Confessions of a sleep-talker: Decoding the sense behind the 'nonsense', strange words or brainwaves at work?

Jasmines to the left of them, jasmines to the right of them.

Apparently, that's what I muttered in my sleep, the other day, according to my husband.

What a surreal mash-up of floral obsession and old-war poetry.

But my husband has plenty of stories about my sleep-talking. Some nights, I’ve even ranted about our ironing table. Those are just the times he’s managed to make sense of it; most of the time, he ignores it and keeps sleeping.

I could probably have stumbled upon a cure for an incurable disease, but we will never know, I suppose.

Nevertheless, I don’t remember any of these conversations, and what’s even more strange, is that none of the coherent parts were connected to dreams. So now I’m curious, what does sleep talking actually mean? Why does it feel so disconnected from dreaming, yet somehow just as bizarre?

The comfort is that I’m not alone. Surely Chaudhary, an Abu Dhabi-based professional says that she is a sleep-talker too. “My husband says that I just keep saying fragments of sentences, words, that really don’t mean anything. I don’t seem upset or disturbed in my sleep; it’s just simply conversing in English, and yet a very garbled, kind of English.”

Do we need to be worried, both of us wonder.  

What is sleep-talking, really? 

Sleep talking, which is formally known as somniloquy, is a sleep disorder that falls under the umbrella of parasomnias, explains Clara Koelho, a sleep specialist. It occurs between different sleep stages, or even during brief awakenings. “It’s not like sleepwalking, which often involves movement. Sleep talking is all about vocalisation. Mumbled nonsense, maybe clear sentences, perhaps emotional outburst, and the person has no clue that it happened,” explains Koelho. 

It’s surprisingly common, especially in children and adolescents, and adults aren’t immune to it. In fact, stress, fatigue, fever, certain medications, and even mental health conditions can increase the likelihood of sleep talking episodes.

So, why does it happen? 

Pop culture has romanticised sleep talking and almost convinced us, that people who chatter in their sleep are just their most honest and raw selves, to the point they will confess their entire life story, if need be.

Well, it’s not that simple. 

Koelho explains that sleep talking typically occurs during the non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stages of sleep, when the brain is less active. During REM sleep, when dreams are most vivid, the body is usually paralysed to prevent acting out dreams. However, if this paralysis is incomplete, some people might speak. In non-REM sleep, speech can still emerge during brief partial awakenings or arousals.

In those moments, the brainstem stays active, but the prefrontal cortex, the part responsible for logic, reasoning, and self-censorship, is largely offline. So what emerges may sound like language, but it's often a jumbled echo of thoughts, dreams, or fragmented memories.

What research says 

A 2022 study attests to this: Research from Sapienza University of Rome found that people who frequently talk in their sleep often sleep less soundly, they experience more interruptions and report poorer sleep quality. Strangely enough, their dreams are also less emotionally intense, hinting that sleep talking might be tied to how the brain processes emotions and maintains sleep rhythm.

The ‘echoes of daytime’ 

Meanwhile, other research shows our brain’s language centres, such as the Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, stay active while we sleep. Sleep talk can sometimes sound surprisingly structured, with full sentences and proper grammar—even though we’re completely unaware of it. The catch is that what we say often ends up a bit nonsensical or emotionally flat, revealing how the sleeping brain runs on autopilot.

Another intriguing aspect is the potential role of sleep talking in memory consolidation. Some researchers propose that verbalisations during sleep might represent the brain's attempt to process and consolidate memories. While more research is needed, this perspective opens up the possibility that sleep talking could provide insights into how our brains handle information during rest. Koelho adds, “It’s also that suggested that speech during sleep could represent a kind of ‘echo’ of waking life, especially if the language is somewhat coherent or emotionally charged. It’s almost like the brain is replaying or reorganising thoughts without the conscious mind present to interpret them.”

Should I be worried? 

Not usually, says Dubai-based Ramya Krishna, a psychologist. “It’s harmless, usually. It might be embarrassing, and even amusing. But unless it is paired with other disruptive sleep behaviours, such as sleepwalking, night terrors or chronic insomnia, you don’t really need treatment for it."
Whew, well that’s good news. 

Still, if it becomes frequent, intense, or is accompanied by signs of sleep deprivation or distress, it might be worth looking into. Sometimes, persistent sleep talking can be a symptom of an underlying issue, like a sleep disorder, anxiety, or even PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Nevertheless, sleep talking, just like sleepwalking and dreams, is another riveting window into the mysterious subconscious. No one really knows what goes on in there. 

The mind, after all, is a world of its own.