Sleepwalking Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

If you’ve ever climbed a tree in your sleep and fell from it, then strangely, you’d be part of a group of people that have had unusual or terrifying experiences while sleepwalking.

Thankfully, I’ve never done anything quite this drastic, but in my younger years I had been known to walk into rooms in the middle of the night and just stand in the dark only to be discovered and guided back to bed.  There were times I would talk, laugh, grunt and even scream in my sleep.  When in my early 20’s, I had leaped from the bed kicking, screaming and thrashing about until I was tangled in my own bed sheets.  My then roommate, startled by the chaos, shook to wake me from a very horrible and realistic nightmare.  I instantly recalled that my dream was a wild animal attacking me and I was trying to fight it off.  Occasionally, I still have incidents of talking or laughing, but no longer have any of the fall off the bed nightmare episodes.

However, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” which is what the title implies.  Apparently, the condition of sleepwalking can be inherited, which brings me to my teenage son.  It seems that families that sleepwalk together stay creep together.  Find here "8 Facts About Sleepwalking."

It all started about 8 years ago when I was awakened in the middle of the night by a distinct sound of water hitting the surface of the wood floor.  While trying to focus my eyes in the dark and establish my surroundings from a deep slumber, the first thought was that it was raining and something was leaking in the hallway.

With more head clarity, I realized it wasn’t raining outside. It was then that my motherly instincts suddenly kicked in and I knew exactly where the water sound was coming from. 

With moves like Jagger, I spun out of bed and sprinted to the hallway to confirm my suspicions.  After a flip of the light switch, there was my young son standing in an unknowing daze and with the aim of a sharp shooter, emitting a hard stream into an empty clothes basket! 

In his defense, it WAS white and situated just outside the bathroom, which would confuse anybody stumbling through the dark to quickly relieve themselves. 

Naturally, Mister O stirred from the commotion along with my daughter and both joined in the hallway for the pee party. 

None of this roused my son as Mister O proceeded to guide him into the bathroom. 

Meanwhile, I was left behind holding the pee basket and it seemed I had arrived on the scene just in time. Another inch and we would have reached a dangerous level of spillage through the vented holes of the basket. 

Of course, the next morning my son had no recollection of any of this happening. Although for us, it made for a funny childhood memory and it still comes up on occasion as a little playful teasing.  Now, the story lives on in the blogosphere.  Oh well, I'm sure one day when my son has his own sleepwalking kids, he'll have a funny story to tell too. Remember the apple and the tree?

Jump forward 8 years later to the present and my son told me just last week he found himself standing in the kitchen in the middle of the night with no idea why he was there. 

Then the sleepwalking streak continues as he told me of another incident where he woke up in the morning and noticed that he was clutching a new sweatshirt he had purchased just days before. It had been hanging in his closet and he had no memory of getting it out of the closet, much less, cuddling with it the rest of the night. Did he subconsciously love that new sweatshirt? Funny and very interesting. 

Sleepwalking is pretty common with young kids and adolescents, but typically they grow out of it.  Some people have this dilemma right into adulthood. There have even been reports of people committing crimes while sleepwalking and other strange incidents. Check out this link to 10 terrifying tales of sleepwalking.

Honestly, I think my son is going through a normal teenage phase. Pretty sure we don't have to worry about him climbing a 130 foot crane to sleep at the top. Hope not anyway! Hmmm...I guess, it could happen.

On the other hand, until his sleepwalking phase passes, you can be sure I'll be checking all the laundry baskets.  

Sweet dreams and I'm certain you won't look at a laundry basket the same again.  

Do you have a sleepwalking tale?

Put your smile on and unwrap

   A Square of Chocolate,

Laurie O

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