Hubby talks in his sleep

Q: When I got married recently, I found out that my husband talks for one or two minutes in his sleep, usually after a few hours of sleep.

When I ask him about it the next morning, he says he does not remember anything.

His words are clear - sometimes, they are about work, and other times about other matters.

It startled me the first few times this happened and I became quite worried that this is a reflection of his health or troubles that he may be having in adjusting to married life and work at the same time.

Will this develop into sleepwalking?

Will the talking in his sleep get violent or more frequent as he gets older? What can I do to help him?

His father and brother also have the same problem. Are our children likely to have this problem too?

A: Marriage is a life-changing experience.

The stress and possible sleep deprivation associated with such a drastic change in lifestyle are all common triggers for sleep talking in people with somniloquy, which is the medical term for this condition.

What people talk about in their sleep varies from person to person.

It can be related to recent events or it can have no relevance and connection to reality at all.

Sleep talking can be soft or loud, clearly worded or gibberish.

It may have little or no relation to the dream content of that night.

In any case, it is now accepted that sleep talk is not the product of a fully conscious mind. Therefore, it is not something that one should pay any attention to.

Somniloquy does have a genetic link and tends to run in the family.

This means that your children are indeed more likely to sleep talk too.

However, although 50 per cent of children sleep talk, only 5 per cent continue to do so in adulthood.

USUALLY HARMLESS

Men are reportedly more likely to sleep talk but the real reason may be because women are lighter sleepers than men.

Fortunately, sleep talking is usually harmless and does not require treatment.

If he does not have a history of sleep walking, he is unlikely to start doing so.

Sleep talking tends to bother the bed partner more than the sufferer. But it is generally not a reflection of ill health.

However, if the sleep talking is very severe or is causing the sufferer or his bed partner to sleep poorly, it may be a sign of another underlying sleep disorder and it may be wise to seek specialist advice.

Measures that will help to reduce the frequency of sleep talking include having a regular sleep schedule and getting enough sleep.

Alcohol consumption and being overly stressed can trigger sleep talking and should be avoided.

Finally, for bed partners, a good pair of ear plugs may be helpful.

DR LEOW LEONG CHAI,
consultant at the department of respiratory and critical care medicine at the Singapore General Hospital

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