. The lifetime prevalence of sleepwalking around the world ranges from 6.9-29.2%, with the past year being 1.5-3.6% in adults. Sleepwalking is more common in girls during children but in men during adulthood.

Violent or sexual activity during sleepwalking episodes are more likely to occur in adults. 

Prevalence of Sleepwalking

Specialized Forms of Sleepwalking

Presence of early childhood sleep terrors was linked to childhood sleepwalking. Children with sleep terrors were almost twice as likely to also experience sleepwalking compared to those without sleep terrors.

Association between Sleep Terrors During Early Childhood and Childhood Sleepwalking

Based on the provided scenario, which sleep-related phenomenon is the individual most likely experiencing? Justify your answer by referencing at least two specific details from the case that support your conclusion.

Identifying a Sleep-Related Phenomenon

A parent is woken up about 90 minutes after their child went to sleep. They find the child walking calmly in the hallway with a blank, staring expression. The parent guides the child back to bed without the child fully waking up. The next morning, the child has no memory of the event. Which of the following statements best explains the child's behavior?

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