
[[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/9354221_origcrop1siz.png]]]]

Somnambulism, commonly known as sleepwalking, is the phenomenon where a person, while sleeping, performs physical activities, often with their eyes open but unresponsive to the world. Within the real world, the sleepwalker will typically have their eyes open and will move as normal, if sometimes a bit slower as if tired. Any complex action that is performed while awake may be replicated while sleepwalking, including unlocking of doors, catching trains, driving cars, even sex and murder. The sleepwalker typically avoids obstacles, but still may be injured by non-routine events such as tripping hazards or closed doors. The disorder is common in children, but is typically grown out of. It is rarer in adults and consistent bouts of sleepwalking may indicate various psychological or brain disorders. Because sleepwalking typically occurs outside of REM sleep, dreams very seldom correlate with the actions while sleepwalking --contrast [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=hao1jgcov19175vn495nrolo9y Dream Action Leak]].

Likely symptoms include:
* [[SleepsWithBothEyesOpen Eyes open during sleep]]
* May have blank look on face
* May sit up and appear awake during sleep
* [[CaptainObvious Walking during sleep]]
* Performing other detailed activity of any type during sleep
* Not remembering the sleepwalking episode when they wake up
* Acting confused or disoriented when they wake up
* Rarely, aggressive behavior when they are awakened by someone else
* [[TalkingInYourSleep Sleep talking that does not make sense]]

In fiction, sleepwalking is generally portrayed with the sleepwalker [[ZombieGait having both arms extended in front of them]] and eyes closed (and in some extreme cases, blindfolded). The sleepwalker will again perform complex actions, but will almost always have an uncanny ability to avoid dangers in their world that they really shouldn't be aware of.

Folklore regarding sleepwalking states that [[NeverWakeUpASleepwalker waking a sleepwalker is dangerous]], but in reality, the worst that may happen is confusion as they awake in a strange place.

See also TalkingInYourSleep, a related phenomenon, and EscortMission or BadlyBatteredBabysitter for the frequent trope involving other characters trying to shepherd the sleepwalking character past danger without waking them due to the old wives' tale.



[[folder: Advertising ]]

* In one old commercial for Post Fruity Pebbles, Barney pretends he's sleepwalking to get Fred's Pebbles; Fred doesn't wake him up, [[NeverWakeUpASleepwalker afraid that it's dangerous]], but when he's upset that Barney's eating his Pebbles, Barney tells him there's more in the cupboard... And blows his cover as a result.


[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* Fam from ''Anime/LastExileFamTheSilverWing'' has a pretty bad case, especially since she's a SkyPirate. The first scene of the entire show is her [[InnocentFanserviceGirl stripping off]], opening the hanger door of their airship and walking out, saved only by a rope with a bell on it tied to her leg. Episode 4 also shows that there's a mat placed below the entrance to her loft bedroom to cushion her inevitable falls.
* In one ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' omake, Hikaru nearly sleepwalks out of the tent and shouting "Let's go!" while Umi tries to hold her back... and then Fuu catches it and starts sleep-tickling Umi. The next day, they're quite puzzled by Umi's inexplicable fatigue.
* Asuka attempting to kiss Shinji in his sleep in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. [[spoiler: Subverted, she later claims that she was faking it. Then again, this ''is'' [[{{Tsundere}} Asuka]] we're talking about.]]
* Cavendish from ''Manga/OnePiece'' has a second personality, [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Hakuba]], that only appears when he is sleeping.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': Akane takes this a step further. She ''fights'' in her sleep.
* Rito from ''Manga/ToLoveRu''. Stated to be "wild" when he's asleep according to Momo. And by that, she means that should a girl get close enough to him while he's asleep (say by getting into his bed alongside him), he'll eventually grab on to her and start fondling her without ever waking up... while [[TalkingInYourSleep talking]] about [[SweetTooth sweets]].
* In ''Anime/WorldConquestZvezdaPlot'', Professor Um has a tendency to sleepwalk, at one point sleepwalking into Asuta's bed during the night. Itsuka jumps to the wrong conclusion upon finding them together in bed in the morning and is ready to beat Asuta up, but the other Zvezda members quickly let him off the hook because they're used to Um sleepwalking.


[[folder: Comedy ]]

* Comedian Mike Birbiglia has this problem, which he details in his book ''Sleepwalk With Me.'' One incident had him jump from a window while asleep, which almost took his life. As a result, he only allows himself to sleep on the first floor of a building.


