Why do I talk in my sleep? A sleep psychologist explains

Answering a question from a 15-year-old reader in Uzbekistan, a sleep psychologist explains that sleeptalking happens when brain regions responsible for speech stay active while the regions that normally keep the mouth still are asleep. Most sleeptalking is mumbles or laughs rather than real words, and when actual words appear, 'no' accounts for roughly 5% of them; sleeptalkers can sometimes respond to questions, though there's no evidence they'll reveal real secrets.

The column notes over two-thirds of people sleeptalk at some point, it's more common in childhood and in people who are overtired, and it tends to fade with age alongside other parasomnias like sleepwalking and night terrors. Studies suggest what's said aloud during REM sleep matches the sleeper's dream content about 80% of the time.

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