We talk in our sleep for many different reasons. Some of the most popular reasons are that we’re talking to people who are not there and responding to questions or conversations that were had earlier in the day. It could also mean that we’ve forgotten about a certain conversation and we’re trying to remind ourselves of it. Perhaps you dreamed about something that happened or maybe you’re dreaming, but your brain decided that you should be able to vocalize those dreams, so it made you talk during the dream.
In this article we will explain what causes us to talk in our sleep and why it occurs.
As we progress through the day, we have conversations with ourselves, others, and also with things that aren’t there at all. Our brain can remember past conversations so well that it decided to keep them around by using the memory of those conversations now and again. In dreaming, we have many different types of dreams that can be very real. Some people say they’ve seen things so clearly in their dream that when they awoke from it, they thought the things were still there.
Why do we talk in our sleep?
When we sleep, our brain regulates itself and needs to do a lot of thinking. When your sleeping mind is going through all its thoughts and having conversations, sometimes the brain will make you vocalize those thoughts and conversations. It’s not uncommon to hear someone say things in their sleep such as “What did you say?”, or “Oh yeah, I forgot.”, or even for them to fight with other people that are not there. We all do this from time to time where we talk in our sleep.
Is sleep talking common?
If you have ever watched a movie about someone going through a mental break down or an episode of Dr. Phil, then you should have seen people talking to themselves on camera. This is actually something that is really common among the population in general. None of us are exempt from it and as people get older they start doing it more.
Some people ask themselves questions while they sleep and then give themselves answers or just talk to themselves in general. This is due to the fact that our brain can remember so much, but we have trouble accessing it all at once without a little encouragement from the outside world. The same is true of something you might have done earlier in the day, but can’t remember exactly how it went down or what happened.
Understand sleep talking better
To understand why we talk in our sleep we also need to look at the different stages that occur while we sleep. There are five stages of sleep where each stage progresses as you move on from one stage to another. The first is called the Alpha Stage and lasts for one-five minutes. The next stage is the Theta Stage that lasts for about 10 to 60 minutes and following that is a Deep Sleep Stage 1. When we get to Stage 2 of deep sleep our body movement slows down and heart rate decreases. In this same stage, the eye movements stop completely which is why we don’t move our eyes back and forth while we’re sleeping. The Delta Stage is much deeper and lasts for about four to five hours. This stage is where there isn’t much activity at all which is why people can sleep so deeply during this time period.
The reason behind us talking in our sleep has something to do with what occurs in the stages of deep sleep. We will talk if we have a lot on our minds, especially about conversations that were had earlier in the day or just thoughts that we can’t get out of our head. When you are about to fall asleep, your brain put itself into a forgetful state where it forgets all the unnecessary things and concentrates on the most important things instead.
Common Types of Talking in Your Sleep
People experiencing talking during their sleep for the first time can have a very scary experience. One human behavior that is relatively normal to exhibit during sleep is babbling. Babies do this when they’re first born and even sometimes throughout childhood, but it usually stops by the time they are two years old. The amount of babbling a baby does is usually dependent on his age. Children often babble when they start learning to speak and repeat words that an adult has said when they were awake. However, these are not the same as talking during sleep, since babies aren’t really in control of their bodies when they’re sleeping. Babies also don’t remember what they’re saying since they don’t have long term memories yet.
Other types of sleep talking include chanting, mumbling noises, repeating words or phrases that were recently said, and swearing. In some cases, the person may start talking about a topic that is completely unrelated to anything that has happened in their day.
Of course, there are other reasons for sleep talking besides these. It can also be a symptom of another problem, such as stress or anxiety disorder. Some people who experience this find it very stressful and feel like they can’t get a good night’s sleep. There are other people who have an easier time dealing with it and don’t mind if they talk in their sleep or not. You can always discuss the issue of talking in your sleep with your doctor if you’re concerned about it, especially if you find that it interferes with your daily life.
What can you do if your partner is talking in their sleep?
This is a very stressful situation for both partners. It can make the sufferer worried about whether the person will feel embarrassed in the morning and be upset with them – and this feeling of guilt and shame can then make it more likely that they talk in their sleep again. It can also cause frustration for the partner, which could lead to conflict and defensiveness. Ultimately, talking in your sleep may not seem like a serious problem if you can work out how to deal with it better or if you don’t mind that your partner talks in their sleep.
The act of talking in your sleep is a normal human behavior, but it can be indicative of other problems. If you’re experiencing this and find that it’s affecting your daily life or the lives of those around you, talk to a doctor about possible solutions. You may also want to try taking naps throughout the day as well as upping your overall sleep intake so that fatigue doesn’t play a role in how often you talk while dreaming (or awake). Remember: we all have our moments where we say something without thinking before speaking – even if only during our dreams!
I hope this article has been informative, and that you now know why we talk in our sleep.