An article by U.S. News & World Report covers the issue of sleep talking, which frequently occurs unknown to those with the sleep disorder until their partner tells them.

Sleep talking is a sleep disorder that can occur during any stage of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation states “sleep talking can involve complicated dialogues or monologues, complete gibberish or mumbling.” Sleep talkers are usually unaware of their behavior until someone tells them.

To find out more about the sleep disorder and what you should do if you or your bed partner starts cracking jokes or uttering nonsense in the middle of the night, U.S. News talked with Ilene Rosen, an associate professor in the division of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Natalie Dautovich, a National Sleep Foundation environmental scholar and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Alabama.