10 Bizarre Sleep Activities

1. Sleep Murder

   
   image source

   In 1981, Steven Steinberg from Arizona experienced a sleepwalking episode – during which, he stabbed his wife 26 times with a kitchen knife – he admitted to killing his wife but pleaded “Not Guilty” in the ensuing court case – as he was not consciously aware of his actions – and was in a “dissociative” mental state at the time.

   A jury found Steinberg not guilty on the grounds that he was temporarily insane when he had killed her. However, because he was deemed “sane” at the time of his acquittal, Steinberg walked out of court a free man.

   Before you get any ideas….the law has since been changed to institutionalise “insane” murderers.

   Read more in Conditions and Diseases

   « The Deadly Disease: Listeria and How You Can Avoid It

   RSD Awareness »

   This case was not a one off – numerous sleep murders have been committed:

   • 2005 case – man beats his father to death whilst asleep
   • 2006 – Michael Catling stabs his ex-girlfriend 26 times whilst asleep
   • Further sleep murder cases

2. Sleep Emailing

   image source

   In November 2008, the Medical Journal – Sleep Medicine reported that researchers from the University of Toledo had a case of a 44 year old woman who had sent three bizarre emails in her sleep.

   They were typed in a mixture of both upper and lower case text.

   • Email 1 – “Come tomorrow and sort this hell hole out. Dinner and drinks, 4.pm,. Bring wine and caviar only.”
   • Email 2 – “What the…….”

   Details of the third were not published – but noted to be in a strange language!

   The woman only became aware of what she had done the following day when she received a reply to email 1.

3. Sleep Sex

   
   image source

   Sleep sex or sexomnia or SBS (sexual behaviours during sleep) has been subject to clinical evaluation

   Often, sexual activity during sleep does not pose any serious problem to either the individual sleeping alone, or with a partner…. however studies have shown that some people can become quite aggressive.

   One woman whose husband has sleep sex episodes writes: “During his sleep sex episodes he becomes very aggressive and violent and then claims he does not remember anything. ……. I had to call 911 last night because of a violent attack.”

   In one case, a middle aged Australian woman, fell asleep at night next to her partner….but was horrified to learn what happened next…

   Still asleep, she left her house and had sexual intercourse with strangers. This behaviour continued for several months and the woman had absolutely no memory of her nocturnal activities. – It was only after her partner, after finding numerous condoms around the house and gardens –followed her one night and caught her in the middle of a sexual act.

   One man was recently released without charge from rape case, after pleading that he had no recollection of the incident because he was asleep.

4. Extreme Sleep Walking

   
   image source

   Sleepwalking (also known as somnambulism) is a relatively common occurrence, particularly in children.

   Sleep walking can lead people into life threatening situations

   The case of Rab Wood from Fife Scotland

   “I had had a near miss, I was on holiday in Spain and I was nine floors up in a hotel. During the night I got up and started sleepwalking – Just as I got my leg over the banister my wife pulled me back.”

   In 1999, a seven year old boy miraculously survived after he sleepwalked off a second floor balcony, whilst on holiday in Greece

   In 2006 a nine year old girls suffers minor injuries after sleepwalking and falling 30ft out of an attic window

   In 2008 a nineteen year old man sleepwalked to his death from a balcony in Minorca

5. Sleep Driving

   
   image source

   Sleep driving is a relatively new issue – and is associated with the controversial sleeping tablet Ambien.

   Sleepers get into their car and drive – in numerous cases, cars have been driven down the wrong side of the road, straight into parked cars or lamp-posts.

   If the dangerous driver is caught by the police, they appear oblivious to the situation – and later have absolutely no recollection of events.

   A typical case of sleep driving is set out below:-

   Mr Dwayne Cribb, an American long time probation and parole officer remembers nothing after taking Ambien before bed in 2008, until he awoke in prison to learn he had left his bed and gone for a drive, smashed into a parked van and driven away before crashing into a tree. Mr. Cribb is still facing charges of leaving the scene of an accident.

6. Sleep Eating

   image source

   Sleep eating, or NSRED nocturnal sleep related eating disorder- has been a recognised medical condition since 1991.

   Michael H. Silber, MD, co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sleep Disorder Centre stated the following….

   “What happens is the patients get out of bed, walk to the kitchen, prepare food — often sloppily, and often with strange, high-calorie ingredients….they have microwave food sometimes. They eat in a very sloppy way, either in the kitchen or after taking the food back to bed. And they have no memory of it. They wake to find a mess in the kitchen or crumbs in the bed.”

   Bizarre night-time recipes include:- salt sandwiches, buttered cigarettes and cat-meat and pickle sandwiches

7. Sleep Terrorism

   
   image source

   In 2005, during a flight from Charlotte to England, Sean Joyce (a British painting contractor) fell asleep – the next thing he knew, he awoke in a prison cell – facing criminal charges – which could potentially lead to a 20 year prison sentence.

   Unbeknownst to him, during his sleep, he had stood up, ripped off his shirt and began shouting, screaming and threatening to kill both himself and other passengers.

   The flight had to be diverted to make an unscheduled landing in Boston.

   Luckily the judge accepted Sean’s defence … he was not conscious during his outburst – he had been taking the controversial sleeping aid – “Ambien” as well as drinking wine.

8. Sleep Shoplifting

   
   image source

   This is not a common occurrence, but is linked with taking the sleeping tablet Ambien.

   Judith Renee Lasswell, a highly respected Navy lieutenant, stationed in Florida, was arrested for shoplifting DVDs and a candle from her naval base. Although the items were found in her possession, she has no memory of taking them – and insists that she was asleep during the time of the incident.

   Her security clearance has been revoked, and she faces larceny charges and dishonorable discharge from the Navy.

9. Sleep Kicking

   
   image source

   Sleep kicking – or restless leg syndrome (also known as Ekbom’s syndrome)

   Sufferers of restless leg syndrome are often unaware of the mayhem they cause to their bed-fellows. 

   Pain and discomfort builds up in the limbs of the sufferer (toes, ankles, knees and / or hips), and the only way to achieve temporary relief is to move the limbs – often in quick jerky movements, but with no awareness of how often or how aggressively they are moving.

   Partners can quite literally be kicked out of bed – bed sheets are ripped and torn.

10. Sleep Painting

    
    image source

    In one bizarre reported case associated with the controversial sleep drug Ambien, one woman woke up with a paint brush in her hand and went downstairs to find that she had re-painted her front door.

More Mysteries and Bizarre Occurrences:

10 Amazing Coincidences

Hybrid Spider Goats

Morgellons: Mysterious New Disease

Mystery Surrounding Denver International Airport

5 Mysterious Skulls: Dare They be Called Human?