Confusional Arousals And Sleep Drunkenness

confusional arousals cartoon

If you’ve ever had an episode of confusional arousals, you may have experienced something as strange as what I’m about to describe.

After going to bed as normal one day, I later woke up in the middle of the night and sat up in bed. I’m not sure how long I was sitting there without doing anything at first, but I do remember feeling a bit thirsty.

Instead of doing the logical thing and reaching for the glass of water on my bedside table, however, I picked up my phone.

It was only when lifted it to my mouth that I must have realized it didn’t contain any liquid, and put it back on the table.

I then vaguely remember rummaging around for the real glass of water and knocking it off the table onto the stone floor.

I think the sound of the shattering glass must have snapped me out of the confused state. But even then I couldn’t quite understand what I was trying to do.

Over the next few minutes, I slowly came back to reality, and eventually got up to clean the floor. It was only when I was back in bed that it dawned on me that I hadn’t been my usual self.

It seems I’d experienced an episode of what’s known as confusional arousals. I’m sure it wasn’t the first time either, but like many people, I probably don’t usually remember the episodes.

Do you wake up confused and do unusual things?

If you sometimes behave in a confused, strange, or even aggressive way if you wake up in the night, it could be that you’ve also experienced confusional arousals.

And if it tends to happen in the morning, it could potentially be that you have ‘sleep drunkenness’. This is the popular name for what sleep experts call severe sleep inertia. Or in layman’s terms, being unusually slow to come back to life when you wake up in the morning!

In this article, I’ll be taking a look at what confusional arousals are, what’s thought to cause them, and what can be done about them.

I’ll also discuss some fascinating research that shows how common a sleep disorder it is, and who is more likely to have it.

Poll results

Way back in 2015, I ran a poll to find out how often readers experience confusional arousals.

Note that it’s a poll of people reading this article because it’s relevant to them. So the figure of 2.8% who have never had them is likely to be higher in the general population.

Interestingly though, out of 657 readers, 230 said they have confusional arousals very regularly (1-3 times per week). However, 188 people only have a few per year.

chart showing the results of a poll into the frequency people experience confusional arousals

What are confusional arousals?

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders diagnostic manual describes confusional arousals as being when someone wakes up in a confused state.

That might sound obvious, but the confusion can take different forms. For example, you might be confused about who you are, where you are, or what’s happening around you.

If someone talks to you, you might have slow or slurred speech. You might give short, blunt answers to questions, or make no sense at all.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, confusional arousals typically occur as you wake from the slow-wave, or N3, sleep stage.

In the spectrum of sleep disorders, confusional arousals are classified as a parasomnia. Parasomnias include unwanted events or experiences around sleep, such as sleep talking, sleep paralysis, and nightmares.

In an interesting research study published in 2020, the authors describe confusional arousals in a way that I think helps understand what can happen during a typical episode:

CA are episodes during which the subject sits on the bed and looks around as if confused. CA often begin with automatic movements, vocalizations or moaning and can progress to thrashing about in bed or violent behaviors towards oneself or others. Individuals usually appear with slow mentation and have poor reactivity to environmental stimuli; attempts to awaken the person are often unsuccessful and may be met with vigorous resistance.

Who experiences confusional arousals?

It’s believed that an equal number of men and women experience confusional arousals. And it’s more common in children and adults under the age of 35.

In 2014, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine published some fascinating research into confusional arousals.

The research made major news headlines, perhaps in part because they could use the captivating title of ‘sleep drunkenness’.

Importantly, the researchers discovered that it’s surprisingly common and that specific groups of people are more likely to have it.

Key points and findings

Here are the main findings of the Stanford study:

  • They interviewed 19,136 adults in the United States.
  • 15.2% had experienced confusional arousals in the last year. Over 50% of those had experienced it more than once a week.

Of the 15.2% who had confusional arousals, they found:

  • 84% were associated with either a sleep disorder, a mental health disorder, or were taking psychotropic drugs.
  • 70.8% had another sleep disorder.
  • 14.8% sleepwalk.
  • 37.4% had a mental disorder (mostly bipolar and panic disorders).
  • 31.3% were using psychotropic medication (mainly antidepressants).
  • Just 0.9% had no related condition or identifiable cause and could be said to have a confusional arousal disorder.
  • 8.6% have either partial or no memory of episodes.

Different types of confusion

The study found the following were the most common types of behavior or confusion:

  • Temporospatial disorientation (confusion about where or when they are): 57%
  • Hallucinations: 36%
  • Difficulty speaking or thinking clearly: 34%
  • Confused behaviors: 20%
  • Sleepwalking:15%
  • No memory of episodes: 9%

Interestingly, the team concluded that confusional arousals were often reported as arising from the treatment of other sleep disorders. And that both sleep and mental disorders were important factors – as seen from the figures above.

Aggressive behavior provoked by another person

Do you or someone you know sometimes act in an aggressive way during an episode? This is understandably worrying and can be stressful for partners. So why does it happen and what can you do about it?

In 2007, Mark R. Pressman, Ph.D. published an interesting review that looked at violent episodes during confusional arousals.

He wrote that violent episodes aren’t common. But when they do happen, it’s usually in two situations:

  • If someone wakes you up.
  • When you behave in a complex way in bed in your sleep, and someone else tries to calm you by holding or grabbing you.

