10
25

Sleep talking - Causes and how to stop it according to the Buddha's teachings

Health, 13:20 PM, September, 23 2023
10
25

Have you ever been told by someone that you were talking in your sleep, but you actually did not remember anything about it?

In this article, you will find the answers of Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh to your questions about talking in your sleep, from its meaning and causes to ways to overcome it.

What is sleep talking?

Sleep talking, or somniloquy is a very common occurrence. Many people talk unconsciously in their sleep. Some people even cry or act out with the feelings that their dreams are so real. 

Sleep talking might be a sign of a bad health condition. If the talking occurs often, it will affect not only the sleep quality of sleep talkers but also that of other people who share the same bedroom with them. 

What causes sleep talking?

Sleep talking can be viewed from various perspectives. Scientists, who study dreams, have tried to find the cause of unconscious utterances during sleep.

Scientific explanation

Scientists explain that the brain regions responsible for speech control in sleep talkers are not as inhibited as that of normal people during their sleep. Normally, people don't speak in their sleep because their brain areas involved in speech processing are not active. However, it is not the case for sleep talkers because their regions still work and they think what they see in their dreams is real. Therefore, they talk as if it were in real life. 

Is sleep talking a spiritual phenomenon?

Several people wonder whether there is any spiritual connection here. Are sleep talkers talking to spirits during their slumber? 

The answer is no, according to Thay. It's their karma. In our life, nothing goes beyond the law of cause and effect and neither does the act of speaking during sleep. 

Dreams are very personal matters. No one other than you knows what you've dreamt about because you think in your head, you dream in your mind. If you dream about your spouse, it's also your very private thing. But if you unknowingly speak out even your most private things, what can you conclude from this? 

Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh said: “From the consequence (of being unaware of speaking about our private things), we can trace back to the cause. The cause of sleep talking is that in previous lives or even this life, you once broke your promises, or did not keep secrets for people, divulged all to others, which dishonored them.”

Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh in a regular Dharma Talk at Ba Vang Pagoda.

Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh in a regular Dharma Talk at Ba Vang Pagoda.

For example, a friend spills their secrets to you and asks you to keep them. However, instead of keeping your friend's secrets, you reveal them to other people, making your friends lose their faces. That is the cause of unconsciously talking about your private things in your sleep.

How to stop sleep-talking?

If you often speak in your sleep, you might have to see the doctor for a physical exam because, during a healthy sleep, the language areas of the brain should be inhibited so that we are unable to speak.

If you are struggling with sleep talking, consult a doctor for medical advice and treatment.

If you are struggling with sleep talking, consult a doctor for medical advice and treatment.

However, if you don't have any health problems, your utterances while sleeping are matters of karma. To transform this phenomenon, you must honestly repent and determinedly correct your faults according to the Buddha's teachings.

Practicing the Dharma will help you transform your karma (Picture: Foreigners in a Repentance Session at Ba Vang Pagoda in early 2020 when COVID-19 hadn't emerged in Vietnam).

Practicing the Dharma will help you transform your karma (Picture: Foreigners in a Repentance Session at Ba Vang Pagoda in early 2020 when COVID-19 hadn't emerged in Vietnam).

You must repent of your old mistakes that, in the past, you didn't protect the secrets of others. Also, from now on, you must keep all the secrets that others confide in you and never reveal them. That is exactly what a good friend should do.

So, repenting and practicing the Buddha's teachings will help you transform your karma and overcome this unconscious action. 

We wish you to have a healthy sleep and be able to keep your thoughts private!

Related posts
25
Share
Comment (10)

Read more

14:50 PM, October, 04 2023
14:50 PM, October, 04 2023
Five must-read lessons on health and longevity from the Buddha

Health and longevity are among the most reasonable wishes we all have. In this article, you will know what actually influences our physical conditions and how to have a long healthy life according to the teachings of the Buddha.

8 559

Five must-read lessons on health and longevity from the Buddha

05:02 AM, August, 15 2023
05:02 AM, August, 15 2023
Story of a king overcoming obesity and lessons learned

Many attempts to overcome obesity failed because people are unclear about the disease’s root or lack motivation, maybe. In the article “Obesity: 5 causes and solutions”, we have discussed what can lead to the state of obesity and how to address the issue in depth.

7 26922

Story of a king overcoming obesity and lessons learned

11:30 AM, August, 09 2023
11:30 AM, August, 09 2023
Obesity: 5 causes and solutions

Obesity has become an epidemic in many countries, which makes it one of the biggest health problems in the world. In fact, overweight or obese people face a lot of complications and consequences which negatively affect both their health and mind. Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh, the abbot of Ba Vang Pagoda shows you 5 causes of obesity and its solutions that can help you overcome this complex disease.

3 10624

Obesity: 5 causes and solutions

12:54 PM, March, 15 2023
12:54 PM, March, 15 2023
10 special tips to become naturally beautiful

Beauty is a desire shared by most people. Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh shared with us how to have a natural and long-lasting beauty according to Buddhism. Read the article below to find these 10 special tips!

24 191

10 special tips to become naturally beautiful


If you don't know where to start, just click here