Sleep talking: A viable access to mental processes during sleep
Alfonsi V
Published in Sleep Medicine Reviews
Methodology
Systematic narrative review of polysomnographic, epidemiological and linguistic studies of somniloquy, synthesising prevalence, sleep-stage distribution, content analysis and clinical associations.
Key Findings
Sleep talking is highly prevalent across the general population, occurs in both REM and NREM sleep, is generally benign rather than pathological, and its content shows partial correspondence with concurrent mental activity during sleep.
Conclusions
Sleep talking is one of the most common altered nocturnal behaviours in the whole population. It does not represent a pathological condition and consists in the unaware production of vocalisations during sleep.
Limitations
Heterogeneous and often small primary studies, reliance on self- or bed-partner report for prevalence, and no quantitative pooling.
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
Access Study
This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement regimen.