He further clarifies that:

Violent behaviors associated with provocations and/or close proximity were found to be present in 100% of confusional arousal patients

So perhaps it’s best to avoid physical contact with someone having an episode unless they are putting themselves or others in danger. And to try to avoid waking someone up who is prone to confusional arousals.

Causes and risk factors

Confusional arousals are thought to happen when transitioning from deep sleep to a lighter sleep stage, or when woken up suddenly.

Researchers in 2018 summarize what happens in a slightly more technical way:

Confusional arousals (CA) are characterized by the association of behavioral awakening with persistent slow-wave electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep—suggesting that sensorimotor areas are “awake” while non-sensorimotor areas are still “asleep.” 

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine lists several possible causes:

  • Recovery from sleep deprivation.
  • Consuming alcohol.
  • Sleep apnea.
  • Periodic limb movement disorder.
  • Psychotropic medication.
  • Drug abuse.
  • Being forced to wake up.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine also suggests that there are several possible risk factors.

They say you are more likely to experience confusional arousals if you have a relative who has them. In addition, the following factors can increase the chance of them happening:

  • Rotating and night shift work.
  • Other sleep disorders (hypersomnia, insomnia, circadian rhythm sleep disorders).
  • Not enough sleep
  • Stress.
  • Worry.
  • Bipolar and depressive disorders.

Treatment and prevention

There isn’t a specific cure for confusional arousals as such, and no one-size-fits-all treatment.

If another disorder is causing the episodes, that’s what needs to be treated. This is something to speak to your doctor about, especially if you have signs of a serious sleep disorder like sleep apnea.

The same applies to mental health conditions that can be treated and managed. And if you’re taking medication, it’s a good idea to mention the episodes to your doctor.

If you drink alcohol or take recreational drugs, it might help to see if you have fewer episodes when you don’t drink or take drugs.

It’s also important to try to focus on your sleep and make sure you’re getting enough – don’t allow yourself to become sleep deprived over time.

The standard advice from sleep professionals to practice good sleep hygiene might also help. In particular, find ways to reduce stress, and develop a consistent and relaxing bedtime routine so you go to bed in a calm frame of mind.

You’re not alone

One final note if you’ve been worrying about your behavior is to remember that you’re not alone. Don’t be embarrassed or think you’re abnormal because of what you do when you’re not fully aware.

Many people experience sleep disorders or go through periods where bizarre things happen to them at night.

If it’s worrying you or having an impact on your life or relationships, it’s a good idea to speak to a medical professional though. At the very least, they should be able to set your mind at ease.

The funny side

Personally, I choose to deal with it by trying not to take it too seriously. I try to laugh at myself when I do strange things like attempting to leave my bedroom via the wardrobe (yes, really!).

I know I have other sleep problems and am constantly working on those. So I hope that one day I’ll get on top of my sleep problems once and for all. Perhaps the confusional arousals will then resolve too.

Until then, other than worrying about replacing a broken glass, I’m able to see the funny side. I remind myself that little events like this can make life all the more colorful.

Understandably, if your confusional arousal episodes are causing problems because of aggressive behavior, sleep disruption, or complaints from a partner, you might not see the funny side.

If it’s just the occasional event of mistaking your phone for a lamp, or not knowing who you are for a moment, then perhaps a smile or laugh is the best way to stop yourself get stressed by it.

Your thoughts

If you’ve experienced confusional arousals I’d be very interested to hear from you. What exactly happens during your episodes? Have you found anything that makes them more or less frequent?

It’s often the case that readers find reassurance in knowing that they aren’t the only ones who experience a particular sleep disorder. So please feel free to share your story in the comments below.

658 Comments

  1. I woke up just 30 minutes ago and the first thing i did was to check my phone. When i saw the time it was 7 but didnt notice if it was am or pm. I wondered why i was sleeping downstairs and checked the window. It was still dark so i assumed that maybe the sun didnt rise yet. Weird. I went up because what i knew was i had to go to school for training then i realized that my husband wasnt there and the bed was organized. So i got more confused. I figured that he didnt come home from work that maybe i fell asleep downstairs while waiting for him. i asked myself how come he didnt send me a message that he couldnt come home so i felt bad and mad . So i called then slowly i just realized that the day hasnt finished yet . I still feel weird though. I cant focus now and feel dizzy with slight headache.

  2. Hi,
    My boyfriend has the same issue but it’s quite scary. He snores so I sometimes wake him up just to ask him to turn on his other side. You know, just a little poke and sweet words: hun, please turn on your other side. His reaction is schocking: he gets violent, starts to yell and swearing, asks me things that doesn’t make any sense then says very hurtful things to me. He turns on the lignt, then walks out of the room, then comes back and when I say something to him, he yells at me again, goes back to bed and falls asleep. It happens a lot. Basically every time when I sleep with him. He doesn’t remember anything the next day and says he didn’t do it. He doesn’t take any antidepressants and he doesn’t have mental disorder either. I dont’t know why he has it, what causes it and what we can do but it’s really affecting our relationship

    • Hi Dina
      Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you’re having these issues – I can imagine it must be stressful for both of you. I think this is something you should speak to a professional about. If you haven’t already, see a doctor about it and see if you can get a sleep study done. I’d also try different techniques for stopping the snoring, which might also help alleviate the problem until you can find out what’s going on.
      Regards
      Ethan

  3. This has been happening to me several times a night every night for the past week! It used to happen only occasionally, but it’s getting worse and it’s really annoying because I lose a lot of sleep! (But it’s kinda funny at the same time I have to admit) I will wake up 2-3 times between 12AM-4AM and each time I reach to get my iPad, I check the time, and I don’t misread it, I can see it clearly, but my brain just doesn’t process the numbers correctly, so I’m convinced it’s morning. So I do what I usually do in the morning: check my email, get up and turn on my computer, and then BAM I realize it’s not morning and I go back to bed. And then a few hours later I repeat the process. At least I snap out of it before taking a shower and making breakfast.

