Laughter while sleeping is quite common and usually not something to worry about. In most cases, researchers believe that laughter is caused by rapid eye movement during sleep, which is completely harmless. In some cases, laughing in your sleep is related to sleep disorders. In rare cases, laughing in your sleep may be a symptom of a neurological disorder. Although Sigmund Freud and other prominent psychoanalysts associate sleep with the unconscious manifestation of primal instincts and fears, experts reject this theory as not entirely plausible.
This is fine?
In most cases, laughing during sleep is a natural reaction to what happens during sleep. The dream may often seem strange or not funny upon awakening. Voluntary eye movement sleep is the deepest stage of sleep when people indulge in daydreaming. This is the last stage of the sleep cycle. During this time, most people experience muscle atonia, which means the body shuts down and is essentially in a state of paralysis. Most people experience laughter in the second half of the night, which can wake them up.
One study found that 33–44% of middle school children laughed in their sleep at least once over a 6-month period. The same study found that 73% of undergraduate students in a nonclinical sample reported experiencing at least one hypnotic event per year. In most cases this is normal and harmless. However, some causes of laughter in your sleep may require closer attention.
Why do people laugh in their sleep (06/03/2019)
Laughter in sleep, or hypnohelium, is a relatively common phenomenon and is usually not a cause for concern. Researchers believe that in most cases, the reason that causes laughter during sleep is the rapid movement of the sleeper's eyes, which is absolutely harmless.
In some cases, laughing in your sleep can signal sleep disorders. Very rarely, hypnogelia can be a symptom of a neurological disease.
Despite the fact that Sigmund Freud and other prominent psychoanalysts considered laughter during sleep to be an unconscious manifestation of primitive instincts and fears, experts question the reliability of this theory.
Is this normal?
Laughter in a dream, as a rule, does not pose any threat to health.
In most cases, laughter during sleep is a natural reaction to stimuli that arise while a person is sleeping. A person who wakes up can determine that his dream was strange or not funny.
The so-called “REM sleep” is the deepest phase of sleep, when we dream about something. This is the last stage of sleep. When it occurs, most people experience a loss of muscle tone, which means that the body has “shut down” and is in a state of paralysis.
Most people experience laughter in their sleep in the second half of the night and this can lead to awakening.
It is quite difficult to judge the frequency of occurrence of this phenomenon, since usually no one complains about it. However, this seems to happen quite often. One study reports that 33-44% of a small group of middle school-age children have laughed in their sleep at least once in the past 6 months.
The same study found that 73% of undergraduate students who completed a non-clinical survey responded that they had experienced at least one episode of hypnohelia per year.
In most cases, this is normal and harmless. However, individual cases of laughter in a dream require closer attention.
Dreams
Freud's early theories, which explained laughter in sleep as an unconscious manifestation of primitive instincts and fears, no longer seem so reliable.
The most common cause of laughter during sleep is strange dreams. People who live together often describe this phenomenon as a snorting or giggling sound that wakes the sleeper. A person who has just woken up may call his dream more strange than funny.
In rare cases, hypnohelia can be a symptom of a health problem.
REM sleep disorder
People with REM sleep disorders do not experience the decrease in muscle tone that usually occurs during this period.
Their dreams are accompanied by physical movements, for example, they may kick their legs violently. This can cause injury to both yourself and your partner. Over time, the situation tends to get worse.
Less than 1% of all people experience this sleep disorder, but it is most common in older men. Typically, this sleep disorder affects men over 50 years of age, with an average age of about 60 years.
People with neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease or multiple system atrophy are 50% more likely to have REM sleep disorder than those without these diseases.
Alcohol abuse, alcohol withdrawal, lack of sleep, and medication side effects play a role in the development of REM sleep disorder.
The diagnosis of REM sleep disorder is made by a medical specialist after an overnight sleep study of the patient, or a so-called polysomnogram. The most commonly prescribed drugs are anticonvulsants.
Experts also recommend securing the bedroom. This includes, among other things, moving movable tables, clocks and lamps away from the bed.
Neurological diseases
Gelastic attacks may begin with a headache.
In rare cases, laughter during sleep is associated with neurological diseases. As mentioned above, people suffering from diseases such as Parkinson's disease are more susceptible to REM sleep disorder, which in turn can lead to hypnohelia.
Other diseases, such as hypothalamic hamartoma (HH), can trigger gelastic attacks. These are fits of uncontrollable laughter or giggles. They can occur at any time, but most often occur during sleep.
HS is a pathological phenomenon, which means that all people are born with it. The average age of onset of the disease is about 10 months.
Gelastic seizures can occur many times a day and last about 10-20 seconds. They may be preceded by a feeling of “butterflies in the stomach,” a sore chest, or a headache.
The person may appear dazed or frightened, exhibit mechanical behavior such as lip smacking or swallowing movements, and then have a seizure.
