About 50% of children aged 3 to 10, and about 5% of adults talk in their sleep. In many cases the reason is genetics, but there are other triggers.
People who talk in their sleep, whose scientific name is somniloquia, are not aware of their behaviors, so their voices and the type of language may sound different at that time, says the National Sleep Foundation.
- Stress
While we sleep we are more susceptible to problems that affect the day, such as stress and anxiety, which keep the brain active, says Guadalupe Tehran, coordinator of the UAM Ixtapalapa Sleep Disorder Clinic.
- Substance abuse
Tobacco, coffee, soft drinks or alcohol are substances that in many cases are activated when we are asleep, which triggers a series of brain processes that result in "dialogues" within the early stages of sleep.
- Sleepwalking
Sleeping is also a symptom associated with other conditions such as sleep apnea, nightmares, REM sleep behavior disorder and sleepwalking, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- Use of technology
People who watch television tend to talk more often when asleep, because light alters the production of melatonin, a hormone that naturally secretes as a response to darkness, which alters the sleep cycle, says expert Guadalupe Tehran.
- Taking medications
There are certain medications that can alter the phases of sleep and cause sleepiness, but it depends on the reaction of each person's body so there is no classification, says William Kohler, medical director of the Florida Sleep Institute.
- Fever
Having a high body temperature wrecks havoc on every organ, including the brain, in which it can cause hallucinations and nightmares, which in turn the patients manifest in words that are specifically inconsistent.
- Mental disorders
Although rare, sleepwalking is associated with mental illness more often in people over the age of 25, the National Sleep Foundation says.
It's not serious.
Talking while sleeping does not require specific treatment to correct it, maintaining a regular sleep schedule and getting enough sleep is functional.
About 60% of people in the world will have at least one episode of somniloquism in their lifetime.