  4. Hello, my name is Dallas and so I remember fall asleep on the couch around 3:30 – 4:00pm and then I remember all of a sudden plugging in my phone and placing the charger piece that I was using on the couch and my night stand and my glasses on the night stand too. Then I just wake up, and I look at my phone and it says 1:14am I don’t remember going upstairs into my bed. And I try to find my glasses which is usually left on my bed. And they were just sitting there neatly on my night stand. And I am still having a hard time thinking how did I get upstairs and when did I get upstairs. I am really mad because now I didn’t get to do my homework and not eat again!
    ~Dallas
    If you need my age I am 14

  5. My husband has done this type of thing 3 times in the past few months. The first episode he woke and asked me where /when did we get our two grandchildren who had spent the night with us. He had no memory of them being go there the night before or that we had gone to get them. This latest incident, today, the alarm went off at 5 am and he asked me if we are goin somewhere. I gave him a couple minutes to think about it and then prompted with, “we are going on a trip “. He didn’t remember where or anything until I told him we were leaving for a cruise. We had packed the night before and of course had talked and planned for days. Theses incidences cause me concern. He takes no medications. He hasn’t had an episode that has occurred unless he had been drinking the night before, just 4 beers maybe.

  6. I have had these episodes once every couple of months but after a recent relationship breakup they’ve became more frequent, happening 4 or 5 times a week for the past few months. Usually I wake with a start and leap out of bed…often making it to the other end of the house before I am able to focus my thoughts and realise what has happened…again! Normally I have the feeling I have forgotten to take some medication (when in fact I’m not on any medication at all) and more recently it has been things like I’ve forgotten to feed my neighbors pet (they dont have one) and even one night it was that I had forgotten to look after the “pink cat “??? for someone. Common theme is that I’ve forgotten something. One time I recall unlocking the front door to head outside to do something before I “came to”. Once I’ve realised/fully woken I head back to bed to sleep with no further episodes. As a child I was always sleep walking and/talking but as far as I am aware have not done so for 30+ years.

  7. My husband who is 53 has had periods of sleep “drunkeness” for many years. I have described the episodes to him, however he thinks I’m fabricating or exaggerating what is happening. He also has sleep apnea. He uses a CPAP machines and during the periods he is on the machine he does not have any episodes. All of his espisodes occur when he takes a short nap and awakens. He begins to slur, his pattern of walk is off, he does not recall our conversations that occur within 5-10 minutes after he wakes. He is so confused it would be unsafe for him for a period to not drive or operate appliances. He wakes up five days a week at 5 a.m. to wake and goes to bed at 10 p.m. most nights. After roughly 30 minutes he is back to his old self.

  8. Do you think I’m getting some sort of sleep drunkness too? The last three days I have been waking the middle of the night convinced there’s someone in the room other thanight my husband. Panicked I reach for my clothing to put them on and then go right back to sleep again. This is all in a half asleep state which I remember happening in the morning. I have never had this before and my husband thinks I’m making it up. Help me please? X

  9. I think this may be what my boyfriend experiences. It happens when he has drank alcohol – fell asleep and than is woken up (shortly after – not the next morning) He never remembers – but it is scary. He speaks and screams loudly in English and Spanish. Sometimes he will “wake” and grab and kiss me very passionately. Other times have been more odd such as him standing up on the bed and “praying to Allah” (He is not religious and not even close to Muslim) that incident was especially confusing. Recently we had a more severe incident that I won’t post about here. But i’ve started to search for some answers because we cannot continue to let it happen.

    My first thought is that maybe he can’t drink alcohol anymore, but of course, that has to be his decision to make. I should also mention that alcohol affects him very quickly – Just 4 or 5 beers puts him into an entirely different mood – and it usually involves anger.

    • Hi Stephanie
      Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you’ve been dealing with this. It sounds to me like not drinking alcohol is definitely the clear solution! It’s unlikely that if alcohol is clearly the trigger for these disturbances, that they can be controlled without stopping the cause itself – alcohol. 4 or 5 beers isn’t that quickly either – many would consider it quite a lot of alcohol. Perhaps you could try a limit of just 1 or 2 and see if that’s an ok happy middle ground. But if it happens even in small quantities, something is definitely wrong there.
      Of course it has to be his choice, but if you explain to him that he regularly scares you in the night, and with his anger, and he refuses to do something about it, then I’d say you need to have a think about whether he’s the right guy for you!
      Regards
      Ethan

  10. I’m 15 year old, and few days ago I was sick (I’m alright now) and had temperature and threw up whole night (8 times in a single night) and couldn’t have enough sleep, becuse I came back from some sports camp where half of children were ill(and they probably spread that illness to me) and I was very very tired.
    So after that horrible night I woke up, couldn’t eat anything and after couple hours of talking with my parents,I went back to bed to have some more sleep before we set off on a car trip to our grandparents(we do that every holiday).
    I slept for maybe 2 hours, and then my parents woke me up and all I remember is that I had a feeling like I never had before. I was extremely confused and I was thinking in a very unusual way. I cannot remember to describe my thoughts well right now, but I thought something like that my whole body was molecule shaped, and then when I got up from bed my dad was holding me (cuz I couldn’t walk of illness) and walking through hallway with me, and I remember thinking that if I fall or hit some object I could cause some huge destruction(like death of millions of people). Then when I got to the living room I started thinking which two numbers can be added together to make 14 (ex. 11+3, 12+2) and some retarded things like that, everything around me looked very confusing and mysterious.
    I told my parents that I was very confused but they,being nervous as they always are, just ignored me.. I maybe became totally self-aware 30 minutes after getting up from bed, but at that time we were already in car…
    just felt a need to share this here because it was the first time that I thought in such a weird way and felt that I need to question every single common thing I saw..