[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* The Creator/MarvelComics character ComicBook/{{Sleepwalker}}, whose body is taken over by an alien being at night when he's asleep.
* One of {{Comicbook/Venom}}'s early appearances -- as the symbiote rather than as just clothes, and before he was separated from {{Franchise/Spider-Man}} -- had him take Peter Parker out for a swing while Parker was completely asleep. Parker later wonders why he's so tired.
* In Comicbook/MarvelStarWars, Luke once goes into a [[AdventuresInComaland Force-induced coma]] where he has to fight a Vader-shaped manifestation of his own fear. Meanwhile, he gets captured, [[ShirtlessScene stripped]], and StrappedToAnOperatingTable. As he starts to win, his eyes open, he breaks free of the table, and he fights off a horde of guards while still fighting in the dream. He's rather surprised when he wakes up.
* In ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', Calvin's parents often ''think'' he's been sleepwalking whenever the [[TitleDrop "homicidal psycho jungle cat"]] (that is, Hobbes) jumps him while he's going to get a drink of water.


[[folder: Films -- Animated ]]

* Dory from ''WesternAnimation/FindingDory'' not only still [[TalkingInYourSleep still sleep-talks]], but she's also started sleep-swimming as well. Marlin and Nemo even note that she's been doing it often.
* Wilhemina Packard from Disney's ''Disney/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'' is said to sleepwalk, though we don't see her do it. The fact that she [[FanDisservice sleeps in the nude]] probably has something to do with it. The other characters wear sleep masks because of this.


[[folder: Films -- Live-Action ]]

* {{Trope Maker|s}} for the "arms extended in front" pose is ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari''.
* FrankensteinsMonster and zombies are usually portrayed as walking like this, with hands outstretched. While they're not ''technically'' asleep, they are resurrected dead -- death often being compared metaphorically to a permanent sleep. In the original Universal film series Frankenstein's Monster only did this after an incompatible brain transplant, making him blind. And arguably, making him no longer the same character. It was then [[Creator/BelaLugosi Ygor]]'s brain in the monster's body. Most parodies of the Universal Frankenstein use this pose though, without bothering with the reason ''why''.
* In ''Film/{{Phenomena}}'', main character Jennifer is a sleepwalker, and the plot of the movie kicks off when she witnesses a murder while sleepwalking. Notably, during her second sleepwalking episode, she actually ''realises'' that she's sleepwalking and tries to snap herself out of it. She fails, but then [[spoiler:she hears a gunshot and wakes up.]]
* One of the side effects of an experimental antidepressant called Ablixa in ''Film/SideEffects'' is sleepwalking. Emily, who has tried many other antidepressants to no avail, is determined to keep taking it despite sleepwalking, during which she prepares food for three people... even though it's just her and her husband at the apartment. Then, one night, [[spoiler:she stabs her husband during one such episode]]. In the end, her psychiatrist finds out that [[spoiler:this was all a scheme by Emily and her former psychiatrist to cause the stocks of the manufacturer of the drug to plummet and cash in on the knowledge; killing her husband, whom she secretly hated, was a bonus; her new psychiatrist's ruined career was just collateral damage]]. Fortunately, the psychiatrist [[spoiler:ends up proving himself a MagnificentBastard, and the women end up paying for their crimes]].
* In ''Film/SecondhandLions'', Hub is a sleepwalker who does weapons drills by the lake at night.


[[folder: Literature ]]

* In ''Literature/TheBobbseyTwins'', Freddie suffers a bout of SleepWalking where he gets up and stands in front of Flossie's bed, making her think there's a ghost.
* In ''Literature/{{Heidi}}'', Heidi starts sleepwalking in Frankfurt as her health fails due to homesickness. At first the servants believes the Sesemann's BigFancyHouse is haunted, until the doctor and Mr. Sesemann find a sleepy Heidi in the front door murmuring about her home...
* A plot point in ''Literature/TheMoonstone''.
* In ''Literature/{{Dracula}}'', Lucy is a chronic sleepwalker who sleepwalks all the way across Whitby to the cemetery overlook the night she's first bitten by the eponymous vampire.
* In ''Literature/TheEntail'' Daniel sleepwalks to repeat the actions of the night he committed a murder. Then his ghost continues it.
* Creator/DrSeuss takes it UpToEleven in ''The Sleep Book'':
-->''Do you walk in your sleep? I've just had a report''
-->''Of some interesting news of this popular sport.''
-->''Near Finnigan Fenn there's a sleepwalking group''
-->''Which not only walks, but walks a-la-hoop!''
-->''Every night, they go miles. Why they walk at such length''
-->''They have to keep eating to keep up their strength.''
-->''So Every so often, one puts down his hoop''
-->''Stops hooping and does some quick snooping for soup.''
-->''And that's why they are known as the [[TongueTwister Hoop-Soup-Snoop-Group.]]''


