Texting in Your Sleep – What the Causes are and How You Can Prevent It

When the brain and body are stressed, restful sleep is more challenging. As a result, our sleep is often fragmented and fitful. Additionally, if your job is causing stress and you need your phone for work, according to research, you might be more likely to send texts without realizing.^[3]

We’re all busy, but if your schedule is exceptionally hectic, your brain may not entirely shut down at night; this could make you send messages saying whatever’s on your subconscious mind.

According to research, Americans are now checking their phones 80 times each day, indicating an extreme attachment to our phones— that’s 10 times per hour of an eight-hour work day. If we’re as attached to our phones as the data reports, it’s likely becoming increasingly difficult for us to disconnect.^[4]

If you’re sleep-deprived, you may be suffering from a multitude of consequences without realizing it. Chronic sleep deprivation has been known to lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and heart failure. Further, dealing with physical ailments are often stressful on our minds as well, which could lead to a distracted mind come time for bed.^[5]

If a parent suffers from a sleep disorder (even if it’s not texting-related), their child could also inherit the condition. New research indicates sleep conditions are tied to genetics, meaning if your parent struggles with any parasomnia disorders, it’s probable you will also.^[6]

When someone is in and out of consciousness, they’re more likely to engage in behaviors like texting, sleepwalking, sleeptalking, or even cooking meals. Similarly to what we touched on in regards to sleep deprivation, frequent interruptions will result in less restorative sleep, possibly impacting your ability to sleep soundly— therefore leaving you vulnerable to incoherent mid-night texting.

The simplest and most effective solution is to turn off your smartphone altogether. However, we realize that may not be an option for all folks. They may be on call for work, expecting an important message, or have some other circumstance that requires them to have their phone on.

In cases like these, we recommend putting the phone on the other side of the room. That way, if it buzzes or rings, you’ll have to physically get out of bed to use it, prompting you to fully wake up— and text a conscious reply.

Silent mode can be great for those looking to detach from their phones. However, this may be problematic for those who rely on their phone at night. Silencing your smartphone could be an effective way to stop texting while sleeping in its tracks. If your phone doesn’t go off, you’re less likely to send messages. We noted earlier that some people do initiate texting behavior. If that’s the case, then you may need to strongly consider shutting off the phone.

For those who can’t turn off their mobile devices, putting the phone far away from the bed or in another room could be a practical solution. Then, when the phone buzzes, you won’t be able to reach for it blindly from your bed and begin having a conversation. Instead, you’d have to get up and walk several steps to respond.

We often engage in odd behavior when we’re sleep-deprived. The instances of parasomnias are more frequent when someone hasn’t gotten adequate sleep. Try your best to stick to a regular bedtime routine; go to bed at the same time each night, and wake up at the same time each morning. Giving your body some regularity should help keep your circadian rhythm healthy and let you sleep easier.

While you’re awake, get in the habit of waiting to respond to texts. In today’s on-demand society, people often check and reply to texts as soon as they receive a notification. However, it might be beneficial to wait to check your phone and reply. When you do this behavior while you’re awake, you’ll be less likely to respond immediately when half-conscious because you’ve already trained yourself not to react to the buzz.

Any type of unusual or undesirable behavior while you’re sleeping is considered a parasomnia, which is otherwise known as a sleep disorder.^[7] It’s similar to sleepwalking because it involves performing a physical activity while not being awake. While not fatal, it can harm someone’s career or reputation if the person texts something unprofessional, rude, or revealing about themselves unintentionally.

The best way to stop is to turn off your phone or set it on silent mode when going to bed. If that’s not possible because you need to hear it for work or emergencies, put it as far away from your bed as you can. You’ll still be able to detect it if it rings, dings or buzzes, but you’ll have to get up to respond. While there’s no guarantee you’ll wake up, getting up could jar you enough so that you’re fully alert if you choose to answer the message.

This behavior is a type of parasomnia. A parasomnia is any type of abnormal behavior that someone does during sleep. The person may be semi-conscious during the episode, while their brain is not fully alert. Examples of other parasomnias include sleepwalking, sleep eating, teeth grinding, terrors, driving, and sex, to name a few.