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Most cases of sleepwalking can be diagnosed by a physician who hears a description of the event. A physical examination with a medical history that includes a list of medications may help identify the cause. In some cases, patients may be asked to participate in a sleep study, which measures the physiological aspects of sleep. If sleepwalking is chronic, or if it is suspected that a mental disorder is causing it, patients may be referred to a psychiatrist or other mental health professional who may conduct a psychiatric evaluation or mental health assessment.

Some questions patients, family members or sleep partners may be asked about sleepwalking episodes include:

• At what time during the sleep period did the sleepwalking occur?
  
  
• Does the patient have any memory of the sleepwalking episode?
  
  
• Did the patient experience daytime drowsiness or other consequences as a result of the episode?
  
  
• Has the patient experienced any physical or emotional stress recently?

In some cases, patients may be referred to a sleep center where sleep patterns are analyzed in depth by health professionals who specialize in sleep disorders. At the sleep center, a polysomnogram (sleep study) will typically be performed. This painless test is conducted overnight while patients are sleeping. Electrodes are placed on the face and scalp before sleep. The test monitors electrical activity of the brain (electroencephalogram), electrical activity of the heart (electrocardiogram) and movements of the muscles (electromyogram) and eyes (electr-ooculogram). These are measured as patients move through the different stages of sleep.

Many people have an occasional episode of sleepwalking. To be diagnosed with sleepwalking disorder, however, patients must meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria, which include:

• Patients must have multiple episodes of getting out of bed while sleeping during the first third of the sleep period.
  
  
• While sleeping, patients must have blank stares and be unresponsive to attempts to awaken them.
  
  
• After waking, patients must have no recollection of sleepwalking episode.
  
  
• Patients must regain mental and physical functioning within a few minutes after waking from a sleepwalking episode.
  
  
• Sleepwalking must cause significant distress or dysfunction in social, work or other environments.
  
  
• Sleepwalking must not be caused by a medical condition, medication or substance use.