What is sleep talking?
Sleep talking, or somniloquy, is the act of speaking during sleep. It is a type of parasomnia -- an abnormal behaviour that takes place during sleep. It refers to speaking words or sounds during sleep without any awareness of the event as it happens. It is a relatively frequent event of utterances to coherent conversation during sleep. The patients have no memory of the events and may convey information that may have little resemblance to the truth.
The nighttime chatter may be harmless, or it could be graphic. Sleep talkers normally speak for no more than 30 seconds per episode. Occurring during stage 2 (lighter stages of the NREM sleep), slow wave sleep or REM sleep, sleeptalking most often occurs during the first half of the night. Episodes can be worsened by
- acute medical illness,
- stress,
- a co-morbid sleep disorder,
- or new medications.
Anyone, even children, can sleep talk
Many people talk in their sleep. Half of all kids between the ages of 3 and 10 years old carry on conversations while asleep, and a small number of adults -- about 5% -- keep chit-chatting after they go to bed. The utterances can take place occasionally or every night.
Sleep talking is harmless, but take note when it gets violent
Sleep talking usually occurs by itself and is most often harmless. However, in some cases, it might be a sign of a more serious sleep disorder or health condition.
REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) and sleep terrors are two types of sleep disorders that cause some people to shout during sleep. Sleep terrors, also called night terrors, usually involve frightening screams, thrashing, and kicking. It's hard to wake someone having a sleep terror. Children with sleep terrors usually sleep talk and sleepwalk.
People with RBD yell, shout, grunt, and act out their dreams, often violently.
Sleep talking can also occur with sleepwalking and nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder (NS-RED), a condition in which a person eats while asleep.
Other factors that can cause sleep talking
Other factors that can cause sleep talking include:
- Certain medications
- Emotional stress
- Fever
- Mental health disorder (anxiety, depression)
- Substance abuse
How you can manage sleep talking
Sleeptalking does not usually require intervention unless another sleep disorder is present. If treatment is required, patients are instructed to follow good sleep hygiene and reduce exacerbating factors like alcohol. There is no known way to reduce sleep talking. Avoiding stress and getting plenty of sleep might make a person less likely to talk in your sleep.
