Sleep walking (somnambulism) is a dissociative sleep disorder. The exact brain mechanisms remain unknown but the overall phenomenon comes from the motor system being awake, while major parts of the brain being asleep. This typically occurs in the so called Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) phase, the deepest stage of NonREM sleep.
A somewhat similar phenomenon of dissociation between the motor functions and sleep can occur during REM sleep. However, the motor manifestations differ from somnambulism and more likely to lead to abrupt movements, intense but relatively short-lived, reflecting a dream that a person experiences at that time.
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