Early age
Babies often laugh in their sleep. Experts don't know for sure why this happens, but the phenomenon is common and usually not a cause for concern. In fact, many parenting websites report that parents find joy in hearing their children giggle while they sleep.
In rare cases, it may be a symptom of an underlying disease. You should think about it if during the day the child experiences multiple bouts of uncontrollable laughter, accompanied by other signs of unusual behavior, which were discussed earlier.
Caregivers should contact a doctor if these symptoms occur.
conclusions
Laughter in a dream is a common phenomenon that affects both adults and children. The most common cause of this phenomenon in adults is a feeling of amazement during sleep. The reason why this occurs in children is less clear, but in general it is not a cause for concern.
Sometimes laughter can be a symptom of a disorder in the rapid phase, during which people dream. If this is the reason, laughter in a dream is accompanied by physical movements, such as sudden movements of the legs.
In rare cases, this may be a signal of the onset of neurological diseases that cause bouts of uncontrollable laughter throughout the day.
In the absence of other signs of unusual behavior, however, laughter in a dream is completely normal.
REM sleep behavior disorder
People with REM sleep behavior disorder do not experience the muscle atonia typically associated with REM sleep. In this case, sudden movements of the limbs occur, which can injure the sleeping person or the person sleeping nearby. This disorder tends to get worse over time. Less than 1% of all people suffer from this sleep disorder. It most often affects older men. People with a neurological condition such as Parkinson's disease or multiple system atrophy are 50% more likely to develop REM sleep behavior disorder. Excessive alcohol consumption, sleep deprivation, and medication side effects may play a role in the development of REM. A sleep specialist diagnoses REM during a sleep study called a polysomnogram. The most common treatment is anticonvulsant medications. Doctors also recommend making the bedroom safer. This includes steps such as moving tables, clocks and lamps away from the bed.
Why do you dream that they laugh at you?
- If in a dream you hear ridicule in your direction, this primarily speaks of your indecision and lack of faith in your abilities. You are afraid that they will laugh at you.
- Seeing friends in a dream who make fun of you in a kind way, but you are not offended by them, means that you will have fun together in the near future.
- If in a dream he openly laughed at you, you do not feel discomfort from such laughter - it means that in real life you are jealous and intrigued by him.
- If they laugh in your face, you will face serious difficulties that will not be easy to solve. You may have to resort to the help of strangers, but the cost of such help will be high.
- When a young man dreams of a girl he is in love with and she laughs at him or smiles slyly, it means that he has several of you. She cannot choose between you and your opponent.
- If in a dream these strangers laugh at you, despite the situation being unfortunate for you, you will gain great authority in the eyes of others.
Neurological disorders
In rare cases, laughter during sleep can be associated with neurological diseases. As mentioned above, people with conditions such as Parkinson's disease are more likely to experience REM, which in turn can cause laughter during sleep. Other diseases such as hypothalamic hamartoma (HH)
, can cause
gelastic attacks
.
These are bouts of uncontrollable laughter. They can happen at any time, but often occur while a person is falling asleep. Hypothalamic hamartoma
is detected from birth. The average age of onset is about 10 months. Gelastic attacks can occur several times a day and last about 10–20 seconds. Gelastic attacks may begin with sensations such as butterflies in the stomach, a tickling sensation in the chest, or a headache.
Why do you dream of laughing until you cry?
Hysterical laughter, laughing until you cry in a dream, does not bode well for you.
Hysterical laughter, laughter to tears in a dream does not bode well. In fact, you will experience tears and disappointment. If you were just there for the laughs but weren't amused, don't be upset.
Hearing such laughter in a dream means that you will find yourself in a difficult situation. You may be very jealous and want to hurt you.
conclusions
Laughter during sleep is common in both adults and children. Among adults, the most common cause is daydreaming. The cause is unclear in children, but it is usually nothing to worry about. Sometimes laughter can be a symptom of behavioral REM sleep disorder. In rare cases, it may signal a neurological condition that causes bouts of uncontrollable laughter throughout the day. However, in the absence of any other unusual behavior, laughing in your sleep is completely normal.
The authors of another study claim that laughter improves brain function in older people.
What can make a sleeping person laugh?
In ancient times, such human behavior was even seen as a trace of the devil. But these days, researchers most often call this condition a harmless physiological process. Today, using scientific facts, experts can say with certainty what reasons can cause laughter in a dream. And there may be several of them.
Incorrect REM sleep phase
The first and most obvious explanation: a person dreamed of something funny, so he laughs. But let's be objective: many of us have funny dreams from time to time, but not everyone laughs through their sleep. This can happen if REM sleep is not going well.
As a result of the disorder, the partial paralysis characteristic of the rapid phase does not occur, which is why the person actually begins to demonstrate his vision and the emotions caused by it. If this is the reason for laughter, then the sleeper can not only laugh, but also talk, shout, and wave his arms. By the way, sometimes laughter can “break through” from sleep into reality at the turn of the sleep phases - when the body adjusts from the fast phase to the slow phase.
