Why Do We Talk In Our Sleep?
Ever wonder why we talk in our sleep? Have you ever been told that while you were sleeping you started talking? Have you ensured that you can even talk to people around you or on the phone during your sleep?
Want to know why we talk while we sleep? In this article, we’ll tell you everything.
Did I say something embarrassing?
When someone who slept in the same room with us says the phrase: “you talk in your sleep”, the first reaction we have is: “That’s not true”, and the second, “did I say something inappropriate?”
Perhaps, thirdly, you want to know why you do it. The good news is that there is a scientific explanation for this.
Talking in your sleep is not extraordinary. Nocturnal speeches are unconscious and, in most cases, are simply meaningless statements or phrases that last for a few seconds.
Although there are exceptions of people who can talk a long time at night.
This situation is more common than we think, especially in children and adolescents.
It depends on several factors, such as, for example, if we had a very difficult day, we feel hurt or we don’t have the courage to say what we feel.
However, when we are adults or elderly, and we talk while we sleep every night (or several times in a row) it is considered a sleep disorder.
This can be due to prolonged exposure to stress, tension and fatigue, both physical and mental. Other related problems are teeth grinding and sleepwalking.
Sleepyloquy: the syndrome of when we talk while we sleep
This disorder is another change that takes place in our behavior during sleep.
It’s not dangerous, it’s not considered a problem with psychological or medical consequences, and it doesn’t cause any inconvenience to the sufferer either (with the exception of making an important statement while sleeping).
It could simply be considered as a characteristic of a person when sleeping.
The somniloquy takes place in two moments of rest. First, during the MOR phase (Rapid Eye Movement, also known as REM) and then during the NO-MOR phase.
In the first, neurons work much like they do when we are awake. For this reason, what happens at this stage is known as a “paradoxical dream”, since dream experiences develop more intensely.
In turn, in the REM stage, there is a disruption in sleep speech. This means that the mouth, throat and vocal cords (which remained inactive) “activate” and work for a few seconds.
That’s when those words we’re uttering in sleep are said “out loud.”
When we talk about the NO-REM stage, this is due to transient dreams.
This is because we are half-awakened and the waking mechanisms allow us to speak.
The difference from what happens when we are 100% awake is that the words or phrases we can say at this stage are meaningless.
What to do if we talk while we sleep?
If we are sleeping with a partner or sharing a room with a family member; these people are likely to try to decipher what we mean or understand our words.
However, we could say that this is a lost cause. The reason? We are not aware of what we say!
The content of the speech is uncertain in its entirety and lasts a few seconds. They can be loose words, babbled, or things related to our experiences during the day (that same day or days before).
It is necessary then to understand that this is an unconscious manifestation. It doesn’t have to be related to our “awakened” thoughts or feelings, as it does with dreams.
Thus, both those who talk in their sleep and those who listen to them should not worry or pay too much attention to the matter.
These words are fragments of things that we lived perhaps on this same journey, or perhaps two weeks ago, or the year before. We don’t know at what point the brain makes them resurface!
Final considerations
Sleeping talk is not a serious problem nor does it require psychological treatment. The only concern we can have when talking in our sleep is if we say something embarrassing, compromising or getting us into trouble.
If we have a light sleeper partner, perhaps, this can be an inconvenience. However, this would also happen if we snored or had a nightmare and the other woke up.
Likewise, if the phenomenon appears abruptly after the age of 25, and repeats itself several times a week, it would be good for us to consult a specialist.
It could be due to some fear, emotional problem or a lot of stress.
Among the most used treatments for severe or chronic sleep talking, we can adopt relaxing habits before going to bed, such as:
- take a warm shower
- listen to relaxing music
- read a little
If we talk while we sleep it is necessary to avoid:
- Consumption of alcohol or soda
- Exercise after sunset
- Movies or news that can speed up our brain activity (for example, if they are horror).
