How do you stop sleep talking or sleepwalking? An expert on the causes of sleep abnormalities and ways to prevent them
- Sleepwalking, sleep talking, and sleep eating are all abnormalities known as parasomnias that can occur during slow-wave, or deep, sleep
- Little is known about the cause of them, but experts offer tips for getting the best possible night’s sleep which, if followed, may prevent them from happening
You awake in the wee hours of the morning to someone – your partner or child, perhaps – speaking aloud or mumbling incoherently while they are asleep. Or maybe you have woken someone else up while talking in your sleep.
But when morning comes, the talker has no recollection of it.
Dr Michael Nadorff is associate professor of psychology at Mississippi State University, and president-elect of the Society of Behavioural Sleep Medicine based in the US state of Kentucky. He says there are two main categories of parasomnias: REM and non-REM.
Nightmares happen during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, when the body is immobilised, Nadorff explains.
The secret to a good night’s sleep: listen to your body clock
If you have been told that you talk in your sleep, here is what you need to know.
Typically, sleep talking – also known as somniloquy – only happens during slow-wave sleep, according to Nadorff. He says this behaviour is most often seen in people who are sleep-deprived or have fallen out of their normal sleep routine.
Sleep talking is far more common in children. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine based in the US state of Illinois, sleep talking occurs in half of children but in only about five per cent of adults.
Sleep talking typically does not require medical intervention, though it can be treated with medicine in extraordinary cases, according to the AASM.
Where adults exhibit sleep talking, they are usually otherwise healthy. However, it can be a sign of parasomnias such as REM sleep behaviour disorder or sleep-related eating disorder. If you are worried about sleep talking, you can always bring it up with your doctor.
How sleep engineering can improve your memory and fight dementia
Should you wake someone up if they are talking in their sleep?
Waking someone up from REM sleep can be easy, but waking up a person from deep, slow-wave sleep can be difficult.
Individuals who awake from this type of sleep can be very disoriented and groggy, so Nadorff recommends letting sleep talkers and sleepwalkers remain asleep when possible.
Do the things people say when they are asleep mean anything?
The things people say while they are asleep are often gibberish or nonsensical, but even if someone in a deep slumber manages to string together a complete sentence, Nadorff says you probably should not put too much thought into what they are saying.
“It’s just word salad,” he says.
Tips for a good night’s sleep
It is difficult to know how to stop sleep talking, as science has yet to pin down the cause. The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio in the US recommends these steps, though, to get your best sleep:
-
Stick to a regular sleep schedule.
-
Aim for seven to nine hours a night.
-
Give yourself 30 to 60 minutes of quiet, screen-free time to wind down before bed.
-
Minimise and manage your stress levels.
-
Avoid caffeine for at least six hours before bedtime.
-
Exercise regularly.
-
Make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark.
-
Keep the temperature of the room between 15.5 and 19.4 degrees Celsius (60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit).