[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* Mikayla from ''Series/TheMillers'' pretends to be sleepwalking, complete with outstretched arms, when Carol catches her in the kitchen late at night digging into meat lasagna.
* On ''Series/ANTFarm'', Olive does this during a slumber party. While sleepwalking she makes rooster noises, plays golf and sleep-knits, and isn't aware that she sleepwalks.
* ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'' had the title character sleep-eating.
* In ''Series/{{House}}'', one of House's clinic patients was a women who got pregnant because she had sex with her ex-boyfriend while sleepwalking.
** Another patient was a sleepwalker who went as far as to buy cocaine in his sleep.
* An episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' had a sleepwalking cop as a suspect. [[spoiler: His neighbour had deliberately hidden his condition from him so she could use him as a fall guy.]]
* In ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', Orson's guilt over [[spoiler:having run over Mike which indirectly led to his painkiller addiction]] eventually causes him to sleepwalk while muttering apologies. For added embarrassment, he sleeps in the nude...
* On ''Series/HappyEndings'', Max accuses Dave of eating his food while asleep, so he sets up a video camera to catch him in the act. Turns out Dave does sleepwalk, [[spoiler:but he's not the culprit; the real food thief is the guy secretly living in their attic.]]
* ''Series/{{Angel}}'' has an episode called "Somnambulist," in which there is a string of murders that seem to be commited by a vampire, in Angelus' SignatureStyle no less. Angel starts having (and enjoying) dreams about killing at the same time the murders are occuring, so naturally he suspects he has been sleepwalking and doing the killing. [[SubvertedTrope It turns out to be]] Angelus' former protege, who is then killed.
* In ''Series/CougarTown'', Jules has trouble sleeping, so she takes a sleeping pill. The next morning she wakes up fine, but everyone else is tired. Turns out the pill caused Jules to sleepwalk, keeping everyone awake with her antics.
* An episode of ''Series/DiagnosisMurder'' had Mark's sleepwalking brother suspected of accidentally smothering another patient. It turned out he was framed and the real killer planted the pillow in his hands.
* In one multi-part episode of ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', Bulk and Skull (who were, at the time, police cadets) were trying to figure out who the graffiti artist was who kept targeting the juice bar. As it turned out, the culprit was Skull himself, who was doing it while sleepwalking. (He actually claimed he did this before, having painted his parent's whole kitchen once. Sure, it's [[ArtisticLicense kind of hard to believe]], but still...)
* ''Series/HogansHeroes'': Hogan has Newkirk fake sleepwalking in order to distract the guards. As Newkirk's wandering around outside, Schultz comes up to him and tries to wake him up. Newkirk "mistakes" him for a beautiful lady and begins to stroke Schultz's face... until he comes to his mustache.
* ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow''had a two part episode with Rob's brother, who was shy and nervous awake but outgoing and funny while asleep. Rob and the others try to help him see that he can be the same way awake as asleep and do a comedy show.
* ''{{Series/CSI NY}}'' had "Night, Mother", where a sleepwalking woman was suspected of stabbing a man with a wooden stake. It was found that the real killer stabbed the victim, then the sleepwalker went through the actions she'd seen used to try and save her young son, who died in a car crash years earlier. She did CPR,then tried to reach in and massage the dead woman's heart.
** The main series has an unusual take on this where the victim - a football coach who was killed via blunt force trauma - performed his morning routine before walking out of the house and keeling over dead, with a minor difference - he wasn't asleep, [[NightmareFuel he was brain-dead]].
* A victim in ''Series/OneThousandWaysToDie'' is a woman who lives in a boat and dies by falling into the sea when she's in a sleepwalking daze, drowning herself as a result.
* The ''Series/{{MASH}}'' episode "Hawk's Nightmare" has Hawkeye suffering from this (up to and including [[UsefulNotes/{{Basketball}} shooting imaginary baskets]] in his sleep) in addition to BadDreams.
* One episode of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' had Leslie discovering Ron has a disorder that occasionally causes him to have "sleep fights", which startled her when he suddenly started punching the air while passed out on a couch. When Leslie asks him if that's terrible, he replied "Only if I'm losing."
* ''Series/ElChavoDelOcho'' has a two-parter episode in which Don Ramón, mortified by the fact El Chavo is always hungry, starts sleepwalking at night, and leaving an empty plate inside his barrel. Doña Clotilde also sleepwalks, apparently due to her "little yellow-chested sparrow" escaping from its cage (and [[HilarityEnsues mistaking Don Ramón for it]] while she's asleep). For some reason, Quico and Doña Florinda are also seen sleepwalking.
* An episode of ''Series/TwoAndAHalfMen'' displays an unusually realistic example of sleepwalking. Alan wanders around at night doing things like vacuuming and baking, seeming for all the world like he's awake, apart from his speech consisting of absolute nonsense and the fact that he hasn't turned the vacuum on (he provides its sounds himself) and that he didn't bring a mixing bowl, resulting in his "baking" leaving a mess all over the dining table. Another episode reveals that Charlie routinely makes surprisingly good homemade chili while he's blacked-out drunk.


