The following is a visitor-submitted question or story. For more, you can submit your own sleep story here, or browse the collection of experiences and questions other visitors have shared here.

Sleep Talking and Dreaming In Different Languages

by Frank W.
(Clark, NJ)




Hello- I am a high school psychology teacher. We were discussing sleep and dreaming and a student of mine said that something interesting happened to her. She reports all of her dream content to be in English. However, those around her when she sleeps claim that when she sleep talks, she speaks in Portuguese and not English. This has been observed on several occasions with her. Any idea why this may occur?




Comments for
Sleep Talking and Dreaming In Different Languages

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 18, 2011
different language
by: Mona

Its an interesting question, I have been wondering about the same thing for a few years now. When my son was about 8 yrs old, i would also hear him speaking in a different language in his sleep, sounded like hebrew or latin.. who knows,but it was clear and like a repeated sentence... I told my oldest daughter and she didnt beleive me. Until one night she was left alone with him and she texted me a little scared that he was doing it..
It no longer happens, but it is a mystery of what caused it.

Sep 18, 2011
different language
by: Mona

Its an interesting question, I have been wondering about the same thing for a few years now. When my son was about 8 yrs old, i would also hear him speaking in a different language in his sleep, sounded like hebrew or latin.. who knows,but it was clear and like a repeated sentence... I told my oldest daughter and she didnt beleive me. Until one night she was left alone with him and she texted me a little scared that he was doing it..
It no longer happens, but it is a mystery of what caused it.

Dec 07, 2011
Similar experience NEW
by: Anonymous

I have had the same thing happen to me. My sisters tell me that I talk in my sleep almost on a nightly basis. The contents of what I say are either intelligible or else they are in mandarin. They also say I sound agitated. However, I have no recollection of dreaming and I dream in English not mandarin. I can't figure it out either.

Dec 28, 2011
maybe decoding the true meaning NEW
by: Anonymous

I have had this happen to me since I was eight I keep a dream journal and have left a recorder on along with symbols and it seems to be in Hebrew. And symboligy in angelic script. All tend to have spiritual meaning Iits like decoding messages I wonder if its part of past life recall




Feb 07, 2012
talking in another language NEW
by: Kristen

I'm 40 and this has happened several times to me. My husband told me that it sounds like I am speaking Gaelic. I myself would love to know why I do this!

Mar 18, 2012
Similar Experience NEW
by: Anonymous

This has happened to me numerous times, even since I was a young child. I have been told by many friends who I have had sleepovers with as well as my parents that I speak in another language in my sleep. I speak clear and dictate every word in sentances. The only thing is that it's an unknown language, everyone tells me that it sounds ancient and that my words flow so greatly that it has to be a language. They have also heard me speak in English in my sleep saying "why are you talking to me in tongue?" but I never remember the dream or who was speaking to me. I do not speake any language other then English, it's interesting that this actually happens to a lot of people and there are many theories out there trying to explain what it is but no one truly knows.

Apr 02, 2012
so i'm not the only one! NEW
by: Anonymous

This happened to me when I was about 7. My parents said I had a complete conversation in French- something about the people living in the garage, my dad only knew basic french so that seemed to be the gist of it... and when they asked me in the morning I told them about how I ALWAYS talk with the ladies in the garage like that. and also, i still don't know french, but I have had the same dream over the years, but now I realize it's not a garage. It's a cell- and it's more of a nightmare. gives me the heebiest of jeebies just talking about it.

Apr 06, 2012
Sleep Talking in a Foreign Language NEW
by: Doug

Reading all the posts has been very interesting and I too have done the same thing. I am nearing 50 years of age now, but when I was in my early teens, my older brother came into my bedroom while I was sleeping and I began to speak in an unknown language, but remembered nothing about it when I woke up the next morning.

My brother told me what I had done the next day and informed me that it really freaked him out. It must have really left an impression on him, because he never forgot the experience and has brought it up on occasions over the years. I have speculated about a number of things about why I did this, but I haven't come up with any definitive answers.

Unfortunately, my brother doesn't have a very good understanding of today's foreign languages, so he hasn't been much help with deciphering which language it may have been. He only claims that it was very freaky and I notice that he gets a very disturbed look on his face when he reflects back on it.

It makes me wonder if all of us who have done this are recalling some long forgotten language that is contained within our genetic history, reflecting on an experience from a past life, or if we are tapping into information residing within another plane or dimension.

Edgar Cayce was coined as the "Sleeping Prophet" and he was able to reference an incredible amount of information from some unknown source that allowed him to see the past, present, and future. Some believe he was accessing the Akashic Records.

Are some of us who have had similar experiences touching upon what Edgar Cayce referenced during his readings? There are so many unexplained mysteries just waiting to be solved, and I too like so many others, wish I could find the answers to them.

Regards,
Doug

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Sleep Talking Stories and Thoughts




Enjoy this page? Please help us pay it forward to others who would find it valuable by Liking, Sharing, Tweeting, Stumbling, and/or Voting below.


Like This Page? Share It!


Site Sponsors

Our sponsorship policy


RespShop.com
Lowest CPAP Prices. World Wide shipping. 866-939-3754.

A Note On Visitor-Submitted Questions:

Publishing sleep stories and questions from our visitors is meant to create a forum for open and proactive dialogue about an extremely important portion of our lives (one that occupies 1/3 of it and affects the other 2/3). It is not meant to substitute a trip to the doctor or the advice of a specialist. It's good to talk; it is not good to avoid consulting someone who's profession it is to help you with this kind of stuff.

If you are in any way concerned about your sleep health, don't wait for an answer on here, and don't necessarily rely on them. See a sleep specialist in your area as soon as possible.

More Questions:

Ask | Answer

Sleep Resources

Ready to take your sleep game to the next level?

Track Your Own Sleep With Zeo Zeo - Personal Sleep Coach
Pro-grade personal sleep data
Essentials of Sleep Knowledge: A Free Book By William Dement Dr. Dement's Essentials
Free for joining our newsletter
Sleep Paralysis Treatment Book SP: A Dreamer's Guide
A breakthrough new e-book

Who We Are

Stanford Sleep & Dreams

Welcome! This site is continuously being created by students of Dr. William C. Dement's Sleep And Dreams course at Stanford University.

Hover your mouse over this area for more about this site and its mission.

Or, you can learn more about the team behind EYSD here.


Please Note:

The information found on this page and throughout this site is intended for general information purposes only. While it may prove useful and empowering, it is NOT intended as a substitute for the expertise and judgments of healthcare practitioners.

For more info, see our
Terms of Use.