In March of 2008, the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail reported on one man’s strange ability to draw while sleeping. The veracity of the story and the artist’s claims will be left to the individual to determine. However, they present intriguing possibilities about the role of the subconscious in the creative process, and may even prompt a desire in some readers to personally engage in artistic somnambulism.
What is Sleepwalking?
The clinical phenomenon known informally as sleepwalking actually encompasses more than moving about on two legs. It can also include complicated activities like cooking, driving a car, rearranging furniture, and even criminal acts. Sleepwalking episodes have been known to last from a few seconds to more than an hour.
Since slee it often accompanies eerie or even deviant behavior, sleepwalking might easily be linked with the “social outsider” role familiar to many artists. Whether or not this association is justified, the possibility exists that creative activities like painting, dance, music, and filmmaking could be taken up a notch during sleepwalking.
Somnambulism and Age Factors
Hardly an adult phenomenon, sleepwalking is most likely to occur among elementary- and middle-school age children. Those who tend to see connections between child-like behavior and creative intuition may find some encouragement here.
It's possible that sleepwalking, or half-waking behavior, occurs more often in youth than realized. Adults could, perhaps, break into the sleepwalking realm by appealing to the simple reveries of childhood, discarding the strictures of grown-up, self-conscious society. “Enable me to rise and move about during the night,” one might say to one’s inner child before nodding off. “We’ll have a blast, eating cookies and slopping watercolors around.”
Most Frequent Sleep Phase
Usually occurring in deep, non-REM sleep, somnambulism will most likely happen early in the course of a night. This is helpful for anyone who wants to do something creative while sleepwalking but still has to go to work in the morning. After a hard-driving jam session or video shoot, a significant portion of the night will remain available for actual sleep.
Safety Issues Associated with Sleepwalking
One question that may come up again and again during this discussion: With so much activity and movement going on, isn’t there a danger of injury or worse? What kind of precautions should be taken?
It is an unfortunate reality that sleepwalkers face being injured. Therefore, safety must become a primary concern. While common sense says that any sharp or dangerous objects should be removed from the designated work area, this is easier said than done if the planned activity is sculpting, carpentry, apparel construction, or the like.
There is, regrettably, no easy solution for this problem. Anyone who decides to give up on the idea of planned somnambulism should not be judged harshly. Still, the average injury from sleepwalking must be minor. Statistical information is beyond the scope of this article, but most sleepwalking injuries probably take the form of stubbed toes and bruised elbows. Even in one’s waking life, these mishaps are a constant threat.
Sleepwalking and Communication
Talking or mumbling in one’s sleep is quite common, and some might consider it an offshoot of somnambulistic behavior. It is difficult to imagine any harm coming from sleep talking, unless the stream of verbiage contains insulting or hateful remarks. Normally what emerges is more or less unintelligible. This has a positive side.
For example, a poet, jazz singer, or experimental novelist may actually create something useful and authentic through their nocturnal ramblings. The trick, then, is to document what is being said. How can this be achieved if potentially harmful pens and pencils have been removed from the area? Should a video camera or audio recording device be set up before one retires for the night? What kind of support should spouses or domestic partners offer?
In the end, these questions are all up to the individual, but if they are carefully addressed, the creative professional should be able to achieve some kind of balance between health, safety, and artistic concerns. One final note: there is apparently no cure for sleepwalking, so those who cultivate the habit should prepare for a long-term commitment.
Please note that absolutely no psychological, clinical, or therapeutic expertise. This article should not be considered a how-to guide for inducing sleepwalking, nor should it be considered an endorsement of the activity. It is strictly a catalyst for further consideration.
Sources:
Shneerson, John M., Sleep Medicine: A Guide to Sleep and its Disorders by John M. Shneerson. Published by Wiley-Blackwell, 2nd edition, 2005. ISBN 978-1405123938.
Biological Rhythms, Sleep and Performance by Wilse B. Webb, from the Wiley series on studies in human performance. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 1982. ISBN 978-0471100478.
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