    • Hi Marko
      Thanks for your comment. That sounds like it was very confusing! It’s well known that being ill can sometime cause sleep problems, often with unusual experiences, strange dreams or hallucinations. So I wouldn’t worry about it! I hope you recovered well and are back on your feet again.
      Regards
      Ethan

  11. I actually JUST had an experience similar to this last night. I looked it up because it just sounded so strange to me. I normally wake up for school at 5:30 AM, but I woke up at 12:35 AM and thought “oh. my. god. I’m late.” and i quickly got up and didn’t even realize that 12 is nowhere near 5 until i was trying to pack my lunch. I then did the same thing THAT NIGHT at around 3 AM. It wasnt that i just assumed it was past 5:30, it was the fact that I looked at the numbers “12:35” and thought that was about an hour past 5:30. Probably the trippiest night experience i can remember having.

  12. i struggle to sleep ever since i gave birth to my baby girl who is now 9 months old i went to see a doctor and he gave me some sleep pills S5 . after one night of one sleep pill my boyfriend told me i was sleep walking at first i laughed it off i thought he was messing around with me ever since my parents told him i did it as a child stopped drinking the sleeping pills. but then i remember putting my daughter in her crib bedtime at 2 in the morning she was in the bed by me and my boyfriend i woke him up and ask him why did you put her in our bed and he said that i took her out of her crib at 24:00 at night because she was crying i was so shocked i could not remember a thing. then the same week a worker called my boyfriend at 24:00 my boyfriend told me i got off the bed i took our daughter out of her crib because she was also crying at the moment he said i answered his phone and was rude to his worker i said i dont know let me have a look he said i had a very rude tone of a voice he said i gave him the phone i went whit our daughter and made her a teat went back to the room got in bed with our daughter gave her her teat but once again in the morning a didnt remember a thing i dont know what this is should i go see a doctor im afraid i may hurt my daughter doing things i dont recall in the morning ? please help!!!

    • Hi Natasha
      Thanks for your comment. It’s likely that the sleeping pill isn’t the best one for you. I would definitely mention it to your doctor and see if they can adjust the dose or type of sleeping pill.
      Regards
      Ethan

  13. For all of my life I’ve had experiences similar to this. My parents would tell me of turning all lights on in the house and then proceeding to sit in the middle of our liVing room, sweeping the contents of shelves onto the floor, and even making mothers’ day cards. Often, now, I can remember myself waking up and thinking I’m still working (I’m in the retail business) and trying to find the item that my “customer” is trying to buy. An odd experience for sure!

  14. Hi there! I definitely echo the fact this is a Great article! Down to earth and informative indeed!
    I’m from the UK and have recently been suffering with waking more or less every night thinking there are people in my bedroom ready to meet “Bubbles the elf” which is my character I play at my current job. I know that it’s all linked to the stress of my job, but I am waking sometimes up to 3 or 4 times in one night which is affecting me hugely!
    Is there any advice you can give to help get past this? Or even anything I can try to reduce it! It’s a horrible feeling and just like you said, the confusion is hard to snap out of!
    Thanks in advance, Dom!

    • Hi Dom
      Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear you’re under so much stress. My advice would be to try to tackle the stress, rather than the symptom of waking up several times. I know exactly how frustrating it can be to wake up a lot, as I have the same problem when I’m going through stressful periods in life. I think it’s a good idea to try to unwind in the hour before bed, doing something relaxing and calming. Then in bed you can do some relaxation or meditation exercises before you go to sleep if you like. And if you wake up, just repeat those exercises. That seems to work for me, as the alternative is to wake up and start thinking/stressing/worrying etc. Have a look at my article about relaxation exercises for sleep that you can easily start doing tonight if you wish.
      Regards
      Ethan

  15. I do have mental disorders, but I have been having these episodes very often, ever since high school. I choose to laugh it off, as well, as I’m not a harm to myself or anyone else. One time, in high school, I came home and took a nap. My aunt had called me to ask how my exams had gone, and though I could hear her perfectly clear, my brain couldn’t break down or understand what she was asking. It went back and forth for about 3 minutes, then my aunt asked if I was sleeping, and I remember chuckling, and saying “Yah…” Lol.
    Most of the time when I do have these episodes, however, I find that I cannot, for the life of me, process numbers. Which is funny, because math and numbers are my thing! 2 examples are: Sometimes I’ll wake up, go to check the time, and though I can see the numbers very clearly, I cannot make out what they are or what they mean — leaving me still to wonder if I’m late for work, or not!
    And the last funny moment that I’ll mention: I was 19, living on my own, and I had to wake up at 4am, to be at work for 5am. My alarm went off, I went to make myself some INSTANT oatmeal (put it in a bowl, add water, microwave), something that I’ve made a million times before, I went to read the back of the packet to see how long to microwave it for, and the exact time read “1 1/2 – 2 minutes”. I stood there like a dumb***, trying to make out why there was a math problem of 11 divided by 2, minus 2 on the back of my oatmeal packet. So I put it in the microwave for 11 minutes. I meant to check on it — but with that mental state, you know it never happened. I got back to the microwave, to black, chard oatmeal, and a bowl that had split in half. I laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

