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Since most people aren't aware of their own sleep talking habits, you'll need to talk to the people who have heard you talking in your sleep. Ask them to think about how long the problem has been going on. If the problem is recent, it most likely has a recent cause. Identifying and eliminating that cause will usually put an end to the sleep talking. Long-term sleep talking is usually harder to get rid of since the cause will be harder to identify. If your current partner or roommate cannot recall a time when you did not sleep talk, ask the people who used to live with youpast roommates, siblings, parents, and so onif you used to talk in your sleep while you lived with them. More accurately pinning down the start of your problem can lead to a more accurate analysis of what caused it and how to stop it. Make a list of the prescription and non-prescription medications you take on a regular basis. Research each one and determine if any of them have been linked to sleep talking or other sleep problems. Don't stop taking any prescription medication without first consulting your doctor about it, even if you believe that medicine is responsible for your sleep talking. Even if a certain medication isn't typically linked to sleep talking, you should still mention it to your doctor if your bouts of sleep talking began around the same time you started the medication. There is still some chance that the medication could be connected to the problem somehow. If you're taking recreational drugs, whether legal or illegal, you should also note that they could be involved in the problem, too. Sleep talking is often a sign of physical and mental illness. Ask yourself if there are currently any underlying health issues you may need to address. Taking care of those may also end your sleep talking episodes. Even short-term health difficulties can trigger episodes of sleep talking. For instance, you might start talking in your sleep if you have a high fever. The sleep talking usually disappears with the fever in these instances, but if other factors were also involved, it may continue even after the fever breaks. Mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety disorders, can cause sleep talking, too. This is especially true if you have a mental health disorder that hasn't been diagnosed or treated. Once treatment begins, you may notice a decline in the number of sleep talking episodes you experience. When you visit your doctor, be prepared with a complete record of your personal medical history. Be as thorough and honest as possible. Your doctor may also ask you questions about your family medical history. Sleep disorders often run in family lines, and if you have a close relative with a diagnosed sleep disorder, you might be at a higher risk of experiencing that disorder, too. Immediately before or after your initial appointment, start keeping a sleep journal to monitor your sleeping habits. After two weeks, review this journal with your doctor to determine if certain patterns might be the cause of your sleep talking. Record the times you go to bed, when you think you fell asleep, and when you woke up. You should also record notes about your daily habits and routines. Make a list of the medications you take and when you take them. Note when you exercise and for how long. Write down what you drink each day and when you drink it. On occasion, sleep talking could be a symptom of a more serious sleep disorder, or another sleep disorder might be mistaken for standard sleep talking. Watch for other signs related to sleep disorders to determine if you may have a more severe problem. REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is one common cause. If you physically act out your dreams while talking, or if you shout and become violent in your sleep, RBD could be to blame. Night terrors can also be linked to sleep talking. The talking one does while experiencing night terrors will usually be notably extreme, and may involved screaming or thrashing around. People with catathrenia (also known as "nocturnal groaning") don't often speak in audible words during sleep. Instead, they typically make long, loud groaning sounds. A sleep specialist might use a sleep study or polysomnogram to monitor your mind and body as you sleep. This test may allow the doctor to diagnose sleep disorders responsible for your problem. Under most circumstances, a sleep specialist will use a diagnostic overnight polysomnogram to diagnose problems related to sleep talking. During the test, special equipment will be used to monitor your breathing patterns, blood oxygen levels, heart rhythms, and limb movements. Your overall quality of sleep will be monitored, as well. After the test, the sleep specialist assigned to your case will study the recorded results and look for patterns that could be indicative of an underlying sleep disorder. Once a diagnosis is made, an appropriate course of treatment can be devised.
Determine when the problem started. Investigate any medications you take. Monitor your overall physical and mental health. Provide your complete medical history. Keep a sleep diary. Familiarize yourself with other sleep disorders. Undergo a sleep study.