What does repeated sleepwalking entail?

Repeated sleepwalking is characterized by difficult awakening and a lack of recall of the events that occurred during the episode. Individuals who experience sleepwalking typically engage in complex behaviors while still in a state of sleep, often performing activities like walking, talking, or even complex tasks without being aware of it. When awakened during a sleepwalking episode, a person may be disoriented and confused, but they generally will not remember the incident once they fully awaken.

The essence of sleepwalking lies in its occurrence during non-REM sleep, which is quite different from acting out dreams during REM sleep. In REM sleep, people usually experience vivid dreams and may be able to recall them upon awakening. However, during sleepwalking, since the person is in a deep sleep state, they don’t recall their actions or the environment they were in.

In contrast to recalling every incident vividly, sleepwalkers typically have no memory of their actions, which distinguishes this phenomenon from other sleep disorders or conditions where memory might be more intact. Additionally, sleepwalking doesn't usually entail an inability to get back to sleep after waking; rather, the episodes often resolve quickly, and the sleepwalker can return to sleep without issue. Therefore, the correct description of repeated sleepwalking accurately captures the challenging awakening