[[folder: Music ]]

* Music/TheyMightBeGiants has the song "[[http://www.rhapsody.com/they-might-be-giants/no/sleepwalkers/lyrics.html Sleepwalkers]]", which is about, well, what you'd expect, and references the "arms held out, eyes closed" thing.
* The main character of Music/{{Megadeth}}'s "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRGBi_ii3sk Sleepwalker]]" ''kills people'' in his sleep.
* Averting this trope is hailed as one of the few positive results of insomnia in The Go-Gos' "You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)".


[[folder: Other Sites ]]

* ''Wiki/SCPFoundation'', [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-716 SCP-716 ("The Train")]]. Anyone who enters REM sleep within 100 meters of a contained SCP-716 will sleepwalk in its direction and enter it.


[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Two moves in ''{{Franchise/Pokemon}}'', Snore and Sleep Talk, both of which allow the Pokémon attack while under the "Asleep" [[StandardStatusEffects effect]]. (Often done in combination with the Rest move, where the Pokémon goes to sleep on purpose to heal itself.)
* Amos from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestVI'' turns into an enormous monster while sleeping, and doesn't know about it.


[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* There's no sleep'''walking''' in ''Webcomic/MenageA3'', but lead character and dedicated rocker Zii can play ''[[Music/{{Metallica}} Enter Sandman]]'' [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/i_was_tuning_it_for_you in her sleep.]]
* Similarly, in ''Webcomic/{{Kurami}}'', Bree Kay is seemingly capable of [[https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/t31.0-8/12604759_1395535254079404_1241908150389535436_o.jpg playing video games in he sleep]].
* In ''Webcomic/FauxPas'' Randy grabs the tranq rifle and scares Dusk off the farm, while [[http://www.ozfoxes.net/cgi/pl-fp2.cgi?182 sleeping off a pain pill]].


[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': one episode had Ed sleepwalking ''and'' sleepeating.
* There was an episode of ''{{WesternAnimation/Rugrats}}'' where Stu sleepwalks and the babies believe he is a robot.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' dealt with Phoebe trying to stop Helga from sleepwalking to Arnold's house.
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'', Professor Utonium, after being overworked in the lab, starts sleep-''shoplifting''.
* In ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'', Ed Bighead experienced his childhood trauma of pirates when watching a play. He begins sleepwalking on his roof as a pirate in search of a treasure map.
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'', Wilma states that every time Fred goes on a diet, he sleepwalks to the fridge.
* On ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX-tEBYZOvU Stewie observes Joe sleep-dragging.]]
* Olive Oyl sleepwalks in the ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'' cartoon "A Dream Walking", while Popeye and Bluto frantically try to keep her safe.
* [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Homer Simpson]] starts sleepwalking under the effects of sleeping medication Nappien. Bart takes advantage of the situation and uses Homer as his personal "zombie".
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E6SleeplessInPonyville Sleepless In Ponyville]]", while scouting ahead, Scootaloo dozes off on her scooter, harkening near danger several times but only to end up landing safely in a bush a bit down the path.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/AllGrownUp'' had Tommy sleepwalking and stealing all the items on the neighbors' front lawn as a result of pressure from the 4th grade test. He is unaware he is sleepwalking and everyone thinks there is a thief in the neighborhood. Dil ends up getting blamed for it when he is caught trying to return all the stuff Tommy had stolen.
* ''WesternAnimation/MrBogus'' does this in the claymation short shown after the third act of the episode "[[Recap/MrBogusS2E8BogusToTheRescue Bogus To The Rescue]]". His sleepwalking results in knocking a glass off the bathroom counter before it shatters into pieces. The crash sound is what wakes up Bogus, before he notices the broken glass, inquiring if he really did do that but not remembering anything about it.


[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Homicidal somnambulism -- an extreme form where a sleepwalker commits murder while asleep.
* There have been many reports of Ambien and related drugs causing this type of behavior. People taking these drugs have eaten and/or prepared food, sent incoherent texts and e-mails, and most frighteningly, gotten into their cars and tried to drive somewhere, all while sleeping. They usually wake up with no memory of their activities.