Parasomnia – it’s a collective term for annoying behaviors that affect your sleep. One-third of U.S. adults get lower than the beneficial amount of sleep, a nationwide problem linked to chronic illnesses starting from depression to Type 2 diabetes. However, some parasomnias don't just affect the sleeper; They can influence others inside earshot.
A standard parasomnia that Americans suffer from is somniloquia, more commonly often known as sleep talking. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, it’s a disorder that affects as much as 65% of the population in some unspecified time in the future of their lives. And it might be significantly disruptive for the roommates.
“There are some things you can do as a bed partner to save your sleep,” said Dr. Carlos Schenck, professor and senior psychiatrist on the University of Minnesota Hennepin County Medical Center, told CNN. “But first make sure there are no hidden issues that could be causing the problem.”
The academy reported that talking in a single's sleep was itself harmless. But it might even be a symptom of one other, more damaging sleep problem.
Jennifer Mundt, an assistant professor of sleep medicine, psychiatry and behavioral sciences on the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, told CNN that the primary line of defense against sleep loss as a result of bedmate somniloquia is a white noise generator – a loud fan will do.
“Earplugs or comfortable noise-cancelling headphones can also be helpful,” she said. Schenck added that going to bed before your partner talks about sleep will be helpful. Once you sleep, it becomes harder for them to maintain you awake all night.
There is not any approach to predict when an individual will develop a parasomnia, but just a little detective work will help uncover sleep talking triggers in a partner.
“The person who talks in their sleep has to be very considerate of their partner,” Schenck said. “If sleeping on your back makes the situation worse, get a nightgown that you can put a tennis ball in the back of so you can avoid sleeping on your back.”
Common triggers include stress, alcohol, lack of sleep, sleep disorders or sleeping in a brand new environment.
©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
image credit : www.mercurynews.com