Latest news with #sleepscience
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Most of us will sleep talk in our lives — neuroscientist explains why and how to stop
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Sleep talking can be a slightly strange experience — whether you're the one doing the midnight chattering or you're sharing a bed with someone who is talking mid-snooze. But what is sleep talking and why do we do it? Is it our brain's way of communicating something important or just idle chatter? In this feature, we dive into the science behind sleep talking - from what triggers it to whether it's ever a sign of something more serious. You'll also find expert tips on how to reduce your chances of talking in your sleep, and when to seek help - plus the latest research on the parasomnia. What is sleep talking? Sleep talking, otherwise known as somniloquy, is a type of sleep parasomnia where someone talks while asleep, unconsciously. 66% of people will sleep talk at one point in their lives 'The talking can be anything from unintelligible murmurs to full sentences,' says neuroscientist Dr Caroline Leaf. 'It normally occurs during non-REM sleep when the non-conscious working mind is still sorting and stabilizing memories and reorganizing networks in the brain,' she adds. 'It is quite common and may be related to the nature and intensity of what is being processed when sleeping,' Dr Lead fact, according to a study in 2010, 66% of people will sleep talk at one point in their lives, and 17 per cent of us have done it in the last three months. Is sleep talking associated with your dreams? Most of us would assume that sleep talking is a way of processing dreams — but experts believe there isn't enough evidence to suggest this. Although some sleep talking does happen during REM sleep (when we dream), most of the time it's associated with non-REM sleep. 'This is where it's less about active dreaming and more about fragmented neural activity,' explains Dr. Leaf. 'The mind processes unresolved mental events or stressors from the day, activating high-energy states and neuroplasticity in the brain,' she says. Why do people talk in their sleep? 1. Stress and anxiety Stress has a massive effect on our sleep, including for those who are prone to sleep talking. 'Stresses and anxieties can interfere with regular sleep patterns and increase sleep fragmentation, resulting in parasomnias like sleep talking,' explains sleep doctor Saad Karim. 'This is because the brain is more agitated or active at night when we're anxious, which results in vocalizations.' 2. Sleep deprivation Regularly not getting enough sleep, also known as sleep deprivation, can impact our health, but also how we sleep. 'Not enough sleep can make sleep more intense and more disorganized when you do sleep, increasing the risk for strange things like sleep talking,' explains the sleep doctor. 'The brain's transitions between sleep stages can become less smooth, and parasomnias are more likely.' 3. Genetics Genetics plays a big role in many health conditions, and it's no different with sleep, says Dr. Leaf. 'If a family member sleep talks or experiences other sleep behaviors like sleepwalking or night terrors, there's a higher chance others in the family may too,' she explains. But, it's not always the way, 'genetics are not destiny, they simply create a probability or propensity,' Dr. Leaf adds. 4. Medications 'Medications, such as antidepressants or sleep aids, can affect the central nervous system,' the neuroscientist explains, meaning they can 'disrupt natural sleep patterns'. Research shows that certain medications can increase fragmented sleep, which raises the likelihood of parasomnias like sleep talking. 'This is especially true if the medications interfere with REM cycles, deepen non-REM transitions or shorten the periods between non-REM and REM sleep unnaturally,' she adds. How to stop talking in your sleep There are many lifestyle changes you can make to stop sleep talking, but if you're worried about your symptoms, talk to your doctor. 1. Improve sleep hygiene Sleep hygiene doesn't only refer to your habits and lifestyle that can impact your sleep. It also refers to your environment. If you've ever woken up to loud music outside or street lights, then you may need to take steps to create a calm, peaceful environment. These things can not just be annoying when you sleep, but also make sleep talking worse. 'Ensuring your sleeping place is cool, dark, and quiet allows your brain to transition from sleeping stages smoothly - avoiding parasomnias,' Karim explains. 2. Mind-managing and stress-reducing nighttime routine Dr. Leaf believes that this is one of the most crucial things to help sleep, as 'the mind is 99% of who you are and the brain and body are only 1%.' 'Your mind is your active thinking, feeling, and choosing, and it's driving your brain,' she says. So, how should you act to calm the mind? 'Engaging in a reflective, calming mental practice before bed, like journaling, meditation, or my 5-step Neurocycle method, can help deconstruct stress before sleep,' Dr. Leaf advises. 'This reduces the risk of mental spillover that triggers sleep talking,' she explains. 3. Cutting down on or avoiding alcohol or caffeine Yes, a glass of wine can feel like a nice way to relax after a hard day, but as Dr. Leaf says, 'it weakens the brain's built-in sleep rhythm, often causing parasomnias. Cutting alcohol close to bedtime gives your brain a better chance at deep, uninterrupted rest.' And what about that coffee you had at lunchtime, will it bring on or make sleep talking worse? Caffeine can stay in our system for up to 10 hours, and it 'can reduce melatonin production and delay sleep onset. It also keeps the brain in a hyper-alert state longer than we realize.' So, what's the solution? 'Removing it from your afternoon and evening routine could restore natural sleep transitions and reduce talking during sleep, but coffee affects everyone differently, so work out your unique response.' 4. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule When you have an erratic sleep schedule - i.e going to bed at different times every night, it can confuse your circadian rhythm. This is your internal body clock, which helps you naturally wake up and feel sleepy. 'Creating a consistent, calm, tech-controlled and curated bedtime routine sends a signal to the brain to wind down,' the neuroscientist explains. 'This helps regulate neurochemical balance, especially serotonin and GABA, which are critical for sleep stability.'
