Somnambulism

Somnambulism
Sleepwalking. Purposeful moving, usually but not always including walking, while in a deep stage of sleep. Sleepwalking occurs most frequently in children, particularly boys. Sedatives tend to exacerbate rather than cure sleepwalking. The best measures are preventative: ensure that the sleepwalker is in a safe room for walking, and cannot accidentally fall through an open window or down stairs. Some types of sleepwalking are related to seizure disorders, bipolar disorders, or other neurological conditions, but most cases are transitory and due to unknown causes.
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1. A disorder of sleep involving complex motor acts which occurs primarily during the first third of the night but not during rapid eye movement sleep. SYN: oneirodynia activa, sleepwalking, somnambulance. 2. A form of hysteria in which purposeful behavior is forgotten. [L. somnus, sleep, + ambulo, to walk]

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som·nam·bu·lism säm-'nam-byə-.liz-əm n
1) an abnormal condition of sleep in which motor acts (as walking) are performed
2) actions characteristic of somnambulism
som·nam·bu·lis·tic (.)säm-.nam-byə-'lis-tik adj

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n.
sleep-walking: walking about and performing other actions in a semiautomatic way during sleep without later memory of doing so. It is common during childhood and may persist into adult life. It can also arise spontaneously or as the result of stress or hypnosis.
somnambulistic adj.

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som·nam·bu·lism (som-namґbu-liz-əm) [L. somn- + ambulare to walk] rising out of bed and walking about or performing other complex motor behavior during an apparent state of sleep, usually occurring in the first third of the night and lasting a few minutes to a half hour. The individual is relatively unresponsive, not alert, not easily awakened, and usually amnesic for the episode later. Called also noctambulation, sleepwalking, and somnambulance. See also sleepwalking disorder, under disorder.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • somnambulism — SOMNAMBULÍSM s.n. 1. Stare de automatism inconştient manifestată prin părăsirea patului în timpul somnului şi executarea unor acte coordonate de care individul în cauză nu şi mai aminteşte la trezire; noctambulism. 2. Executare automată a unor… …   Dicționar Român

  • Somnambulism — Som*nam bu*lism, n. [Cf. F. somnambulisme. See {Somnambulation}.] A condition of the nervous system in which an individual during sleep performs actions appropriate to the waking state; a state of sleep in which some of the senses and voluntary… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • somnambulism — 1794 (as somnambulation), from Mod.L. somnambulus sleepwalker, from L. somnus sleep (see SOMNOLENCE (Cf. somnolence)) + ambulare to walk (see AMBLE (Cf. amble)). Won out over noctambulation …   Etymology dictionary

  • somnambulism — ► NOUN ▪ sleepwalking. DERIVATIVES somnambulant adjective somnambulist noun somnambulistic adjective. ORIGIN from Latin somnus sleep + ambulare to walk …   English terms dictionary

  • somnambulism — [säm nam′byo͞oliz΄əm, səmnam′byo͞oliz΄əm] n. 1. the act or practice of somnambulating; sleepwalking 2. the trancelike state of one who somnambulates somnambulist n. somnambulistic adj. somnambulistically adv …   English World dictionary

  • somnambulism — noun Date: 1797 1. an abnormal condition of sleep in which motor acts (as walking) are performed 2. actions characteristic of somnambulism • somnambulist noun • somnambulistic adjective • somnambulistically adverb …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • somnambulism — somnambulist, n. somnambulistic, adj. /som nam byeuh liz euhm, seuhm /, n. sleepwalking. [1790 1800; < NL somnambulismus, equiv. to somn(us) sleep + ambul(are) to walk + ismus ISM] * * * …   Universalium

  • somnambulism — noun sleepwalking …   Wiktionary

  • somnambulism — Synonyms and related words: amnesia, beauty sleep, beddy bye, bedtime, blanket drill, bye bye, catalepsy, cataplexy, catatonic stupor, daydreaming, daze, doze, dream state, dreamland, drowse, fitful sleep, fugue, fugue state, hibernation,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • somnambulísm — s. n. (sil. mf. somn ) …   Romanian orthography

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