A sleepwalker can go back to sleep some place other than bed, depending on how far he or she has walked. Sleepwalkers are usually unaware of their activity. What causes sleepwalking is not known, though most people have sleepwalked on at least one occasion. Sleepwalking poses no serious health threat to those who experience it, although the risk of injury, however minor, is a matter of concern.
Injury prevention is the primary objective of sleepwalking management.
Sleepwalking is currently being reevaluated in a social and legal context, where the criminal actions of sleepwalkers in certain cases are being judged. The incidence of sleepwalking decreases with age. The cause for decreased incidence in adults is also not known. Evidence from casework and published sleep diaries indicates that sleepwalkers often feel they are alone with their condition. This is not the case.