We all have our own quirks when we sleep – from snoring and trashing in bed to sleep talking and in some serious cases, sleepwalking.

The result could be anything from disruptive to funny or even dangerous, but what’s undeniable is that these quirks sure make for some interesting stories to tell.


We got some Malaysians to share their experiences and although we feel bad for laughing, we were thoroughly entertained!

We’ve changed the names to protect the identity of those involved but we can confirm that the stories are real.

#1 Oops…wrong room!

Scarlett, Arya and Nicole were holidaying in Penang when they stayed in one of the boutique bed and breakfasts near Batu Ferringhi.


“We had fun. Went to Hard Rock café at night to catch their band. We had alcohol and all but everyone was quite steady.

“Only when we got off our Grab car did we realise Nicole was drunk but since we were back at the hotel, we just got into bed,” shared Scarlett.

The next morning, she woke to the sound of someone in the bathroom and thought it was Nicole, but Arya came out few minutes later to ask where the former was.

“We realised that Nicole was not in the room but all her things were there, including her purse and phone. So, we went out to see if she’s in the common area.


“We really panicked when we realised that her slippers were still outside and asked the guy at the lobby if he saw anyone going out at any point that night,” she continued.

It was a small place, so it didn’t take long for them to check every possible area.

“As we were contemplating what to do, the staff with whom we were talking to earlier called out and when we walked towards him, we realised that he was pointing to the room directly opposite ours.

To their relief and surprise, Nicole was comfortably snuggled in bed and when they woke her up, she coolly walked back to their room to continue sleeping.


“It was terrifying at that point but later we were laughing like lunatics for a good 20 minutes. We also checked the CCTV to be sure of what happened,” Scarlett continued.

It turns out that some point during the night, Nicole had walked across the hallway to the other room and jumped into bed.

Luckily, the room that Nicole ended up in was empty and no harm came to her.

#2 What’s the parang for?

Having grown up in a kampung and being an outdoorsy person, Zakariah’s father’s habit of having some form of knife or parang close to him was something that everyone in the family took in stride.


“That is just the kind of person my dad is. Him having a parang under his bed was normal,” she said.

Her dad also sleep-talked but never really acted, as far as she knew.

“But there was this one time when he started mumbling in his sleep and suddenly reached out for his parang.

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“He unsheathed it like something was attacking him,” she said.

Her mom was the witness to this event, who said that after a few tense minutes, her dad put the weapon away and went back to sleep peacefully while her mum laid down terrified.


“I think my dad just came back from an excursion in the jungle, so maybe something followed him back.

“I know it sounds weird and superstitious, but meh, it happens,” she said pretty nonchalantly.

Whether it was something supernatural or just a dream acted out unconsciously, we’re sure her mom would be more careful of the parang when sleeping from then on!

#3 We’re not in a war zone

A few years back, Anand’s cousin visited him from the USA and they shared a room during a getaway.

After a few nights of hearing his cousin mumbling in his sleep and finding him in places he’s not meant to be – like in the hall and kitchen in the middle of night - Anand knew that his cousin was a sleepwalker.

What he wasn’t prepared for was to be plunged into a ‘war zone’ on one of those nights.

“I was sleeping soundly when my cousin’s screaming woke me up.

“He held his hands out like he was holding a gun and started screaming, 'Get behind me. I'll keep you safe!'” Anand shared.


He had to wake his cousin up, who didn’t remember the exchange, or the war cry, as a matter of fact.

Less video games before sleeping the next time, maybe?

#4 Too early for a shower

We all have our favourite time to shower. Some prefer showering first thing in the morning, some before going to sleep and there are others who prefer to engage in the activity more than twice a day.


But it is a rare thing to see someone waking up in the middle of the night for hygiene reasons.

That’s exactly what John did, without even realising it.

One night, he suddenly ‘woke up’ in his parents’ room with a towel slung over his shoulders.


He was on his feet and heading towards the bathroom in the room when his mother woke him up.

“She asked me what I’m doing and I told her that I was going to shower," he said.

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Being an Asian mother, she scolded him for it and informed John that it was 3am and he should go back to sleep.

We wonder what made John feel like he had to get clean at that hour of the night.

How to know if a person is sleepwalking?

While the stories we shared were mostly amusing, sometimes sleepwalking can be dangerous, like Zakariah’s dad wielding a parang or even Nicole wandering into a stranger’s room.

According to WebMD, you can detect if a person is sleepwalking through their eyes.

Sleepwalkers often walk with their eyes open, but it looks glassy and unfocused.

They also tend to be very slow to respond to you - or they won’t respond at all - when you talk to them.

When you guide them back to their beds, they often don’t remember acting weirdly or even leaving their beds.

So, what should you do if you encounter a sleepwalker?

Well, the best thing to do is to not wake them up abruptly as this can confuse them. Just guide them to the nearest bed or flat surface and all should be well.

Do you have any crazy sleepwalking stories to share? Drop them in the comment section below.