This is when you should be worried about talking in your sleep

Updated on March 11, 2023 at 10:02 AM

by Jaysi Sharma

Sleepiness is a disorder that affects a large proportion of the population. Most of the time it is benign, but it can be a sign of a more serious illness.

For some, it is incomprehensible gibberish, while others are able to form coherent sentences. This phenomenon has a name: somniloquy.

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A strange sleep disorder

A disorder that scientists are still unable to explain, and for good reason. Little research has been done on this subject, which concerns the majority of sleepers. We know that there is a recurrence in people from the same family and that certain factors such as sleep deprivation, stress, fever, alcohol or psychotic substances can promote sleepiness. It's estimated that around 75% of women and 71% of men are affected by this disorder, but only 1.5% of the population talks in their sleep on a daily basis.

What the scientists can also say is that it does not matter what the person might be speaking. There is no connection between the words spoken and the events experienced during the day. In short talking in your sleep is not serious, it happens to many people, and it is not dangerous.

A sign of a more severe illness

All might be well and good unless this sleep disorder suddenly manifests itself. It is estimated that 50% of 3 to 10-year-olds talk in their sleep on a recurring basis. Sleep specialist Rafael Pelayo tells Huffington Post:

If you've been talking in your sleep since childhood, there's nothing to be alarmed about, however, if it's new, you may need to consult

According to scientists, if a person of 50 years or older suddenly starts talking in their sleep, this may indeed be a sign of the onset of Parkinson's disease. Sleepiness can also be a cause for concern if it is accompanied by recurrent nightmares, snoring or sleep apnoea, and the scientists advise consultation. For those who sleep with a sleepwalker, however, the only advice is to be patient. Or, for the more daring, invest in a white noise generator or comfortable earplugs.

This article was translated from Gentside FR.

Sources used:

-Huffington Post: Why Do We Sleep Talk? Here's Everything You Should Know.

-Tediber: TOUT SAVOIR SUR LES CAUSES DE LA SOMNILOQUIE POUR POUVOIR LA TRAITER