Talking In Your Sleep

[Christine]

Is anybody here an expert on this?

My DD, who is 17, has always talked in her sleep--a LOT.

Yesterday, my DH and her went to her college orientation and they stayed over night in a hotel. I guess it was the first time my DH had slept in earshot of her in awhile and he said "OMG, it was awful. She talked in her sleep all night. Don't you think you should take her to a doctor?" Well, I'm not sure if this requires medical advice.

My DH is worried that she will have this roommate next year and that it is going to be a problem. She isn't just mumbling, she has actual conversations and sometimes yells at people. It can actually be amusing but I do see his point.

I sort of though talking in your sleep was like sleep walking or teeth grinding in that there is not a lot you can do about it. FWIW, my DH is a terrible teeth grinder and he can't be helped!

Has anyone ever dealt with this and is there more I should do? I know our ped will probably just gloss over it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Obviously getting a sleep study would give you any answers that you might be seeking.

That would be the only way to see if she has issues. And you never know unless you do it.

My dd also talks in her sleep. Should be an interesting college yr, eh?

 

[Cool-Beans]

I'm only familiar with gobbledy gook sleep-talking. Stuff like a sudden, "The popcorn is in the window!" being yelled out like it is some kind of emergency. And it is rare.

If my kid were doing it every night, I'd ask a doctor about it because I'd want to know if there were any cause for concern...which I don't.

Please update us. This is the kind of stuff I wish people would update and they never do.

 

[HM]

One of my college roommates occasionally talked in her sleep. Once we held an actual conversation of several back and forths before I realized she was asleep. Since it was only occasional and at the time I slept pretty soundly (unlike now), it was never a problem for me.

I don't know what to tell you about your daughter though.

 

[Christine]

I'm only familiar with gobbledy gook sleep-talking. Stuff like a sudden, "The popcorn is in the window!" being yelled out like it is some kind of emergency. And it is rare.

If my kid were doing it every night, I'd ask a doctor about it because I'd want to know if there were any cause for concern...which I don't.

Please update us. This is the kind of stuff I wish people would update and they never do.

I should clarify--she doesn't do it every night. I say a "LOT" because no one else in the family does it all. For instance, on vacation when we're all in a hotel room for a week, she might do it one night during that week. When she does do it, it is fairly clear. She'll sometimes yell out "Evan, just stop it." Her brother, and then there will be mumbling.

Apparently, during the night prior to the orientation, she was mumbling a lot and then my DH said she was "cursing".

I notice it mainly when she is overtired or stressed. She was very stressed about the orientation and she had a math placement test the first night she arrived (it was at 7:30 at night) and then they came back and went to bed.

Naturally, I just want to bury my head in the sand and move on, but I'm just trying to gauge what might be normal vs. abnormal.

So, it's not every night, it's maybe once a week (if that) but definitely more during stressful situations.

She does, also, spend the night out a lot and there haven't been any issues.

So, I will run it by my pediatrician when she is in for her physical in July. I also have another doctor that I will be seeing in June (for myself) and I will ask his opinion on the matter.

 

[Cool-Beans]

DS sleepwalks when he doesn't get enough sleep. Got up in a Disney hotel room and got into the shower, turned it on and stood in there in his underwear once.

You know the old joke where you tell the doctor, "It hurts when I do this" and the doc says, "Don't do that"? That's pretty much what happened with the over-tired sleepwalking, lol. Said it was no big deal and that we should just try to make sure DS gets enough sleep.

Either his college roomies are all liars or he isn't doing it at school.

I hope you get the same, "No big whup" diagnosis we did.

 

[Shmily1]

I have always talked in my sleep if you talk to me. I can answer questions too! DD18 talks in her sleep and it is usually stuff that makes no sense but one time several years ago it was too funny!

We were in a three room suite at Pigeon Forge. DH and I in one room, DD18 and DS19 were in the twin beds in one room, and DSD and her DD were in the other room. We had been to town that night and the DD and DSD were saying Yeehaw out the window while we were riding around. About 2 in the morning, DD18 sits straight up in the bed and hollers Yeehawwwwww!!!! All of us were so startled!! DH sits up and says what was that??? I said it's just DD still riding down the street!!

 

[Mermaid02]

My kids both talk in their sleep- my daughter woke me up talking about mayonnaise one night- my son swears like a pirate- one night though he said (plain as can be) "It's time for a long, lovely nosh" He was probably 8 at the time and I had no idea what a "nosh" was.... it was kind of creepy.

 

[imabrat]

I talk in my sleep too. I do it mostly when I'm severely over-tired, or when I'm out in the sun all day and get heatstroke.
I'm fairly violent in my sleep too. My BFF woke up with a fat lip and bruises on her arm once when we were on vacation. I wake up with bruises all the time from either rolling off the bed (from fighting with myself) or whacking the walls with my arms/legs. When I was younger everyone would get worried when they heard a bang and no wailing after. Now they just say "Ah, it's just Sonya sleeping. If she were awake she'd be screaming like a little girl!" LOL!

