Understanding Sleep Talking: When to Worry and When It's Normal

Many people talk in their sleep. It usually consists of long speeches, meaningless mumbling, complete mumbling, and sometimes sounds, such as grunts and moans. Sleep talking, or somniloquy, is basically a type of sleep disorder that involves talking during sleep without being aware of it. According to the Sleep Foundation, it is common for people to experience at least one episode of sleep talking during their lifetime.

While sleep talking is mostly harmless, if left unchecked, it can become persistent and affect your sleep quality and overall health.

What is sleep talking?

Dr. Balaji describes sleep talking as a type of sleep disorder that affects many individuals. It is a common phenomenon, with research suggesting that it occurs in over 66% of the population. The Sleep Foundation defines sleep talking as a type of parasomnia, which refers to abnormal behaviors during sleep. "Unlike most parasomnias that occur only during certain parts of the sleep cycle, sleep talking can occur during rapid eye movement (REM) or non-REM sleep," Charity notes.

What makes you talk in your sleep?

• Stressful life events or anxiety
• Sleep disorders including sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and REM sleep behavior disorder
• Genetic factors - sleep talk - can run in families.
• History of alcohol or drugs
• Temporary illness, such as fever

When to seek professional help?

Dr. "Sleep talk only occurs when and if it significantly disrupts sleep quality, affects the sleep of others, or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as sleepwalking, night terrors, or frequent nightmares," says Balaji."If sleep talking is accompanied by additional problems such as excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, or mood disturbances, it is best to see a specialist," he adds. Most cases of sleep talk are short-lived. However, it can also indicate serious health conditions, such as sleep apnea, epilepsy, dementia, and Parkinson's disease.

Steps to be taken

To reduce sleep talking, individuals can try the following strategies, according to Dr Balaji:

• Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises
• Ensuring that the bedroom is conducive to sleep by keeping it dark, quiet and cool
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol near bedtime
• Addressing the underlying sleep disorder by consulting a healthcare professional
• Avoiding the use of certain medications that affect sleep (however, measures should only be taken under the supervision of a medical professional)

Maintaining a sleep diary to track sleep-talking episodes and identify any patterns or triggers.