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marydys Asked November 2020

Talking in his sleep?

Dad has some mild to moderate dementia. He's sleeping more during the day now that I got him a comfy recliner (so not that good). I've noticed he has full-on conversations with himself.... sometimes quite agitated conversations. He seems asleep but must be in another half-way state. Is this a hallucination do you think? Or just normal old age weirdness? When he wakes is is often quite sure we've been having a conversation!

AlvaDeer Nov 2020
REM disorder with Parasomnia, the acting out of vivid dreams.
This is what I remember reading about, in that the normal inhibition of hitting out, talking, even getting out of bed, is not working. It MAY be associated with Lewy's Dementia, and is known to occur with Parkinson's Disease. But it may be present in some people throughout much of adult life.
Can find out tons about it online.

sjplegacy Nov 2020
It's not hallucinations or weird. Have you ever had a dream that seemed real when you awoke? My wife used to talk in her sleep and some of it was quite hillarious. If you're concerned talk to his dr. especially if he tends to act out his dreams.
DobermanLover Nov 2020
Not only do I talk in my sleep I wander around the house...unsettling for everyone but me...have done this since childhood and I'm 50 now ;)

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marydys Nov 2020
It seems to be new but I've never lived with him/around him to this extent. I know he's not deeply sleeping due to a sleep study he had recently (hoping to get him to use a Cpap). Hopefully that's it, and it's no the beginning of hallucinations or sleep wandering.
AlvaDeer Nov 2020
I would think this is more likely because he isn't able to get below the level of dreaming to a more deep and restful sleep. The Cpap might help him a whole lot with this. I am guess, as a nurse it is only a guess, that this is the case. You might check with the MD who ordered the sleep study or with the sleep study lab to help confirm this. Good luck!!
AlvaDeer Nov 2020
Is it a new thing? That is to say, in the past have you noticed your father to talk in his sleep? Most people have something that inhibits them, while sleeping, from acting out, speaking out, and for some actually leaving the bed and "sleep walking". But some few do not. My bro would speak out in his sleep all his life, and it was usually when he was having a dream that was more disturbed. It may have increased later in life as his early Lewy's Dementia started, but he did always have it, and his various partners in life often would laugh with him, with me, about his unintelligible babble, often accompanied by a couple of good kicks in bed. There are levels of sleep at which we tend to dream more than other levels. Your father may be sleeping less deeply than he used to. I would look some of this up online, and consider asking his doc next appointment.

MJ1929 Nov 2020
Pretty normal if you go by my mother. She has entire phone conversations by pulling the edge of her sweater over her nose and using her voice and another one for who's on the other end.

Later she'll ask me, "Did I talk to so-and-so, or did I dream it?"

Stacy0122 Nov 2020
Check his meds.

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