Sleep Talking: Why It Happens and How to Stop It

What is sleep talking?

Sleep talking is a parasomnia, the medical name for unusual things people do while asleep, like sleepwalking or teeth grinding. It can be a few mumbled sounds or whole sentences, and it can happen in dreaming (REM) sleep or in deeper non-REM sleep. Most sleep talkers have no memory of it in the morning, which is why it’s usually a partner or housemate who notices.

Much of what comes out isn’t words at all: in a French study that recorded 883 episodes of sleep speech in a sleep lab, 59% were mumbles, whispers, shouts or laughs rather than understandable words.

Is sleep talking normal?

Yes. It’s one of the most common things people do in their sleep. In a Norwegian telephone survey of 1,000 adults, 66.8% said they had talked in their sleep at some point, and 17.7% had done so in the previous three months. In the same survey, about 12% reported five or more different parasomnias, so sleep talking often comes alongside other night-time habits.

It often comes with other habits: a large Finnish twin study found sleep talking went hand in hand with sleepwalking, nightmares and teeth grinding.

Why do I talk in my sleep?

Nobody knows exactly why some people talk in their sleep, and for most it happens now and then for no obvious reason. The triggers usually mentioned are the same ones the NHS lists for sleepwalking, a closely related habit:

• Not getting enough sleep. Being short of sleep is one of the most common triggers. See sleep deprivation.
• Stress. Busy, worried minds tend to sleep more lightly. See stress symptoms and anxiety at night.
• Alcohol, especially in the evening. See CBD and alcohol.
• Being unwell with a high temperature. Fever can bring on night-time episodes. See how to sleep with a cold.
• Some medicines, such as sleeping pills. Don’t stop a prescribed medicine without speaking to your GP or pharmacist first.
• Family history. In the Finnish twin study, about half of the genetic influence on sleep talking was shared with sleepwalking.

Other sleep problems that break up the night, such as sleep apnoea, can also play a part.

Why have I started sleep talking all of a sudden?

Look at what changed in the weeks before it started: a stressful patch, short nights, more evening drinks, a new medicine, a fever or a new partner who has simply noticed it. Most of these pass. The Sleep Charity advises getting help if sleep talking starts suddenly in adulthood, or comes with intense fear, screaming or kicking.

What stage of sleep does it happen in?

Both. Sleep talking can happen in non-REM sleep, often as you move between stages, and in dreaming (REM) sleep. In the French sleep-lab study, questions and swearing were more common in non-REM sleep, while longer angry outbursts came in REM.

Is sleep talking a sign of something?

On its own, usually not. Occasional sleep talking in an otherwise healthy person isn’t a sign of illness. It’s worth knowing how it differs from other night-time events, though:

REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is the one to take seriously. Normally your muscles are switched off while you dream; in RBD they aren’t, so people act out their dreams and can hurt themselves or a partner. It can be linked to some antidepressants, and research reviews link it with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, sometimes years before other symptoms. If you, or a partner, notice this kind of dream enactment, especially if it starts in middle or later life, see a GP.

Related: sleep paralysis and hypnic jerks, two other common and usually harmless sleep quirks.

Do people tell the truth or reveal secrets when they sleep talk?

This is mostly myth. Sleep talkers aren’t aware of what they say, can’t be questioned reliably and won’t remember it. What comes out is often fragments of a dream, not a confession.

The French sleep-lab study of 232 adults (most of them people with sleep disorders) gives a flavour: the most common word was “no”, about a fifth of clauses were negatives, and nearly one in ten contained swearing. The researchers described sleep speech as mostly a tense conversation with people who aren’t there. So if your partner says something odd at 2am, it’s far more likely to be dream chatter than a secret.

How to stop sleep talking

There’s no switch to turn sleep talking off, and for most people it doesn’t need treatment. The aim is steadier, deeper sleep, which tends to mean fewer episodes:

1. Keep regular sleep times, including at weekends, and give yourself enough hours. Our sleep hygiene guide covers the basics.
2. Cut back on evening alcohol and caffeine. If you’d like a nightcap swap, see our alcohol-free nightcaps.
3. Lower stress before bed with a wind-down routine: dim lights, no work emails, a few minutes of slow breathing. See how to relieve stress.
4. Keep a two-week diary (or ask a partner to note episodes) to spot triggers like late drinks or short nights.
5. Review medicines with your GP or pharmacist if sleep talking started after a new one.

For adults, a warm, caffeine-free drink can be a pleasant part of winding down. Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex (adults 18+) is a bedtime drink with magnesium, glycine and L-theanine; magnesium contributes to normal psychological function. It isn’t a treatment for sleep talking. Read more in magnesium for sleep.

If your partner talks in their sleep

Sleep talking is often harder on the person lying next to the talker. A few things help:

• Earplugs (foam or soft silicone) take the edge off mumbling.
• White noise or a fan can mask sudden words.
• There’s no need to wake them or reply; it won’t tell you anything useful.
• Separate beds or rooms on bad nights are fine. Lots of couples do it, as our guide to sleep divorce explains.

If they also snore loudly or seem to stop breathing, read how to stop snoring and mention it to a GP.

Sleep talking in children

It’s very common in children and nearly always harmless. A Canadian study that followed more than 1,300 children found sleep talking was one of the most frequent night-time behaviours, reported more often in boys, and often went with sleepwalking and night terrors. Unlike those, it was still common at 13, much as in adults. The Sleep Charity says most children grow out of it.

If your child talks in their sleep every night, the same basics help: a regular bedtime, enough sleep for their age, and a calm, screen-free hour before bed. There’s no need to wake them. Children who were more anxious were more likely to sleep talk in the Canadian study, so it’s worth noticing if anything is worrying them.

iSpeak to a GP or health visitor if your child also snores loudly or seems to stop breathing, sleepwalks in a way that could hurt them, has night terrors that start after age 5 or carry on after 12, or is very tired in the day. See our guides to sleepwalking and night terrors.

When to see a GP

iSee a GP if:

• you shout, punch, kick or act out dreams in your sleep, or have hurt yourself or someone else
• sleep talking is new in adulthood, frequent, or getting worse
• it comes with sleepwalking that puts you at risk of injury
• you feel very tired during the day, or your breathing stops and starts while you sleep
• it’s disrupting your sleep, or your partner’s, night after night

Your GP may refer you to a sleep clinic, where a sleep study can show what’s happening during the night.

Related guides

• White noise and other sleep sounds.
• Our beginner’s guide to lucid dreaming.
• REM sleep behaviour disorder and REM sleep.
• Vivid dreams and when acting out dreams needs a GP.
• If you or someone you care for has Parkinson’s and is curious about CBD, read what the research shows on CBD and Parkinson’s and speak to your specialist or Parkinson’s nurse first.
• Sleep and dementia.