Laughing while sleeping, is it normal? first see what causes it

Laughter is a spontaneous reaction to something that is funny or exciting. However, someone can also suddenly laugh while sleeping. So, is this normal? To answer that, let's look at some of the causes below.

Is it normal to laugh while sleeping?

Laughter during sleep is known by the medical term hypnogely. According to Cambridge University Press, this phenomenon is part of sleep talking aka delirious. Although it looks strange, this condition is quite common, especially in babies.

Normal or not laughing during sleep depends on the underlying cause. Usually, laughing while sleeping is a natural response to something that is happening in a dream. Not a funny dream, people who experience this phenomenon after waking up will feel that the dream is very strange.

The appearance of dreams usually occurs during the REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) stage. When you enter REM sleep, your breathing becomes faster, irregular, and your eyes move in all directions quickly. Well, hynogely what happens due to REM sleep is what is considered normal and you don't need to worry about it.

Causes of laughter during sleep that is not normal

Apart from dreams, hypnogely can be caused by certain health problems. It is this cause that leads to abnormal conditions and you should get a doctor's care.

Some of the conditions that cause hypnosis, include:

1. REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)

RBD sleep disorders are also known as parasomnias. People who have this sleep disorder usually experience strange events, one of which is laughing while sleeping. This condition is more common in men over 50 years of age.

Apart from laughing, a person with RBD may also scream, talk, or move limbs, such as punching, kicking, and sleeping while walking. This condition can irritate and harm yourself and your partner who sleeps on the same mattress.

Parasomnia is most likely to attack people who consume alcohol excessively. It could also be the other way around, namely stopping drinking alcohol suddenly. The risk of developing RBD also increases if a person is sleep deprived or uses certain drugs, such as zolpidem, zopiclone, tricyclic antidepressants, venlafaxine, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

2. Neurological problems

A rare cause of laughter during sleep is a neurological problem, such as Parkinson's disease. People with this condition experience muscle disorders that make control of muscle movement as the muscles deteriorate and even disappear.

Another neurological problem is the hypothalamic hamartoma (HH), which can cause gelastic spasms. This condition indicates a tumor while the fetus is developing. People with this condition cannot control themselves to laugh, so it is very likely that it occurs during sleep.

Starting with a tingling sensation in the stomach that radiates to the chest area, triggering laughter and eventually causing headaches. These symptoms can occur repeatedly and last about 10 to 20 minutes.

How to prevent annoying laughter during sleep

If you feel that this condition is interfering with sleep, of course you must treat it immediately. The reason is, your restful sleep is disturbed and may make you sleep deprived. This will affect your activity as well as your overall health.

Here are several ways you can take to overcome hypnogely, including:

• Improve sleep quality, including waking up and sleeping at the same time every day and avoiding all things that interfere with sleep, such as playing on your phone or drinking coffee.
• Reduce alcohol consumption gradually with the guidance of a doctor if needed.
• Change the medication that has the side effect of laughing while sleeping with another medication that is recommended by your doctor.
• Take medication according to underlying health problems on a regular basis.

The various methods above can generally help you overcome hypnogely. However, it will take time for your sleep quality to improve again. If you can't treat the condition yourself, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.