How To Stop Sleep Talking

Also called parasomnia, sleep talking is a kind of sleep abnormality that can interfere with your sleep and with the sleep of those next to you. It is a common and yet, particularly frustrating problem. Typically people who talk in their sleep are unaware of their actions and of the effect that they are having of the quality of their sleep.

Of all the possible causes of sleep talking, stress is number one. After a stressful or hectic day, the brain would like to shut down, but it can’t. Instead, the mind keeps replaying the events of the day, over and over again. There are also some other causes of sleep talking, they include: lack of sleep, eating too much before bed or not eating enough.

There is to date no medical ‘cure’ for sleep talking, but there are some things that can be done to help with this situation:

Relaxation: Finding a good way to unwind could truly help the sleep talker’s nightmare. Types of relaxation might include things such as exercise (walking or yoga are good choices), prayer or meditation, massage or anything that might ease the stress of the day.

Hypnosis: Some people feel that we do not make a conscious decision to sleep talk and that hypnosis, which deals with the unconscious mind, is the best option. Hypnosis experts feel that targeting the problem with hypnosis works well because it can reach the subconscious part of the brain where the problem is created.

Diet: Care needs to be taken with what is eaten at night particularly in the hours before sleep. Large, heavy, high fat meals are a bad idea right before going to sleep. Try to eat a light, nutritional meal before going to bed. Also, avoid things like caffeine, energy drinks and alcohol.

When all else fails, the most important piece of advice is to seek the help a professional therapist or licensed sleep specialist. At times, the only way to properly diagnose and treat a sleep disorder is by working under the supervision of a sleep center.