7. Complex Activities: The Sleepwalker’s Unconscious Skill Set
While ambulatory movements are the hallmark of sleepwalking, some sleepwalkers engage in more complex activities. These actions, from writing to assembling objects, showcase the brain’s remarkable ability to function even in a restful state.
Picture a sleepwalker meticulously arranging books on a shelf or folding laundry. The precision and method involved can be astonishing. It’s as if a portion of their brain, responsible for these tasks, activates, driving them to perform with almost wakeful competence.
The range of these activities is vast. Some sleepwalkers have been known to paint, write, or even play musical instruments. While the outcomes might not always match their conscious endeavors, the very act of engaging in such complex tasks while asleep is fascinating.
Driving these activities is a combination of muscle memory and subconscious urges. For instance, a person who regularly plays the piano might find themselves playing a familiar tune during a sleepwalking episode. The fingers remember, even if the conscious mind is at rest. (7)