WIRED
5 days ago
- WIRED
Our Sleep Expert Will Help You Find the Best Colored Noise for Slumber
You may be familiar with white noise, but what about pink noise, or brown noise? WIRED's sleep expert walks you through the rainbow of benefits for bedtime. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Learn more. As a certified sleep science coach and mattress tester of five years, I'm no stranger to soothing noises being part of many people's sleep hygiene arsenal. For some, the perfect soundtrack might be white noise. For others, it could be a different color entirely—sometimes streamed on their phone, but often courtesy of a sound machine. If your sound machine or app offers a variety of different colored sounds, how might you know what they mean, or which might be best for your brain? How Noise Is 'Color-Coded' Let's get our Sheldon Cooper on for a minute and establish why certain noises are categorized into colors. Sound travels in waves, like light. The frequency of a sound wave, measured in hertz (Hz), is the number of waves that pass a certain point in one second. High-pitched sounds have high frequency (and short wavelengths), low-pitched sounds have low frequency (and longer wavelengths). The human ear can distinguish sounds from 20 Hz on the low end to 20,000 Hz on the high end. As for the colors? In the portion of the light spectrum that we can see, different frequencies are perceived by our eyes as different colors. By analogy, the 'color' of a sound is a shorthand way of describing the quality of that sound, which is determined by a particular blend of sound wave frequencies. (People with a rare condition called synesthesia literally do see colors from certain sounds, but that's a different topic.) Most people are familiar with 'white noise' machines—in fact they're pretty synonymous with sound machines. Just as white light is composed of all the visible colors, white noise incorporates all audible frequencies of sound at once. The result is similar to the ambient noise that is the sonic backdrop to your everyday life. Some liken it to TV static or a fan running—which happens to be the key mechanism in one of my favorite sound machines, the Snooz (see below). Circling back to the 20,000 kilohertz that humans can hear—white noise is all of that, all at once. If you live in a louder environment, like a city or with roommates, white noise may be a helpful tool for you. It won't 'cancel out' sounds like horns honking, the way noise-canceling headphones do, but it can 'mask' disruptive sounds. Essentially, the combined frequencies dull down the loud noises so that your brain doesn't pick up on them as much. Pink Noise Some argue that pink noise is the best sound for sleeping. Like white noise, it contains all the frequencies we can hear, but it emphasizes the lower frequencies instead of putting all frequencies at the same loudness, as white noise does. This results in what some describe as a 'flat noise' that is perceptibly softer. It's often likened to rainfall or ocean waves Some studies have shown that it promotes deeper sleep and also calms brain activity so you fall asleep faster. Brown Noise Brown noise is 'all about that bass.' Like pink noise, it boosts the amplitude (the oomph) of lower frequencies, so they're more prominent—but even more so. The result is a deep rumbling sound. If you like to fall asleep listening to thunderstorms or like those intervals of a loud boom , so to speak, brown noise may be the color for you. Green Noise If you feel like 'going green' with green noise, you're not too far off from what you'd experience outdoors. Instead of putting all frequencies on play at once like white and pink noise, green noise puts an emphasis on 500 Hz, which is considered mid-frequency. If you're in the mood to chase waterfalls in your dreams (hopefully you get the reference), green noise is most like the sound of water and wind. So listen to waterfalls, ocean waves, and wind rustling through the trees to your heart's content. Blue Noise All noise types up until this point stay within the low- to mid-frequency range. But blue noise really amps up the dial and prioritizes high frequencies. Candidly, it may be more hit or miss depending on the sleeper. Some may find the sound (which some describe as steam whistling) better for working or staying alert. Violet Noise Violet noise ratchets up the high (treble) frequencies even more than blue noise. Basically it's the opposite of brown noise. Everyone's different, but I can't imagine being lulled to sleep by this. Pump Up the Beat The use of sound to promote sleep and all the ways it can affect your brain and health are still being researched and explored. However, you can experiment with these different noise types whenever you like and see which you respond to (or rather, conk out to) the most.
WIRED
15-07-2025
- General
- WIRED
Does Your Bed-in-a-Box Need a Box Spring?
