Talking while asleep is a relatively common phenomenon, with studies indicating that up to 66% of adults have experienced sleep talking at least once.

Sleep talking — also known as somniloquy — can range from quiet muttering to loud shouting, and from short sentences to long and often incoherent speeches. A sleep talker may appear to be talking to themselves, or they may behave as if they are conversing with another person.

A 2017 study that analyzed the linguistic content of participants’ sleep talking episodes found that over half of the events were “non-verbal utterances” such as mumbles, yells, whispers, and laughs. Many sleep-talkers are unaware of their behaviour until their partner or another person in the home calls attention to it.

Sleep talking belongs to a group of events referred to as parasomnias, which are atypical behaviours that can manifest shortly before you fall asleep, while you're asleep, or as you're waking up. Other parasomnias include sleep terrors, sleep paralysis, and sleepwalking.

Usually, sleep talking that happens on its own without other symptoms is harmless — but in some instances, it can be a sign of an underlying health condition or a more serious sleep disorder.

When does sleep talking occur?

A person typically completes four to six sleep cycles each night, and each sleep cycle comprises four stages of sleep. Within the four stages are two types of sleep: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). NREM sleep takes place over the first three stages before the fourth stage — REM sleep — begins. Sleep talking may occur many times throughout a sleep cycle and episodes can happen during both NREM and REM sleep.

Sleep talking is more prevalent in children than in adults: some studies estimate that up to 50% of young children experience this parasomnia, with only 5% of adults being affected.

What causes sleep talking?

There is some evidence to suggest an association between dreaming and sleep talking. But because most dreams take place in REM sleep — and somniloquy can happen in any stage of sleep — not all sleep talking can be explained as an enactment of (or response to) our dreams.

Sleep talking and other parasomnias may be more likely to occur in those with erratic sleep patterns, as well as in individuals who are sleep deprived. Waking activities known to disrupt sleep (such as consuming stimulants or alcohol before bedtime) might play a role in triggering sleep talking episodes.

People with a history of other parasomnias (like sleepwalking or night terrors) may be more prone to sleep talking. Stress, sickness, fever, and certain mental health conditions — such as depression — can also be contributing factors.

Although the causes of sleep talking aren’t entirely clear, research indicates a possible genetic link: children of sleep-talking parents may be more likely to experience somniloquy. However, people with no parental history of somniloquy can also experience episodes of sleep talking.

How to stop sleep talking

In most cases, occurrences of sleep talking are infrequent and do not disrupt the sleep-talker’s sleep. For a somniloquist’s bed partner, however, sleep talking can have a negative effect on sleep if episodes happen on a recurring basis or are severe in nature.

While there is no guaranteed way to prevent sleep talking, working towards good sleep habits can help boost sleep quality and may reduce the likelihood of experiencing parasomnias brought on by poor-quality or interrupted sleep. There are a number of steps that can be taken to promote better sleep hygiene:

  • Establish and maintain a consistent sleep schedule
  • Get a sufficient amount of sleep: adults should aim to sleep for between seven and nine hours each night
  • Avoid using blue light emitting devices such as laptops and televisions before bedtime
  • If stress is a barrier to sleep, consider incorporating relaxing activities (such as taking a warm bath) into your nighttime routine
  • Before bedtime, limit your consumption of substances (like alcohol) that are known to interfere with sleep
  • Avoid eating heavy meals close to bedtime
  • Create a comfortable, quiet, and dark sleeping environment that is conducive to good-quality rest


If you share a room or bed with a frequent sleep-talker, it can be helpful to consult a medical professional for guidance on managing both of your sleep needs. You may try:

  • Wearing earplugs during sleep to minimize disturbances
  • Using a white noise machine in your bedroom to drown out sleep talking
  • Sleeping in different beds or rooms


Although occasional sleep talking that presents with no other symptoms is usually harmless, somniloquy can be an indicator of an underlying condition or sleep disorder in certain circumstances. For example, sleep talking is known to be associated with REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD), a condition in which people physically act out their dreams while in REM sleep.

No tests are required to diagnose sleep talking, but a doctor may request a sleep study or sleep recording (polysomnogram) if you are experiencing signs of another sleep disorder. It’s important to consult a healthcare professional if sleep talking begins suddenly as an adult, causes interference with daily life due to its impact on sleep quality, or if episodes are violent or severe in nature.