It’s definitely not uncommon to sleep talk once in a while, especially if you are having an intense dream or if something in your life is stressing you out.
But have you ever actually recorded yourself sleep talking? Okay, maybe you have. But have you ever found yourself using your work voice while sleep talking? Well, TikToker Sabrina Lod has.
Lod recently posted a TikTok of a recording featuring her sleep talking that received over 630K views. (Side note: This must be a cheat code for getting famous on TikTok: You just post your interesting sleep talking recordings!) (1)
If you are anything like us, we’ve either been told that we talk in our sleep, or actually found ourselves saying absolute gibberish when we sleep. However, Lod is definitely working overtime in her sleep as she uses a customer service voice to form complete and clear sentences in her sleep.
“So let me know if you need anything and have a great day,” she said in one of the recordings posted in the TikTok. (1)
So why is Lod’s work voice leaking into her sleep and is this something that commonly happens? We decided to speak with an expert to learn more about why a job might be taking over aspects of our lives, including our sleep.
Is This Type of Sleep Talking a Sign of Something? An Expert Weighs In
We all have those dreams that are so distinct they haunt us for days. The scary thing is that sometimes our dreams can be eerily similar to our real lives, hence why our sleep talking relates to something that goes on in our daily life.
We spoke with Dr. Mary Covey, PsychD, who works with Thriveworks. She told us that if we think about something before going to bed, it could potentially change what we think and say in our sleep. (2) (3)
“Learning a new language and thinking about that right before sleeping can lead to our dreams being in that new language too,” she told Sleepopolis. “I have talked to many college students that have found their parents speaking whatever language the student is learning in school in their dreams.”
Dr. Covey said that the sleep talking Lod experienced isn’t concerning, but if you find yourself losing sleep or worrying about work, this might be something to address.
She said to prevent this, it’s important to focus on what parts of your job make you happy and, if necessary, find ways to detach yourself from your job. She suggested some ways on how to make your bedroom the essential oasis you need to take a break from the hustle and bustle of work.
She suggested thinking about your favorite place, such as the beach, and imagining a scenario of you taking part in your favorite activity. She suggested thinking about what you smell, feel, hear and see to slowly distract yourself.
Another approach she suggested is a technique called the progressive muscle relaxation.
“You begin with your feet and gradually move upwards, intentionally tensing specific muscle groups and then releasing them, taking a moment or two to notice the change in each part of your body,” she said. “Start by flexing your toes and contracting them tightly within your foot for a count of five before releasing them.”
She added to pay attention to your toes as they relax. Next, you need to engage your calf muscles for five seconds before relaxing them. You can eventually do the technique throughout your whole body so you can shift your focus to an activity to get your mind off work.
Don’t let work become your worst nightmare. If your job responsibilities are haunting you at night or if your significant other says you’re in work mode when you’re sleeping, it might be time to try out some relaxation techniques.
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Sources
Covey, Mary. Personal Interview. September 13, 2024.
1. Sabrina Lod💙 on TikTok. TikTok. August 26, 2024. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://www.tiktok.com/@sabrinalodd/video/7271775748397010181?embed_source=121355058%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_name&refer=embed&referer_url=www.newsweek.com%2Fwoman-records-herself-sleep-talking-no-one-can-believe-1826379&referer_video_id=7271775748397010181.
2. Thriveworks counseling: High-Quality Therapy & Psychiatry. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://thriveworks.com/therapist/tx/mary-ann-covey.
3. Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry College Station. Thriveworks. August 30, 2024. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://thriveworks.com/college-station-counseling/.