    • Hi Ash
      Thanks for your comment. It’s interesting that you have trouble with numbers during these episodes, but not surprising. Hopefully there won’t be any repeat of the microwave incident though!
      Regards
      Ethan

  17. My son is 18 and he recently experienced something like this and now this evening again. Since he previously developed epilepsy at the age of 12 but has been in remission since 2011 and off meds for a year and three months the doctor has prescribed a 48 hour eeg to rule out epilepsy. THE EPISODE it happens when he is sleeping he wakes up walks to the bathroom said he woke up thinking about math problems (he studies a lot) but then he felt disoriented and couldn’t tell his left from right he walked over to his dad’s room and told him he wasn’t feeling right after that his body was shaking and his boice was muzzled. This evening the same thing but this time he actually called me (he lives with his down since he attends college in another city) he said this time it wasn’t bad but he was shaking a lot after it happened it’s like his awake but feels disoriented . I am crushed if it is epilepsy again and worried if it’s not because what is it then? He is socially awkward and has a lot of stress about not being able to meet girls and does not make friends with ease but he is an execellent student and human being so afraid all this will make him feel even more awkward does anyone have advice ?please!

    • Hi Greddy
      Thanks for your comment. To be honest, I couldn’t tell you what it is with any clarity. I think with the possibility of epilepsy there, it’s important to get the doctor’s opinion. If it’s not, then again it might be good to get a sleep specialist to look into it.
      Sorry I can’t help more!
      Regards
      Ethan

  18. This is such a great article. I’ve been waking up 2/3 times a week depending on when I’m staying at my partners. I sleep nude with my partner (gets too hot otherwise) and every time I’m there, without fail, I wake up panicking that I’m naked beside a stranger or friend. I put on clothes then my partner wakes up to tell me it’s okay and I’m safe. I don’t even know I’m doing it, just a quick panic, scramble for clothes then back to bed. It’s quite funny really once the panic is over. Such a strange feeling when it happens. Ive struggled with anxiety for years so think there’s a connection. Thanks for making me feel normal :) x

    • Hi ARF
      Thanks for your comment, and compliment about the article. I’m glad you found it helpful. Perhaps there’s something going on in connection to the clothes – maybe you’re not completely secure in the night, even though you want to sleep that way. You could try getting some really light linen bed clothes or underwear and see if that helps keep your mind at ease, but still keeps the heat at bay.
      Regards
      Ethan

  19. My name is Jessie I’m a 30 yo woman, this morning my husband and son tried to wake me up to turn on the pre-school channel (there are many remotes, its a process and my husband doesn’t know how hence waking me). Anyway I apparently I started wandering around and was confused and seemed awake. When my husband questioned me I started to become upset even cry, he got angry and started to yell at me causing me to freak out more. I went back to sleep he apparently videotaped the whole thing and watching it later I have little to no memory of it. I used to have a problem with opiates, and Ive been clean for some time, but when this happens that’s his first thought. There have been other occurrences, me trying to make dinner, take a bath, insist on looking for things, and when questioned or yelled at I tend to break down and get cry and I usually have vague snippets of memory at best. I never thought it was a disorder because Ive never really had many bouts of insomnia…If anything I’m the polar opposite, I’m quite a heavy sleeper(aside from children or babies crying which Ive been assured for a mom is normal and good), but I’m usually out in about 5 minutes after laying down. My father also informed this has been going on since childhood.

    • Hi Jessie
      Thanks for your comment. I wonder if you’re having confusional arousals or something else like sleep walking. In any case, it’s not advisable to wake someone up suddenly who’s in these states. I think it would be a good idea to speak to your husband and talk this through. Ideally he would guide you back to bed, not shout at you, and help you wake up gently or let you go back to sleep.
      Regards
      Ethan

  20. I recently experienced the loss of my husband and this, accompanied with bipolar illness, has made such episodes apparently worse. I remember so little of it, but my children have been telling me that I wake up very early in the morning and wander around mumbling about chores, something I’m missing, or things I have to do nonsensically and don’t respond clearly to questioning. Once I got up at 2 AM to walk to work, when I didn’t work until 11 the next day. I also, a few times, had to be guided to the bathroom. This is quite frightening for me. Apparently it was worsened by taking of Tylenol PM, as I was and still am having trouble sleeping and has gotten better since I stopped, but what can I take to help me sleep that won’t affect me so badly?

    • Hi Elizabeth
      Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear about the loss of your husband. I think where medication is concerned, you need to speak to your doctor about it really, if you haven’t already. They know your full medical history and current situation, so if you tell them what happens with your sleep, and what you feel you need, they should be able to work with you to find something that works for you.
      Regards
      Ethan

  21. My 90 year old father has recently become disorientated when he wakes up. It could be during the night or on the morning. He doesn’t realise he is in his own house and sometimes doesn’t recognise my mother …my siblings are quick to jump to the conclusion it’s the start of Alzeimers but he is as sharp as a tack during the day right up till he goes to bed. I came across this and a lot points to what’s happening to him.

