“I hear the secrets that you keep/oh, oh, when you’re talkin’ in your sleep.”

This hit song by the Romantics promoted the idea that sleep talkers aren’t necessarily talking nonsense. But is that true?

There are varying levels of sleep talking, which is officially called “somniloquy.” Some people make unintelligible sounds, others chatter here and there, and some give full-on speeches. Many people can carry on conversations with a sleeping person, who doesn’t remember anything upon wakening.

But do they speak the truth?

In some cases, yes – but a sleeping brain is not the same as an awake brain, so if your partner starts spewing suspicious-sounding secrets, listen with a grain of salt. Often truth and fiction gets garbled in sleep talking, so it’s important to not make assumptions or judgments based on anything your sleeping partner says.

Finally, if your partner’s sleep-talking is keeping you up, give us a call.