Causes
An abnormality in the regulation of the different phases of sleep causes Sleep Talking, Sleep Terrors, and Nightmares
Essentially we pass through three distinct stages of sleep in one night, categorized as
- A state of being awake or Wakefulness
- REM sleep
- NREM sleep
To sleep well, one needs to transit from one stage of sleep to another without disturbance. When this natural transition is upset, it gives rise to sleep parasomnias which could be nightmares, sleep talking or night terrors.
The actual cause behind the disturbance in sleep cycles is still unclear, but some of the influencing factors that can exacerbate these parasomnias have come to light.
Sleep talking
Sleep talking may begin due to stress or the experience of a stressful event. Psychiatric disorders like anxiety disorders are known to trigger sleep talking. A bout of fever and extreme fatigue due to this can also trigger sleep talking episodes.
Sleep terror
Some of the factors behind sleep terrors hover around sleep deprivation. A bout of fever could also trigger a sleep terror episode. Sometimes use of CNS depressant medications can also cause such nocturnal disturbances.
Nightmares
Often the triggers of nightmares could be due to depression, or due to cessation of alcohol or sedative hypnotics. Problems in relationships can also cause nightmares in sleep.