    • Hi Kathleen
      Thanks for your comment. I can understand the concern and the temptation to think it’s the most common explanation. As you say though, if he’s fine during the day, it could be something else entirely. It’s worth checking in with a doctor to be sure though.
      Regards
      Ethan

  22. i often wake and try to dress. its only when i cant pick up my socks or what ever that i realise and wake up. sometimes i know im still asleep as its my left eye open, so when i open my right i see things as they should be. sometimes, for a short while, i can still see both images if i open and close right eye. but then my head clears and i am awake fully. i often fall out of bed reaching for something on the bedside table that i dont possess. i wake as i hit the floor.

    weirdest is when i have company. i am talking to ,my mate who is to my right. then, when he replies i am startled as he is now to my left. i have even woken from watching a tv show that isnt on or looking for the cigarette i havent been smoking.

    i dont take mind drugs. i suffer short term memory loss and have recently been diagnosed as having non insulin diabetes and thyroid problems. i also suffer from nacolepsy which doesnt produce dreams.

    • Hi Steven
      Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experience. Has your doctor said anything about a possible connection between the confusional arousals you experience and the other conditions?
      Regards
      Ethan

  23. Hi. I’m 22 female. I’m wide awake 1:28am and can’t go back to sleep because I’m terrified of repeating this drunkenness. I suddenly woke up and started searching for something I can’t remember what and my fiance kept asking me what and I was so serious about it and Was saying random stuff about my mom. He started questioning me, that was when I woke up. I feel Ild just scared the crap out of my fiance. So I turned to google if something was wrong with me perhaps a hidden mental illness. I experience this every once or twice in a week. Looking for what is not lost, saying nonsense, feeling late, waking my partner to ask nonsense. I’m scared.

    • Hi Emma
      Thanks for your comment. I can understand your concern, but hopefully you can relax a little now you know what it most likely is. Try the ideas in the article, and also ask your fiancee to read about it. Hopefully that will help you both feel like it’s nothing to worry about, and that maybe you can reduce it. And if you continue to feel very scared, you could ask your doctor about it, who can hopefully reassure you.
      Regards
      Ethan

  24. I wake up in the first 1-3 hours of my sleep usually about once a year and feel like I’m on a very scary psilocybin shroom trip. I don’t know what’s going on and I thinks the world is literally dieing. That’s what rushes through my head. :/

  25. I woke up last night thinking I was using the wrong blanket. That the first layer was full of suction cups and was supposed to be preserved for some kind of energy and I was wasting it. So I took the blankets off of me thinking they’ll recharge. I went back to sleep.

    I woke up a little while later thinking what the hell, these are just normal blankets. I’m crazy. And then slept through the night after that.

  26. Hi, for about two years now I have been waking up and reaching over to touch someone in bed next to me but there is never anyone there. I live alone. This happens almost every night. Its always a different person that I’m so sure is in the bed with me, sometimes my ex who is deceased, sometimes one of my children or grandchildren. Most times when I reach over and no one is there, I wake up right away and realize its not real. But other times, I almost start to freak out, lifting the blankets and even saying out loud “where are you”. It seems to be happening more often and becoming more intense.

    • Hi Steffanie
      Thanks for your comment. Perhaps there’s something on your mind which is leading to this particular behavior. Have you spoken to anyone about it? Perhaps talking it through with a professional would help?
      Regards
      Ethan

  27. I have experienced many of the episodes mentioned. I am not on antidepressants or any daily medications . In the past
    I have urinated in my suitcase on a business trip. I actually have driven to Mcdonalds with no recollection of the adventure. I finally started to put the chain on my door and when I tried to open it, it wakes me up. Tonight was a new experience , I was exhausted and fell asleep on the sofa. I had plans with a friend and he rang
    the doorbell and I answered and accompanied him to his car and
    rode about a mile to the restaurant. It wasn’t until I arrived at the restaurant for dinner that I became coherent and “woke up”: I asked my friend how I appeared and he said confused but carried a conversation but seemed drunk. I had not consumed any alcohol and at that pointl was completely awake. Entertaining to say the least: WTF

    • Hi Rob
      Thanks for your comment. It sounds like you have quite an extreme version of this. I wonder if perhaps you sleepwalk as well, rather than it always being confusional arousals?
      Regards
      Ethan

  28. I remember a few years ago I fell asleep in a taxi cab office -when the taxi arrived and the driver woke me up I carried the chair I was sleeping in and was insisting in putting in his taxi. i even argued with the driver. When i snapped out of my trance- i couldnt apologise enough- i really didnt know what the hell was going on.

    • Hi there
      Thanks for your comment. Wow, that must have been very confusing for the both of you! I imagine both of you also had a story to tell from that day on!
      Regards
      Ethan

  29. I wake up sometimes anything up to ten times in the night and think that things have been moved, changed or taken from the room. It can be stressful at times and I get very disorientated I’ve even tried to take photos when it happens because I’m so convinced things have been moved.

