Sleepwalking and sleep disorders play a key role in Anna O. Sleepwalking affects Anna to the point of killing her family dog, waking up outside, holding a weapon over Douglas, and more. Like other sleepwalkers she researches, Anna doesn’t remember anything from her episodes. Sleepwalking, also called somnambulism, “involves getting up and walking around while in a state of sleep” (Mayo Clinic Staff. “Sleepwalking.” Mayo Clinic, 2017). Though more common in children and adolescents, adults can suffer from sleepwalking. Some sleepwalking symptoms include getting out of bed and walking, opening your eyes, having a glazed expression, not responding to communication, being hard to wake up, being disoriented or confused, not remembering the episode, sleep terrors, etc. Sleepwalkers might also do the following:

routine activities, such as getting dressed, talking or eating; leave the house; drive a car; engage in unusual behavior, such as urinating in a closet; engage in sexual activity without awareness; get injured, for example, by falling down the stairs or jumping out a window; or become violent during the period of brief confusion immediately after waking or, occasionally, during sleepwalking (Mayo Clinic Staff. “Sleepwalking.” Mayo Clinic, 2017).

Usually, the condition is mild and doesn’t cause harm, but if it occurs repeatedly or includes injury to oneself or others, doctors recommend being seen immediately.