Dispatch · Science

New Clinical Study Examines Adult NREM Parasomnia and Somnambulism

3 September 2026 · via prolekare.cz

Researchers report in a 2025 study published in Česká a slovenská neurologie a neurochirurgie on the clinical and polysomnographic profiles of adult patients with NREM parasomnia. The retrospective investigation evaluated 53 adult patients, including 31 men, with an average age of 31.5 years, alongside a control group of 42 healthy individuals. Researchers note that somnambulism was the most frequent type of parasomnia reported by 88.6 percent of patients, with 86.7 percent noting childhood onset. Identified triggers included stress at 26.4 percent, a foreign environment at 9.4 percent, and alcohol at 3.7 percent. Allergic diseases were the most common comorbid condition at 45.2 percent, followed by psychiatric diseases at 13 percent.

During polysomnography, an episode was observed in 50.9 percent of patients. Compared to controls, patients showed shorter sleep latency, better sleep efficiency, lower wakefulness, and a higher proportion of NREM 2 sleep, while familial occurrence correlated with lower NREM 3 sleep. For scholars of folklore and esotericism, where sleepwalking and nocturnal altered states historically carried mystical interpretations, these clinical findings provide grounded medical measurements regarding somnambulism and nighttime behavioral disruptions.

Common Questions

What was the most common type of parasomnia reported in the study?

Somnambulism was the most frequent type reported by patients, accounting for 88.6 percent of cases. Additionally, 86.7 percent of patients reported that their parasomnia began during childhood.

What factors were identified as triggers for parasomnia episodes?

Researchers identified stress as the primary trigger in 26.4 percent of cases. Other reported triggers included a foreign environment at 9.4 percent and alcohol consumption at 3.7 percent.