    • Hi Kim
      Thanks for your comment. I can imagine that being very confusing. Do you usually snap out of it when taking the photos, or do you do that too and then later realise what happened?
      Regards
      Ethan

  30. Hey! Glad i found your story, i’ve been thinking about this for a while, i didnt know it was a thing. I dont know if i suffer from it or not, but i would like to share my experience. I am 21yo Female and I am currently in college and I began to notice something was odd about 1 year ago. I spend the work week away from home, i rent an apartment near campus and i come home on the weekends. I´ve changed said apartment 3 times in the last 3 years, and sometimes i spent time at my Grandma’s house or at a friend’s house. I started waking up and not knowing where I am, looking for a bedside table that isnt there, not knowing what day of the week it is and I have to focus really hard to make sense of things. This happens when I take naps too, the most recent episode I woke up and I was very confused as I tought I fell asleep during the afternoon and I was late to catch the train to come home, in reality it was 9pm and I was already at my Grandma’s house and had already had dinner and cought said train 4 hours ago…. I dont know if t has to do with moving houses so much or not, I also think this happend to me before, when I was a kid I used to have terrible nightmare and i would woke up very disoriented, this still happens, altough not as much. Should I be worried? Thank you for reading.

    • Hi Ana
      Thanks for your comment. It sounds like quite a common experience you’re describing there. I also think daytime naps can be very confusing to wake up from, especially if you don’t have a pattern of doing them regularly. And it’s definitely possible that moving house can cause some confusion. I wouldn’t worry about it too much though – it sounds like it is confusional arousals, which although worrying at times, are generally harmless.
      Regards
      Ethan

  31. Hi
    In the last couple of months I have picked up my mobile, turned it on and texted my daughter twice at three in the morning and have no memory of it. She rang me early to see if I was ok….some words were correct and some I couldn’t understand.

    Then this morning I had a call from a friend who had moved away and I hadn’t spoken to her for years. I rang her during the night but left no message so she rang me this morning to see if I was ok.

    I find it very scary going through so many detailed moves and having no memory of it.

    • Hi Lorraine
      Thanks for your comment. I know it can be scary when you do things in the night and have no recollection. Perhaps you could try leaving the phone in another room and using a normal alarm clock, if you need one?
      Regards
      Ethan

  32. Hi, not sure which one mine comes under but think I’m going to speak to doctor soon, I can wake up and think somebody’s coming, start getting dressed etc and then eventually when I realise it’s not true I go back to sleep, happens regular but with other things with it like I thought my alarm clock was making noises every hour and woke my partner to tell him but he’s used to me waking him now and just tells me to go back to sleep, there was only once when I shouted every one up including my 7 and 9 year old children to say there was a fire, was abit dissapointed in myself for that but not like I could help this and the strange thing is I can always remember it after I’ve done it and I realise it’s not happening, not sleep walking because I’m awake whilst I’m doing this..

    • Hi Hayley
      Thanks for your comment. Try not to be too hard on yourself for doing this. It’s not something you can be blamed for, and many people do things like this. It might be good to talk it through with your doctor to see if they can identify anything that might be triggering it. Also, do try to work on your sleep routine and keep it as stable as possible.
      Regards
      Ethan

  33. I’m not sure if mine is confusion arousal, but I have done strange things before between sleeping & awakening.
    One of them was throwing anything in my arms away from me, like a bolster or a phone and papers… Good thing is they must be in my hands or arms, so I make sure nothing in them before I go to sleep. Having anything beside my body (but not in my hands) like a phone or book won’t be thrown off, but some times they maybe push off the bed… If they are beside my head, then they are safe.
    I remember one time when I was asleep & then I woke up in half-asleep state. At that moment I felt my arms throw something away on its own (it feels like my arms were moving on its own without me thinking of it) & I opened my eyes immediately. I was confused & kept staring at my bolster on the floor & then stupidly took my pillow under my head & throw it at the bolster… The next thing I did was to go back to sleep immediately, I don’t know how long it took, but after some times I woke up again remembering my poor pillow & bolster & went to pick them up.
    It happened with phone as well, but good thing no one was sleeping near me. The crash did wake me up completely (not the half asleep state as I mentioned early). I didn’t know my hands will throw things as well because it was always something that was in my embrace, like a toy or bolster… My phone survive thanks goodness (it was the cheapest phone I got so I wasn’t sure the quality itself).
    Does these behavior goes away on its own or remains permanently?
    I’m still throwing things away even though I’m 21 now, had to put them besides my head to avoid accidental throw at my roommate (especially my pitiful phone)…

    • Hi HL
      Thanks for your comment. The frequency of episodes might change naturally, but it’s also good to pay attention to good sleep habits as well. And in your case, I think a simple way to deal with it would be to clear things from your reach from the bed, apart from your pillow and bedding. Don’t keep things within reach on the bedside table for example.
      Regards
      Ethan

  34. I’m a 29 year old female, and have experienced all these symptoms. I like to call them interactive dreams. I talk to people who aren’t there which eventually wakes me up. I search for things in my room. The two things that happen the most in the past year is waking up in the middle of the night, and having no clue where I am about 5 times a week. The other is having hallucinations. I constantly see anything from outlines of people to orbs of color. I wake up absolutely terrified. I tend to hide under my covers, and work up the courage to turn on my bedside lamp. After that I am typically too teffified to sleep and fight to stay awake.
    I am diagnosed bipolar which I take lamictal to treat. I have had these experiences all my life, but have intensified within the past two years. I have been taking the medication for 6 years.
    I also suffer from what seems to be sleep paralysis when I nap during the day. I am in a dream that seems to be terrifying, so I think I wake up, but I realize I’m stuck in another dream. My mind then wakes up, but my body will not move, and my eyes won’t open. I started suffering from this when I was about 14.
    I know this is a lot, but I’m hoping there may be help for me. I love to sleep, but it’s quite scary most nights of the week.

