Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night to find your wife or child in the next room muttering loud and audible unintelligible words despite their deep sleep?

We often come across this scene, or even fall into it ourselves, and wake up the next day with no recollection of any of this vaguely spoken speech in our sleep.

Sleep talking is a common disorder of insomnia or abnormal behavior during sleep, and it is estimated that about 2 out of 3 people talk in their sleep at some point in their lives, and it is especially common in children.

sleep talking disorder

This disorder can be upsetting or somewhat embarrassing for the affected person, and even for people who live with sufferers.

Although sleep talking is usually harmless to warrant concern or professional medical intervention, sometimes it can be a sign of a severe sleep disorder or a more serious health condition.

The disorder usually occurs to anyone at any time without prior precursor symptoms (Shutterstock)

A mysterious case of unknown cause

Doctors don't know much about sleep talking disorder, and they haven't yet discovered its causes or what happens in the brain when a person speaks while they are sleeping.

If you have this disorder, symptoms may be that you speak in full sentences or in vague language, or in a voice or language that is different from the usual way you speak while awake.

The disorder usually occurs to anyone at any time without prior symptoms, but it is often more common in children and men.

Genetic causes may also play a role in a person's sleep disorders;

Meaning that if you have a parent or family member who talks in their sleep, you may be more likely to be infected.

Although the researchers did not discover all the reasons why people talk in their sleep, or if the behavior is related to dreams, for example, or the mental state of the person;

Some research indicates - according to the Very Well Health website - that talking during sleep may be linked to sleep behavior disorder and rapid eye movement.

It is thought that the area of ​​the brain that stops speech and movement during sleep may not function properly in sleep talkers, causing them to be "talkers" while they are asleep.

Some interesting pointers

Despite the above, talking during sleep can increase at specific times and circumstances, and it can result from:

  • Suffering from illness.

  • Suffering from a high fever.

  • Consumption of drugs and alcoholic beverages.

  • Suffering from stress.

  • Suffering from mental health conditions, such as depression.

  • Sleep deprivation and extreme stress.

People with other sleep disorders are also prone to talking in their deep sleep, including people with a history of:

  • Sleep Apnea.

  • sleep walking

  • Frequent night terrors or chronic nightmares.

How to stop talking during sleep?

Since it's hard to pinpoint the causes of sleep talk, there aren't any scientific ways to stop it, but your best bet is to work on improving your daily sleep habits.

The Cleveland Health website notes that focusing on healthy sleep habits and an improved sleep environment may eliminate potential sleep disturbances and improve sleep quality, which may reduce the chances of you talking while you sleep.

for example;

Stick to a regular sleep schedule, and aim for a consistent 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

It is also important to give yourself 30 to 60 minutes of calm and abstain from screens to calm down and relax before bed, in addition to reducing and managing your stress levels.

In general, you should avoid caffeine for at least 6 hours before bed, and exercise regularly.

For a sleeping environment, make sure it's quiet, dark and cool.

It's hard to pinpoint the causes of sleep talk, but your best bet to stop it is to work on improving your daily sleep habits (pixels).

Managing sleep disorder

If the disorder is embarrassing for you or a family member, it is always a good idea to consult a sleep specialist, especially if sleep talking involves intense fear, night terrors, screaming or violent actions.

According to WebMD, a sleep specialist will ask you how long you've been talking in your sleep.

You will have to hire someone with you to live with.

Also keep in mind that the disorder may have started in childhood.

In addition, there are no medical tests to diagnose sleep talk.

For example, your doctor will order practical tests, such as a polysomnography or polysomnography (recording polysomnography), to see if you have other signs of a sleep disorder.

In general, sleep talking rarely requires treatment or intervention;

Talking during sleep is harmless and may even go away on its own.