Sherlock of Sleep Devoted to Understanding Parasomnias

Part scientist, part detective, Michel Cramer Bornemann explains some of the most mysterious — and deadliest — sleep disorders ever studied.

By Steve Nadis
Nov 26, 2023 2:00 PM
Sleep Disorders
Credit: New Africa/Shutterstock)

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This story was originally published in our Sept/Oct 2023 issue as "Sherlock of Sleep." Click here to subscribe to read more stories like this one.


The elderly man woke up one night to find himself in a bed soaked with blood. His wife, lying next to him, was dead, stabbed with a letter opener.

The man was charged with murder, though he claimed to have no memory of what had happened. The defense attorney was stumped, because there was no plausible motive for his client to have killed his wife.

The couple had been together for decades, and everything suggested a harmonious, loving relationship with no signs of strife; nor were there mitigating factors like alcohol or drug intoxication.

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