The Great Somnambulist!

I have had sleep issues my whole life. When I was little, my parents suspected I had narcolepsy- once I was tired, I would fall asleep instantly even if I was in the middle of doing something else. When I was maybe five or six, I fell asleep on the toilet in the middle of the day. My mom has a picture of me at around four sleeping in Bampa's (my grandfather) recliner with a half-eaten popsicle hanging from my mouth. (I've always appreciated that they took time to grab the camera before removing the cold, melting food from my face.) Today I have a little more control over when and where I fall asleep, but most of my friends know that if we watch a movie past 8:00 at night, I will not be conscious at the end of it. I fall asleep in the car, in movie theaters, at concerts, even at work a few times when I was on the 6PM to 6AM shift.

I've also long had the problem of talking and walking in my sleep. According to those who have witnessed it, I sometimes babble on and on in a totally incoherent language, I sometimes answer questions with nonsensical, off-the-wall responses and I sometimes carry on full, coherent conversations, with absolutely no recollection. I've talked to my dad on the phone more than once without ever really waking up. The scenario is generally that somebody believes they have woken me and are talking to me normally, while I remain unconscious, but look and act as if I'm awake. I am also usually very agitated during these exchanges, which I've read is common for people who experience it.

One weekend a couple of years ago, I spent a night out at Johnathan's parents' house. They had gone to bed and he and I were watching TV on the couch when I, of course, dozed off. He roused me and suggested that I head to the guest room, since I obviously wasn't enjoying the show. God knows what I said to him, but apparently I was very hostile before ultimately going to bed as he wanted. The next morning he was acting noticeably aggravated, so I asked him what the heck was wrong with him. He told me he just couldn't figure out what he had done to make me act so mean to him the night before and he was hurt by the way I treated him. I assured him I had no idea what he was talking about and that is how he came to learn of my little sleep quirk.

Living alone for the past 3 1/2 years, I usually have no idea if I'm talking or walking around at night. All I can do is go to sleep and hope that I don't leave the apartment, burn it down or offend anybody unconsciously. However, there are times when I leave evidence of my nighttime adventures. When it happens, it usually occurs several nights in a row and I will wake up to something obviously different than the way I left it the night before.

This morning when I was about to get in the shower I reached up to take off the necklace I always wear, only to find that it was not around my neck. I knew I hadn't taken it off, so it had to have broken and I was terrified searching the house. Finally, as I was on the verge of calling my cousin Holli to ask if it had come off at her place last night, I found it in my purse along with a bra and a dog toy. It just so happens that is the exact place I found nail polish, polish remover, nail file and cotton pads a couple of mornings ago.