When you think of sleepwalking, you probably picture someone quietly roaming the hallway in their pajamas. But the truth is far more fascinating – the 10 things sleepwalkers do (other than walk in their sleep) can range from the oddly creative to the downright dangerous. Below we explore each surprising behavior, complete with real‑world examples, legal twists, and even a few headline‑making incidents.
10 Things Sleepwalkers: Why It Matters
10 Have Sex
Sexsomnia is a condition that drives people to engage in sexual activity while fully asleep. Those affected can perform solo acts or even join a partner without ever recalling the episode after waking. While both genders can experience it, men are statistically more likely to be diagnosed.[2]
This disorder raises serious consent concerns. In 2007, a Royal Air Force mechanic was acquitted of rape after a jury accepted his claim of sexsomnia. Another case involved Kenneth Ecott, who climbed onto an unconscious girl after a party, with the jury concluding he was in a state of “automatism.”
Although several defendants have invoked sexsomnia as a defense, success varies. Courts tend to require documented evidence of parasomnias before accepting the claim, and attempts to ban the defense have largely failed.
9 Drive
Just as someone can walk while asleep, they can also get behind the wheel. Sleep drivers have been known to travel considerable distances, though the exact prevalence remains uncertain. While they may master basic vehicle operation, higher‑order skills like navigation tend to be absent, leaving them on autopilot.
Alcohol can compound the risk. In 2012, Becky Mason of the UK enjoyed several glasses of wine before bedtime, then drove eight kilometres in her pajamas to her office, only to be stopped by a bemused security guard who reminded her it was Saturday night. After returning to retrieve her car, she crashed into a lamppost with a blood‑alcohol level three times the legal limit.
The guard’s testimony proved pivotal; Mason was acquitted of drunk driving on the grounds of automatism. Since then, she’s taken to handing her keys to roommates each night as a precaution.
8 Kill
In 2009, Brian Thomas of Wales was cleared of murdering his wife after he strangled her during a sleepwalking episode. Thomas, a long‑time night‑terror sufferer, typically slept apart from his spouse, but a vacation forced them to share a bed in a camper van.
He had been taking antidepressants for years, but stopped them for the trip to boost his libido. After an evening of relaxation, a nightmare about nearby racing youths triggered a protective fantasy, leading him to choke his wife in his sleep. He later called emergency services, bewildered, reporting that he had strangled her while unconscious.
Historical precedents exist: Albert Tirrell successfully used a sleepwalking defense in 1845 after killing his “mistress.” More famously, Kenneth Parks in 1987 drove 20 km to his in‑laws’ house, murdered his mother‑in‑law, attempted to strangle his father‑in‑law, then drove to a police station to turn himself in. Financial stress from gambling addiction likely contributed, but sleep researchers confirmed a severely disturbed sleep pattern that plausibly precipitated the violent episode.[4]
7 Get Naked
Finding yourself unclothed in a public space is a common anxiety dream, yet for some somnambulists it becomes a literal reality. One hotel chain even trains staff to handle naked sleepwalkers who wander corridors, often male guests who appear at reception in their birthday suits requesting wake‑up calls or checkout.
Employees keep towels ready to preserve modesty and use master keys to gently guide the bewildered guests back to their rooms.[5]
Stress, alcohol, and unfamiliar environments can heighten the chance of such episodes. Sleepwalkers may mistakenly believe they’re at home, in a bathroom, or even on a private balcony, when in fact they’re strolling through hotel hallways in the starkest of attire.
6 Talk (Too Much)
Most people experience occasional somniloquy, but a subset of sleepers hold full‑blown conversations with themselves. To awake listeners, the speech may appear nonsensical, yet to the somnambulist it sounds perfectly coherent. Though rarely harmful, sleeptalking can be embarrassingly vulgar.
Genetics play a role; the behavior can run in families and intensify with sleep deprivation, stress, or substance use.[6] Studies reveal a preponderance of negative words—“no,” swearing, and the like.
Contrary to cinematic portrayals, sleepers rarely divulge deep secrets. In 2001, the Massachusetts Supreme Court overturned a conviction involving alleged indecent assault after finding the jury had been biased by the claim that a child “disclosed” abuse while asleep.
5 Get Creative
Unconsciousness may unlock a hidden well of artistic flair. In 2015, a 13‑year‑old girl was caught on camera playing piano while snoring, her head resting on the instrument yet still managing a recognizable tune.
Painter Lee Hadwin claims he cannot draw while awake, but produces canvases during nocturnal episodes. Critics debate whether his output counts as genuine art or mere doodling, yet his works have attracted buyers worldwide, even catching the eye of high‑profile figures like Donald Trump.[7]
While many argue true creativity demands conscious intention, evidence suggests the brain can perform certain artistic functions without full awareness.
4 Live The Dream
Most people cherish the idea of a dream coming true, yet for those with REM behavior disorder (RBD), the experience can be perilously literal. During REM sleep, the brain normally disables most muscle activity, leaving only the eyes and diaphragm functional. This paralysis prevents us from enacting our dreams.
RBD sufferers experience incomplete muscle inhibition, causing them to act out vivid dream scenarios—sometimes violently, sometimes humorously, and occasionally mimicking daytime actions like packing imaginary suitcases. They may leap from beds or sprint through rooms, blurring the line between dream and reality.[8]
Because the sleeper perceives only the dream world, they can sustain real‑world injuries without registering pain or waking up, akin to a reversed “Matrix” experience.
3 Commit Armed Robbery
In 2007, Maria Hudson fell asleep watching television, then donned pink rubber kitchen gloves and a pair of tights over her head. She marched ten minutes to a local convenience store, brandished a 30‑centimetre kitchen knife, and shouted, “Hand over your money!” in a tone reminiscent of a Brad Pitt movie scene.
Police officers quickly restrained her, and she woke with no recollection of the event. Medical experts linked the episode to “insane automatism” triggered by epilepsy.[9]
Although a shop owner’s relative suffered a slashed wrist, the injury was not life‑threatening. Hudson was ultimately acquitted after a trial.
2 Eat
People with sleep‑related eating disorder (SRED) may maintain a healthy diet while awake, yet binge on bizarre foods during the night. Common choices include high‑sugar spreads like peanut butter or syrup, consumed rapidly before the sleeper returns to bed without waking.
Beyond snacking, SRED sufferers may also cook, exposing them to knife injuries and burns. Their nocturnal meals can range from simple sandwiches to full three‑course affairs, though they often lack awareness of ingredients, making the outcomes unpredictable.
Health repercussions are significant: weight gain, nutritional imbalances, and even dangerous ingestion of non‑food items. Documented cases involve coffee grounds, bacon rinds, paper, and toxic liquids such as bleach. Many find that keeping chocolate readily available is a safer compromise.
1 Balance (On Top Of A Crane)
In 2005, London passersby spotted a teenage girl perched on the arm of a crane, roughly 40 metres above ground, apparently contemplating suicide. Emergency services were summoned, but a firefighter’s cautious approach revealed she was asleep.
The 15‑year‑old had apparently left home, climbed the crane, and walked along its narrow beam while unconscious. Firefighters retrieved her mobile phone, contacted her parents, and gently woke her while positioning crew members to catch her if she fell.
Despite her astonishing feat, rescuers required a hydraulic lift and two and a half hours to lower her safely to the ground.[11]
These ten astonishing examples illustrate that the world of somnambulism extends far beyond simple hallway wanderings. From illicit robberies to artistic epiphanies, sleepwalkers can surprise us in ways that challenge both law and imagination.