FactSentinel

The claim that waking a sleepwalker can cause a heart attack has no basis in medical science. Sleepwalking, or somnambulism, is a parasomnia that occurs during deep non-REM sleep, and while it can be disorienting or confusing to be awakened during an episode, there is no documented evidence that this act triggers cardiac events. Heart attacks result from blocked blood flow to the heart muscle, typically due to underlying cardiovascular disease, not from the psychological shock of being woken up.

Medical experts, including those from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, note that the real risks associated with sleepwalking involve physical safety rather than cardiac harm. Sleepwalkers can injure themselves by falling, walking into objects, or leaving the house, so gently guiding them back to bed or ensuring their environment is safe is generally recommended. Waking a sleepwalker may cause temporary confusion, grogginess, or mild agitation, but these reactions are not dangerous to heart health.

This myth likely persists because sleepwalkers can appear startled or distressed when awakened, which observers may misinterpret as a sign of serious physiological distress. In reality, this reaction is simply the brain transitioning abruptly from deep sleep to wakefulness, a process that can feel jarring but is not medically harmful. The genuine concern with sleepwalking is preventing injury during the episode itself, not the act of interrupting it. If someone appears to be in danger while sleepwalking, waking them is a reasonable and safe response.