    • Hi Courtney
      Thanks for your comment. I can understand why you’re concerned if going to bed so regularly involves these confusing experiences. Have you spoken to your doctor about the frequency and vividness of these events? Perhaps they can recommend ways to deal with it.
      I also think perhaps it might help you to have a night-light. That way you won’t wake up in complete darkness, which can help stop the brain from filling the void with hallucinations etc, and also help you stay calm when you wake up.
      It might also be good to really try to keep on top of your sleep patterns and sleep hygiene. Try to keep a very regular sleep pattern, don’t allow yourself to get overly tired, and try doing some relaxation exercises either before bed, or once you’re in bed.
      Regards
      Ethan

  35. i am 23 and i have a similar experience of sleep drunkenness. my case is that i wake up in the middle of the night and keep looking for things which even i dont know, i switch on the light of my room and then sleep back. some days back i even found myself sitting on the floor . honestly i dont feel it funny but i am worried:(

  36. Hi my name is David, I’m 24 and in college. I was studying pretty much all night for a test two nights ago, as I sometimes procrastinate and this time went a little to far and the test was in the morning. Later in the day I had been up for 34 hours with a 20 min nap here or there. I fell asleep in another class. I remember waking up and heading for the door, after that I think I was stumbling or walking around the floors and up and down two steps and spitting into garbage cans or toilets, I think I may have hugged the stairs at some point. I also had some type of impossible belief in my mind, I don’t remember exactly what but it was making me feel a bit nuts.
    In the normal course of my days I am a bit of a philosopher or I just analyze different aspects of life and ways of thinking, and so I was able to realize that I don’t think I had any logic structure in my head or that it was somehow going haywire. After a while I remember grabbing onto one thing in my mind and then sitting down and continuing to hold onto it till I came more or less to.

    This has not happened often, just around once in a few years and usually when not feeling well. Thinking back I think the first time had been waking up when I was 9 or 10 and believing I was holding a huge rock over my head which I could not impossibly been able to and I don’t remember my exact thinking.
    Your article got me thinking and it bore some similarities to 3 nightmares that I had while sleeping as a little kid, probably somewhere in the age range of 3-6.

    Thank you very much your article was very helpful.
    David

    • Hi David
      Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experiences. I’m glad you found the article helpful. It’s good it doesn’t happen too often if you end up with such a long, drowsy wake-up experience!
      Regards
      Ethan

  37. Hi, I’m 24, single parent, I’ve had sleep drunkenness pretty much everyday. Always had an issue with getting up.I never remember conversations, people say I say and do wierd things. My wife told me I put our cat in a dryer once. (cat is ok) but this has become a serious issue, I don’t wake to alarms. So someone has to get me up, but I will tell them I’m awake when I’m not. I generally wake now around 11 or 12.
    I always thought I just needed to sleep earlier, but even then it still happens. And I don’t take any meds or antidepressants. Like I said iv had this for as long as I can remember

    • Hi Nathan
      Thanks for your comment. I can understand your concern if you’re doing these things with no memory. If it’s distressing you, and causing problems in your daily life, it might be good to talk it through with your doctor to get their advice.
      Regards
      Ethan

  38. On occasion I wake and don’t know where I am. This has happened off and on for decades. I don’t know the cause, I do have sleep issues where I wake after 2-4 hours and don’t get back to sleep. I am a 57 year old male.

    • Hi Tony
      Thanks for your comment. It seems that you may have had confusional arousals for a very long time indeed then. Have you ever sought help for your sleep problems? Occasionally it’s not too bad to sleep less than normal, but if it’s persistent, it’s good to get some help.
      Regards
      Ethan

  39. Hi my name is Courtney. My fiance is 23 and experiences sleep drunkenness if you wake him up if he wakes up he seems like he’s always in a daze he talks about random things he does random things one time he woke up and he told me to put the carseat in the car because we had to go to the gym or something like that and then he told me that the car was in the building behind the house and none of these things were true and then just a little bit ago before he went to work he threw his charger in my face and told me that it was a Walmart bag then he told me to hand the papers to him what she has a paper delivery person so I was trying to get him up to call to see when the papers had left so he knew what time that he had to leave to go to work and then he gets on his phone and he opens up his browser searches up something random and then he tells me that he’s reading the newspaper. He’s unaware that he does these things and he never remembers. He also gets really aggravated during this state of mind as well and he curses at me and he normally doesn’t. Is this something I should maybe have him talk to his doctor about? It really worries me cause he gets up and has to drive and when he’s like this he has no idea what he’s doing and I’m so afraid that he’ll wreck one day :/

    • Hi Courtney
      Thanks for your comment. I can appreciate why you’re concerned. I would say that yes, it’s a good idea to talk to his doctor about this and get a professional assessment. If you think he’s at the risk of injuring himself or others, it’s important to get help.
      Regards
      Ethan

  40. I’m a 47 year old woman.I just discovered that I have sleep apnea.I’m using a machine at night while I sleep.I get up normally at least once a night to go to the bathroom.Lately I’m having trouble finding my way out of the bedroom. Lastnight I wet myself trying to figure out how to open the door to get out.What is going on with me?

    • Hi Sandra
      Thanks for your comment. I’m not entirely sure why this might be happening. Off the top of my head I wonder if it’s perhaps because with the CPAP machine, you could be sleeping more deeply than before, and perhaps waking in the deeper stages of sleep, leading to the confusional arousals. I’d talk it over with your doctor when you have the chance.
      Regards
      Ethan

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