Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

Experts Weigh In After Chris Hyndman's Mother's 'Sleepwalking' Suggestion

The Canadian Press, 08 Aug, 2015 01:38 PM
    TORONTO — A mother's suggestion that her son, TV personality Chris Hyndman, plunged to his death while sleepwalking has shone a light on the dangers associated with the disorder.  
     
    Glenda Hyndman told the Toronto Star that she believed her son fell to his death while sleepwalking on the terrace of the downtown Toronto home he shared with his professional and personal partner Steven Sabados. 
     
    Sleep researchers say there have been documented cases in which sleepwalkers engage in very complex activities and wind up inflicting harm on themselves or others. However, they say those cases make up the extreme minority of the situations they encounter.
     
    Hyndman, co-star of CBC fashion and design show "Steven and Chris," was found lying in an alleyway just outside of his home late on Monday evening. Police have not identified a cause of death but have suggested that there is no criminal investigation underway.
     
    Colleen Carney, director of the Sleep and Depression Laboratory at Ryerson University, said Hyndman's death would be a tragic rarity if it was caused by a fatal sleepwalking accident.
     
    "Injuries during sleepwalking tend to be mild, but there's tremendous variability in sleepwalking and also the severity of it," Carney said in a telephone interview.
     
    Somnanbulance is already an unusual disorder to encounter in adults.
     
    Dr. Sat Sharma, medical director for Toronto's Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, said that less than one per cent of the adult population suffers from the condition that is most prevalent in childhood.
     
    Sharma said the majority of sleepwalkers confine themselves to wandering aimlessly in their homes and usually find themselves unable to perform complex tasks like unlocking doors or taking themselves further afield.
     
    Such actions are possible, though, for those with particularly grave conditions. Sharma said risk of injury is "very serious" in such instances.
     

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Lawyer Says Homeless In Abbotsford Not Responsible For Plight

    Lawyer Says Homeless In Abbotsford Not Responsible For Plight
    NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — A lawyer arguing that the rights of homeless people are being violated in Abbotsford, B.C., says the city is blaming victims of the system.

    Lawyer Says Homeless In Abbotsford Not Responsible For Plight

    22-Year-Old Man Arrested After Lewd Act At National War Memorial

    Officers say bystanders saw the man climb the statue and begin the lewd activity late Sunday night. A 22-year-old man was arrested at the scene.

    22-Year-Old Man Arrested After Lewd Act At National War Memorial

    Air Canada Bans Shipments Of Hunting Trophies After Killing Of Cecil The Lion

    Air Canada Bans Shipments Of Hunting Trophies After Killing Of Cecil The Lion
    TORONTO — Air Canada says it will no longer transport big-game hunting trophies after the killing of Cecil the lion drew international attention.

    Air Canada Bans Shipments Of Hunting Trophies After Killing Of Cecil The Lion

    Vancouver Teen, North Vancouver Man Die Of Suspected Fentanly Overdoses

    VANCOUVER — Police say fentanyl is suspected in the overdose deaths of two people in the Vancouver area over the long weekend.

    Vancouver Teen, North Vancouver Man Die Of Suspected Fentanly Overdoses

    Tornado Touches Down In Southwestern Ontario Village Amid Severe Weekend Storms

    Tornado Touches Down In Southwestern Ontario Village Amid Severe Weekend Storms
    Environment Canada issued a statement that said the violent winds of up to 220 kilometres per hour occurred in Teviotdale, northwest of Kitchener.

    Tornado Touches Down In Southwestern Ontario Village Amid Severe Weekend Storms

    Stephen Harper Urges Canada To Stay The Course, While Trudeau Urges Opposite

    Stephen Harper Urges Canada To Stay The Course, While Trudeau Urges Opposite
    LAVAL, Que. — One day after Stephen Harper crashed a Liberal stronghold in Montreal, Justin Trudeau returned the favour Monday, rallying supporters in the heart of Conservative country and taking aim at the government's economic record.

    Stephen Harper Urges Canada To Stay The Course, While Trudeau Urges Opposite