If you haven't seen a box spring in a while, it's not your imagination—a mattress expert breaks down when you might need this dinosaur of the sleep world. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. You're probably familiar with a box spring, the simple wood frame with springs that acts as a support base under older mattresses. It's not a highly technical piece of equipment like a smart bed (or a trampoline, wouldn't that be fun)—this kind of mattress foundation has persisted through the ages solely due to its simple and durable design. But have you noticed you may not be seeing them as often nowadays? In my opinion as a career mattress tester, contemporary mattresses are on their way to making this furniture addition obsolete. However, that doesn't mean it automatically gets booted from your mattress setup scenario. Let's unpack what a box spring actually is, why you may or may not need one, and where it could set you and your mattress up for success. For this article, I'm relying on my own expertise as a Spencer Institute–certified sleep science coach and mattress tester of five years, as well as that of John Merwin, CEO of 3Z Brands (maker of Helix, Nolah, Bear, and Leesa) and founder of Brooklyn Bedding. The Box Spring's Backstory Mattresses back in the day weren't what they are now, and that time frame extends from the earliest iterations of mattresses to 50 years ago to today. Support was, let's just say, pretty abysmal. Think of a bed completely filled with hay, and more often than not that's what you had to work with. The box spring was meant to alleviate that lack of support with its introduction during the late 18th century. Engraving depicting a coiled spring mattress, demonstrating its lightness compared with a feather or a feather and spring mattress of a similar size. Its manufactures also recommended it as "it does not harbour vermin or dirt". (Photo by: Universal History Archive/UIG via Getty Images) UniversalA box spring involves a wooden frame or base that contains innerspring coils or has coils set atop the base. A fabric casing is often involved to keep everything contained. This is a deliberate design choice, because the coils in the box spring are springing up to meet the mattress atop it. The wooden frame has slats to ensure that no sagging is happening around the center of the bed, while providing some foundational backup to the coils. If we think back to the ye olde mattress days, or the time before mattresses in a box were a thing (which was 2004, to be exact), the box spring was the predominant piece of furniture that accompanied your mattress. As time went on, box springs evolved to support a specific type of mattress—traditional innerspring coils. 'Traditional coils are often referred to as Bonnell coils, which have been used in mattresses for generations,' says 3Z CEO John Merwin. 'They're designed in an hourglass shape where they're wider at the top and bottom with a thinner middle to offer a combination of support and flexibility." But why does this coil type need a box spring in the first place? Ultimately, it came down to making sure sleepers were truly getting support across the board, er, box spring. Traditional coils 'are designed to offer a combination of support and flexibility, but because these coils are connected by a network of wires, they tend to move as a unit rather than individually," Merwin says. 'This makes them more dependent on a box spring or foundation to provide proper support and absorb shock.' Beds with Bonnell coils are still out there, but usually not as the standout mattress material within a bed. Some hybrids may use it at the base of the mattress for durability, with pocketed coils and memory foam layered atop it. Still, in these cases, box springs aren't necessary, since the coils are doing the heavy lifting. An example of this would be the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid, which utilizes modern pocketed coils for durability and support. Box Springs and Your Mattress (in a Box) Owners of modern-day mattresses, either from a box shipped to your house or a brick-and-mortar mattress store, need to be extra careful when pairing a box spring with their bed, if it all. Merwin says the box spring helps extend the life of the mattress by reducing wear and tear, especially since Bonnell coils don't offer the same level of motion isolation or adaptive support as more modern pocketed coil designs. 'While still found in some entry-level models,' Merwin says, "Bonnell coils have largely been phased out in favor of more advanced coil systems that better align with today's comfort and durability standards." So, the reality is (A) you probably don't need a box spring, and (B) a box spring could actually be damaging to your bed. Not to mention, it could potentially void your warranty coverage. For memory foam mattresses or hybrids, the coil components within a box spring could actually wear down each respective material and counteract long-term durability and support. The usage of coils in a hybrid mattress actually mimics the performance of a box spring, so you don't actually need to use one. Pair a box spring with a hybrid and you've potentially got a 'too much of a good thing' situation on your hands. But let's say that you choose to continue down the path of the box spring—some brands may offer a version compatible with your mattress of choice. You can also cross-verify with customer service to see if a box spring would make an ideal pairing with your mattress. If your bed frame lacks slats or any sort of centralized support, that's a situation in favor of box springs. In that case, you can expect to shell out anywhere from under $100 to $300 for a box spring, depending on the size of mattress you have. But as a professional mattress tester, always keep the focus on the best mattress for you first, and then the subsequent accessories after. Your search shouldn't be, 'Can I find a bed to work with my box spring?' Support System FTW What should you be using for your mattress, then, if not a box spring? Plopping it on a bed frame with central support beams, a mattress foundation, or a smart bed base are all viable options. This is another warranty caveat—make sure that with whatever you choose, your base has the support required by your mattress's warranty coverage. This could mean the wooden slats are a certain number of inches apart, or confirmation that there's a support beam running vertically through the base to keep the center from sagging. Some models, like the Wolf Memory Foam Hybrid, actually supply a base with your purchase, so you're covered from the jump. Even better news: We're on top of testing bed frames, too.
