They are sometimes complete sentences, intelligible or totally incoherent, they are words, whispers, laughter, cries… of which the sleeper has no memory when he wakes up. Talking while sleeping is a harmless phenomenon, but somniloquy is an enigma for science which struggles to explain this sleep disorder, which is still very little studied.
Talking in your sleep has probably happened to you. As for 71% of men and 75% of women, according to the French Society for Sleep Research and Medicine. But why are some of us sleepwalkers almost every day?
Around 1.5% of the adult population talks almost every night in their sleep, according to the French Society for Sleep Research and Medicine (SFRMS). Even if this parasomnia is not serious in itself, it can become annoying, especially for the spouse. It is therefore legitimate to want to know the origin of this behavior.
Unfortunately, scientists have not yet identified the causes of chronic somniloquy. The hypothesis of a genetic component has not really been verified, even if shared behavior at the family level has been observed in certain cases. The only certainty is that studies have noted a frequent association between somniloquy and sleepwalking, bruxism (grinding of teeth) and nightmares.
Despite the lack of scientific explanation solidsolidseveral factors promoting speech during sleep have been identified, which can even maintain somniloquy. This is the case of jet lag which disrupts sleep in general, lack of sleep in general, sleep apnea syndrome as well as stressstress and anxiety.
Note that the feverfever as well as psychiatric disorders such as anxiety disorders are often associated with somniloquy.
If you are a sleep lover and it bothers you, do not hesitate to seek advice from your doctor. It will help you manage your sleep, which could reduce the frequency of the phenomenon. And if it’s your partner who talks in his sleep, don’t wake him up. If this disturbs your own sleep, consider wearing earplugs. Don’t worry, talking has no harmful effects on your partner’s health.
