SLEEP WALKING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 1 April 1899, Page 5 (Supplement)

SLEEP WALKING.

Sleep walking, or somnambulism, is neither so common nor so entertaining a habit as readers of a certain kind of stories might be induced to believe. It is a malady which exposes its victim to great peril. Nevertheless, the fact that the mind, crippled as its powers are, acts solely in one direction and is not distracted by external impressions, maKes the person's actions more certain than they would be in a waking state. j Thus a somnambulist may walk along the edge of a roof with perfect steadiness, while if awako he would certainly turn dizzy and fall. So, too, in a totally dark room the sleep-walker ■ will often move about without stumbling against chairs or tables, or will seat himself at a desk j or stand holding many objects without upsetting one. The causes of sleep walking may be mental, such as worry, brooding over one idea and hard study, especially late at night, or physical, such as late suppers, insufficient exercise, and sleeping with the head too low. Most sleep walkers are either of a nervous constitution or have received some severe shock, great grief or immoderate joy, which has temporarily disturbed their nervqus equilibrium. The young of both sexes are most subject to sleeepwalking, and when the habit is formed in youth it is usually outgrown in a few years. ;