 

[DisneyJules]

Apparently I laugh in my sleep every time I turn over. I have been known to mumble in my sleep but not talk about in full sentences. I could see why you would be concerned about this, as she is going to have a roomate in the near future. Hopefully the roomie will be a sound sleeper

 

[NMAmy]

I talk in my sleep all the time. Well, I actually sleep-argue. The only time I get really upset is if the person to whom I'm speaking asks a normal question like, "What the heck are you talking about?" DD and I went through this in a hotel room a few weeks ago. DH passed on his wisdom to her and told her, "If your mom talks to you when she's asleep, just say uh-huh or yes and she won't continue to argue with you."

Because DH doesn't question me when I talk to him, I don't wake up enough to know I'm doing it anymore. I thought I'd stopped but he said I still do it about every other night.

My sisters and I have always done this and dd does, too. I've never even thought about checking with a doctor since it doesn't seem to be hurting anyone and it's pretty normal in my family.

 

[okeydokey]

I would certainly check into this with her Dr. and get a referral to a sleep clinic. If I were her roommate I would have issues with this.

 

[themarquis]

There are a couple of sleep disorders that can manifest in this way. So it seems like it might be worthwhile to get her tested.

But it sounds from your followup that she just does this infrequently, like once a week or so but not all night long? In that case, it really may be just a variation of the norm.

Re: her going away to college, there are a couple of possibilities. First, some students with certain kinds of health related issues can request a single room. I knew somebody with severe insomnia who got one, and she argued that not only would having another person in the room worsen her insomnia but that it would probably also disturb anyone who was unfortunte enough to get housed with her. Your DD might be able to get one for similar reasons (if she wants a single, that is).

The other thing is that usually they give you contact info for your roommate over the summer so you can get to know one another. Your DD could disclose her "issue" and encourage the new roommate to switch if she was a light sleeper.

 

[MichelleVW]

DD18 talks in her sleep a bunch. She says some funny things but I always forget them by morning! She has spent many nights away from home and it's never been an issue. I just told her to tell her college roommate that she talks in her sleep and to just tell her to lay back down if she starts talking. That is usually all it takes.

I don't think it's that big of a deal....

 

[mlynn]

I both sleepwalk and talk in my sleep.It drives my husband nut when I talk all night long. My mom said doctors told her it was normal.My brother used to answer me when I spoke when we were little.
Sleepwalking is something you have to be really carefull with. My nephew left the house when he was little. The neighbor found him standing on the steps to his house. BY BIL in stall locks up high on his doors after that.
When I do it, it freaks me out when I wake up and I'm sitting in my kitchen with a food.

You could talk to a doctor about a sleep study.

 

[Nie0214]

I don't think I talk in my sleep, but I do remember one instance where I was in ~4th grade and yelled (while asleep) "Matt, get your coat on, we're going to Memere's!" to my little brother. It was slightly amusing at the time.

 

[okeydokey]

DD18 talks in her sleep a bunch. She says some funny things but I always forget them by morning! She has spent many nights away from home and it's never been an issue. I just told her to tell her college roommate that she talks in her sleep and to just tell her to lay back down if she starts talking. That is usually all it takes.

I don't think it's that big of a deal....

If I was the roommate it would be a big deal. I am a light sleeper and can't easily fall back to sleep if woken in the night. If my roommate kept waking me up at night it would be a huge deal. Maybe the OPs daughter can get a diagnosis at a sleep center that would qualify her for a solo room.

 

[Christine]

If I was the roommate it would be a big deal. I am a light sleeper and can't easily fall back to sleep if woken in the night. If my roommate kept waking me up at night it would be a huge deal. Maybe the OPs daughter can get a diagnosis at a sleep center that would qualify her for a solo room.

Well, I don't think she wants a solo room! *She* actually doesn't think she has a problem and I didn't overly think so either but I guess my DH hadn't heard it in awhile and it freaked him out. My DD tells me that none of her friends have ever had a problem with her and she believes it only happens when she is really overtired (like when we go to Disney and, of course, during this orientation).

I am going to mention this to her doctor and see if he wants to pursue a sleep study. If it is a problem and the roommate has a complaint, I guess we will just have to deal with it and housing will have to do something. I'm sure stuff like this comes up.

Some of these stories on here are pretty funny!

 

[okeydokey]

Well, I don't think she wants a solo room! *She* actually doesn't think she has a problem and I didn't overly think so either but I guess my DH hadn't heard it in awhile and it freaked him out. My DD tells me that none of her friends have ever had a problem with her and she believes it only happens when she is really overtired (like when we go to Disney and, of course, during this orientation).

I am going to mention this to her doctor and see if he wants to pursue a sleep study. If it is a problem and the roommate has a complaint, I guess we will just have to deal with it and housing will have to do something. I'm sure stuff like this comes up.

Some of these studies on here are pretty funny!

I would have KILLED for a private room my Freshman Year. My roommate was nice but I would have loved some privacy and my own place to study. Thankfully we had singles from 2nd year onward. At least my roommate wasn't a snorer, that would have been murder!

 

[vanillamickey]

I don't usually talk in my sleep, but one time my mom said that I called out, randomly, "Daddy! Give me back my bike!!" Strange, because the dream I had that night had nothing to do with my dad or my bike.

Once, though, I got up and pinched my mom in the neck, and, more recently, my mom got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. My dad woke up and I, apparently, sat straight up in bed. My parents thought the they had woken me up and when they told me about it in the morning I'm like "What? I didn't wake up. I don't remember that at all." Both times were at Disney.