What is the term for sleepwalking in medical terminology?

The medically accepted term for sleepwalking is somnambulism. This term derives from Latin, where "somnus" means sleep and "ambulare" means to walk. Somnambulism specifically refers to a state where a person walks or performs other complex behaviors while in a sleep state, often occurring during the non-REM phase of sleep.

While noctambulism may sound close and refers to night walking, it is less commonly used in medical contexts than somnambulism. Hypnotism relates to a trance-like state that can be induced intentionally and does not pertain to sleepwalking. Paralysis refers to a loss of the ability to move, which is not associated with the act of walking during sleep. Therefore, the use of somnambulism aptly describes the phenomenon of sleepwalking within the medical field.