What will stop me

QI TALK in my sleep when I’m dreaming and this causes me to wake up – sometimes more than once – during the night. Is there anything I can do to stop it happening?

AWHEN we sleep we go through cycles of light sleep then to deep sleep then back to lighter sleep.

Sleep talking (known medically as somniloquy) can occur at any stage of sleep. During light sleep people may have entire conversations but in deep sleep there may be just unintelligible moans and what sounds like gibberish.

It often occurs during dreaming and it may be a vivid dream that is waking you, rather than the talking.

Sleep talking, which can run in families, can be brought on by stress, depression or being sleep-deprived.

Alcohol and eating large meals late at night can make it worse, so try to avoid these.

No treatment is required but it can be helpful if you try to follow a regular sleep routine, going to bed at about the same time each evening and making sure you allow yourself time for at least eight hours’ sleep each night.

If you find that your sleep is being persistently disturbed then specialist advice from a sleep clinic may be warranted. Your GP should be able to arrange this for you.

I AM very concerned about my 26-year-old son who is very slim, although he says he is the average weight for his height.

He doesn’t seem to eat much and is always in a rush.

He has been suffering from dizzy spells and shaking.

The doctor has given him a clean bill of health but did suggest that he might be suffering from anxiety. Is there anything I can do to help him?

AMORE than 60 per cent of people in the UK are now overweight or obese. Because of this, perceptions of what is a healthy weight may have become distorted.

Although you think your son is slim, the fact that his GP has given him a clean bill of health means that his weight is as it should be for his height.

And although you say he doesn’t eat very much, again that could be due to the fact that he doesn’t overeat, as many people now do.

However the issue of anxiety is more worrying – always seeming to be in a rush and being unable to relax can be symptoms of this. Anxiety can be caused by many factors, including current life events (such as worrying about your job, money or relationship) or previous life experiences, such as being bullied, suffering rejection or feeling a failure.

However in many people with anxiety there is no identifiable cause. Many sufferers find talking about it helpful, so try to encourage your son to open up a little and if he doesn’t want to talk to you, then gently suggest he talks to someone else he can trust.

Both you and he would probably find it helpful to have more knowledge about anxiety. The charity Mind is a good resource – it has lots of information on its website (mind.co.uk) as well as a helpline (0300 123 3393).

But probably what your son needs most is just love and support, without any criticism, and the last thing he will want is for you to be worried about him.

So try to stay calm and positive yourself and just be there for him.