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The following is a visitor-submitted question or story. For more, you can submit your own sleep story here, or browse the collection of experiences and questions other visitors have shared here.
Random Sleep Comments
by Renea
(California)
I've known that I talked in my sleep as a child, and at times would sit up or look around while asleep but I always assumed it was finished by adulthood.
Recently though my girlfriend has been visiting and she has informed me that on several occasions I have offered her random commentary..
I told her on one evening that 'self drying towels are so convenient.' On another night I began describing the digestive system of a cat to her in my sleep and managed to wake myself up in the middle of it, I asked her if I had been talking in my sleep and she confirmed it. Most recently I insisted that 'everything is fine we have donkeys and mules.'
I wish I better understood why I talk about these things because I do not have related dreams at all and we are also wondering if she should attempt holding a conversation with me next time, are there any kind of trigger or key words to use with sleep talkers that will direct their conversations to become two way and not one sided?
Kevin: Hey Renea, thanks for writing in. Your descriptions of your random sleep comments reminds me of a rather hilarious site I stumbled upon last year. It's called Sleep Talkin' Man, and I suggest you check it out. You can probably relate to it quite a bit and maybe the authors will have some better perspective to offer on why it happens. I don't know much specifically myself, but it's a pretty fascinating thing that our minds and sleeping bodies can string together these seemingly crazy but comprehensible phrases.
I don't have any advice about things she could say to trigger a conversation, but open-ended questions I'd imagine would be a good bet. There's some other pages on this site about sleep conversations that you might find interesting. You could even post comments on there asking questions to the authors, who may be able to share some more of their experiences with it. Here's a few:
Long Conversations At Night While Sleep Talking
Asleep Conversation
Hilarious Sleep Talking - Is It Harmful?
Kevin
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Attacks of Pavor Nocturnus (a.k.a. Sleep Terrors, Night Terrors, or Incubus Attacks)
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Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer's Guide
Ever woken up paralyzed? A surprising number of us have, believe it or not. But few know the actual causes of this phenomenon, and fewer still how to exert control over it. Dream researcher and sleep paralysis expert Ryan Hurd shares breakthrough insights into how to do just that.
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