Isaak woke up crying one night. I took him to the bathroom, told him it was just a dream, and tucked him back in. I think that time he had a dream that someone was trying to poke his eyes out. Scary indeed.
After that Isaak started crying again. Travis went in there, he talked to him awhile, and came out saying, "That is creepy! I've never experienced talking with someone that looks awake, but is still sleeping! That's just not right!"
I said, "Oh he's like me." Travis looked at me like I was crazy. I said, "Travis I used to be like that...my sister would have full blown conversations with me. Then the next day she'd ask me about our conversation, and I didn't remember any of it."
What Isaak and I have experienced with looking awake, but still dreaming isn't quite the same as night terrors. Mica had night terrors before. Mica would just scream cry, but would not say a word. Isaak on the other hand will talk with you like he gets what you are saying, but starts talking like he's in his dream at the same time.
Is Sleep Talking bad for you?
I found a great article here that goes over sleep talking. Studies show that it's not bad for you. Often times kids outgrow it. I did for the most part. It's not healthy if it's on going, but if it's a once in awhile thing, it's not a big deal.
Often times sleep talking occurs when there's a stress in someones life. Stress doesn't have to be something that happens at school, or in the family. It can be from getting sick, or not getting enough sleep.
Should you wake up a sleep talker?
It depends. If it bothers someone that shares a room with sleep talker, they can try to wake them. While that may work for some people, usually waking them only encourages them to talk more. It gives the sleeper more to talk about.
I sort of remember talking in my sleep at times. The real world mixes with the dream world. Just like you remember your dreams at times, and forget them other times, the same goes for sleep talking. Sometimes I'd make sense to the real world, while other times I'd make no sense at all because I was in my dreamland.
Is sleep talking treatable?
Just try and take care of the stress in the sleep talker's life. Have good sleep habits: Go to bed on time, wake up at a similar time everyday, and if you're a sleep talking adult lay off alcoholic drinks right before bed.
When do you worry about a sleep talker?
You only need to worry if it's consistent. A serial nocturnal conversationalist would be a concern.
I'm still going to let Isaak's pediatrician's office know that he's talked in his sleep. Just in case there's a sleep apnea problem.
Have you been around someone that talks in their sleep?
