Talking in his sleep? Here is all you need to know about this phenomenon

SLEEP – If you have already shared a bed or room with another person, you may have heard someone talking while you sleep. Or maybe you have learned that you did it.

According to a 2010 study, nearly 66% of people have already spoken in their sleep one way or another. Some people murmur incoherent words, others speak fascinating monologues, or even are able to maintain complex conversations.

Although we do not really know why some of us are chatting, health professionals say that, in most cases, there is no need to worry. Having said that, talking in your sleep can also be a symptom of a more serious problem.

Here's what you need to know to understand what happens to these sleepers:

Little research has been done on this phenomenon

Before attempting to explain what it is, one must know that we know globally very little about this phenomenon, called "somniloquy".

Formerly clbadified as a parasomnias (a category of sleep disorders), sleep cessation is no longer part of the International Clbadification of Sleep Disorders. Recently, she is considered normal.

As a result, there are no research requests on the subject, says Rafael Pelayo, a sleep specialist who works in the Department of Sleep Medicine at Stanford Hospital in California. Somniloquism is therefore a field of study little explored and the phenomenon remains poorly understood.

When we sleep, we usually tell anything

According to the International Clbadification of Sleep Disorders, what we say in sleep does not reflect our waking life or our memories. Even if you have had problems at work or have a dispute with a loved one, you will probably not talk about it in your sleep.

This is very important, as sleepers tend to say all kinds of crazy things at night, some of which can be alarming or disconcerting to the person who shares their bed. Rafael Pelayo has seen cases of people accused of infidelity because of a word pronounced while sleeping, like a name, for example.

So, make it clear: what you are telling in your sleep has no profound meaning.

The age at which you start talking while sleeping is not trivial

This is probably the most important point: the moment you start talking while you sleep is important for the badysis of the phenomenon.

If you have always talked in your sleep, there is no need to worry. In fact, it is very common in children and adolescents: about 50% of children aged 3 to 10 babble while sleeping.

"If you did it when you were young, do not attach importance to it," said Rafael Pelayo. No need to panic or run to the doctor.

People often discover that they are talking about sleeping around 20 or 30 years old, the average age at which one begins to share one's room or bed with another person. It does not necessarily mean they did not do it before, just that someone just noticed it.

On the other hand, if you are 50 years of age or older, and you suddenly start talking in your sleep recurrently, it may be a harbinger of Parkinson's disease or senile dementia. In this age group, somniloquy indicates a problem with neuronal brain transmissions, says Dr. Pelayo.

"If you talk while sleeping for years, nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if it is new, it is necessary to be concerned, "insists the specialist.

Somniloquism is often confused with other sleep problems

Somniloquism differs from other sleep disorders. If you start screaming while sleeping or reproducing what you are dreaming about in reality, there is probably an underlying problem.

For example, some people have nocturnal terrors, a terrifying sleep disorder that is characterized by screaming screams and extreme agitation rather than mere chatter. And if you moan or growl at night, you may be suffering from another disorder, catathrene, near sleep apnea.

People who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder also speak or howl more frequently than average while asleep.

Sleepiness can also be a sign of stress, anxiety or depression, according to James Rowley, Chief of Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Detroit Hospital.

If you or any of your loved ones have any of these problems, talk to a specialist, as this may be a symptom of another condition that requires treatment.

"If your sleepiness is accompanied by bad dreams, recurring nightmares, snoring and / or sleep apnea, it's safer to talk to your doctor," Rowley says. "In some cases, you may need to have tests to study your sleep, such as polysomnography, to determine if you have a sleep disorder."

That said, there is a very good chance that you are in perfect health. "I stress that for the vast majority of people, sleep-aid is safe," says the specialist.

In short, talking while sleeping rarely affects the person who does it – it is especially very annoying for the person sharing the bed. So, if you are this person, invest in a white noise generator, put earplugs and remember that whatever your partner can tell in his sleep, it means absolutely nothing.

This article, published on the American HuffPost, has been translated by Iris Le Guinio for Fast ForWord.

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