somnambulate

/sɑmˈnæmbjəˌleɪt/

Other forms: somnambulating; somnambulated; somnambulates

If you've been known to raid the cookie jar in the middle of the night, down a few cookies, then climb back into bed without remembering a thing, then you somnambulate — you walk in your sleep.

When you somnambulate, your body's on autopilot. Your eyes are open and you look like you're awake, but you’re really sleeping. Somnambulate is a wonderful word, and you may recognize the Latin roots: somnus, "sleep," as in somniferous, “something putting you to sleep,” somnolent, “sleepy, or making you sleepy,” and Sominex, the brand name of a sleeping pill. Ambulare means "to walk," as in amble, “to stroll,” and "ambulance" the vehicle that gets you to the hospital.

Definitions of somnambulate

1. verb

   walk in one's sleep
   synonyms: sleepwalk

   type of:

   walk

   use one's feet to advance; advance by steps