Could Sleepwalking Be Genetic?

Could sleepwalking be genetic? New findings published in JAMA Pediatrics found that over 60 percent of children who also had two sleepwalking parents were significantly more likely to develop the condition themselves than those who did not deal with the same circumstances.

"These findings point to a strong genetic influence on sleepwalking and, to a lesser degree, sleep terrors," the Canadian study authors noted, via Health Day. "Parents who have been sleepwalkers in the past, particularly in cases where both parents have been sleepwalkers, can expect their children to sleepwalk and thus should prepare adequately."

Previous studies have shown that the problem oftentimes begins during early childhood but disappears with adolescence. However, this might not be quite the case for everyone. For some, it may start much later in life. And for others still, night terrors can also be an issue, where feelings of dread may overtake the body--even beginning in early childhood.

Researchers at the Hospital du Sacre-Coeur de Mondreal and colleagues examined connections between the conditions in both parents and adults. They looked at close to 2,000 children born in Quebec from 1997 to 1998.

Findings revealed that about 56 percent of children between the ages of 1.5 to 13 years dealt with sleep terrors, while younger children in particular were more likely to deal with sleep terrors. However, 29 percent of children between the ages of 2.5 to 13 years were affected by sleepwalking, which was less common in younger children.

And the odds of sleepwalking grew, depending on whether one or both parents were sleepwalkers. Only 23 percent of kids whose parents didn't sleepwalk developed the disorder. About 47 percent of those with one sleepwalking parent went on to be sleepwalkers, and if two parents wandered around at night while sleeping, the odds were about 62 percent that their child would do the same.