Talking in your sleep? Study reveals what you really say
A new study published in Sleep recorded 232 participants over two nights and analyzed sleep-talking. It found the content is negative: the most common word is 'no', and about 10% of utterances include swear words at a frequency 800 times higher than normal. Men talk and swear more than women. Researchers link the phenomenon to mental stress and anxiety.
A new study published in the journal Sleep examined what people say when they talk in their sleep. Researchers recorded 232 participants over two nights and analyzed the words, tone, and context. The findings show that the content is distinctly negative: the most common word was 'no', and nearly 10% of utterances included swear words at a frequency 800 times higher than in normal speech. Men tended to talk and swear more than women. The speech mimics a tense conversation with another person, including pauses to wait for a response. Researchers explain that the phenomenon, known as somniloquy, occurs when the brain area responsible for speech paralysis does not function effectively, often due to mental stress or anxiety. The negative content likely reflects processing of daily conflicts and negative emotions. The article notes that sleep-talking is usually harmless, but content filled with anger or swearing may indicate stress or anxiety that is not expressed during waking hours.