1. Severe respiratory complications due to syringomyelia and syringobulbia

No, not from trying to pronounce them during a dream state either. Syringomyelia is a disorder in which a cyst forms within the spinal cord. Syringobulbia is the same cyst that extends into the cerebral area and affects the cranial nerves.

2. Sleepwalking in Unsafe Areas

If you have knives hanging from the ceiling and spikes protruding from the wall, sleepwalking is very dangerous. Otherwise, it’s usually safe. However, if you are a chronic sleepwalker, you need to make sure no dangerous items lie around your bedroom and home, in case you go wandering and venting off that extra agrression duing slumber.

3. Being an Infant

Up to now, sudden death by an infant during sleep is still an unexplained event. It happens but medical science is unsure why. So far, only risk factors have been assessed which can contribute to it, including: laying an infant on its stomach, respiratory infections, being one of a multiple birth, or being born to a substance abusing mother.

4. Being South East Asian

Sudden unexplained nocturnal deaths can happen to healthy young adults. Clinical history nor autopsy suggest any patterns for the occurences and contrary to urban legends, it’s not likely due to eating too much.

Southeast Asian men between 25 and 44 years of age are most often the victims of this disorder. (source: Holistic Online)

5. Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The condition is a high-risk factor for both stroke and heart attacks, even during slumber. So get that shit treated now!

6. Having Multiple System Atrophy

This is a neurodegenerative condition marked by many different symptoms that adversely affect movement, blood pressure, and other body functions. Its causes are unknown and symptoms vary from person to person so detection is really hard at the beginning.

A recent study of 7 patients suffering MSA found 3 dead during their sleep.

7. Being Murdered

Of course, you are easiest to murder during your slumber. It is unlikely to be a crime of passion as well since I doubt you’re invoking any emotions while snoring in the corner. Unless, that is, you’re the world’s loudest snorer.

a. Narcolepsy

Maybe she wasn’t asleep for a long, long time and instead, she just fell asleep all the time. I mean, she should be dead of hunger and malnutrition otherwise.

In such case, Prince Charming probably just gave her coffee or some prescription drug like Ritalin, modafinil, dextroamphetamine, or pemoline. A cigarette probably didn’t hurt as well.

b. Depression

Maybe she wasn’t asleep but just locked herself up, shying away from the world, incapable of living among people. Having Prince Charming come along showing love and affection can do a truckload for depression.
c. Stupidity

Maybe she thought you weren’t supposed to wake up. Or that she was dead.

d. Hibernation

Maybe Sleeping Beauty was a bear. And it was that time of the year, like winter or something.

e. Cryogenics

Maybe they lived in Antartica and she was frozen in ice because, if I remember the movies correctly, her window was wide open.

What do you surmise?

Recent reports talked about Stilnox, more popularly known as Ambien in other parts of the world, causing weird sleeping behavior among Australians.  A total of 16 separate complaints of sleepwalking behavior have been reported to the Federal Health Commission, all concerning patients under the medication.

Reports include a woman who binge-ate in front of the refrigerator while sleepwalking, one who painted her front door while asleep and other similar unconscious activities.
The health department also received 104 reports of hallucinations and 62 complaints of amnesia related to the medication.

There have also been reports from other countries of similar cases.