Why Do We Sleepwalk? (VIDEO)

WATCH: Why Do We Sleepwalk?

Even though it's relatively common -- nearly one in three people will sleepwalk at some point in their lives -- sleepwalking is frequently misunderstood and more than a little frightening.

In extreme cases, sleepwalkers have been known to do potentially dangerous activities like drive or even cook while asleep. But more often than not, a sleepwalker is gently woken and guided back to bed, unscathed.

So why do these nighttime behaviors occur? Turns out there's a host of chemical reactions happening in the brain while we sleep that don't quite operate as they should in people who sleepwalk. Get all the details in the video above.

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