We’re all aware of the dangers of texting while driving, walking while texting and even drunk texting, however, a new form of text messaging is becoming predominant among texters who can’t seem to put their phones down when it’s time for some shut-eye.  

You’ve heard of sleepwalking, but have you ever heard of sleep texting?

Apparently, sending text messages throughout the day and right before bed isn’t enough for some text messaging addicts and according to researchers, day-to-day stress has triggered an unusual habit of people sending text messages while they are actually sleeping.

A recent report notes that sleep experts have been coming across more and more patients who claim to have woken up in the morning shocked to learn they’d sent text messages and emails in the middle of the night – yet didn’t remember a wink of it.

Sleep specialist David Cunnington, of the Melbourne Sleep Disorder Center described sleep texting as the result of having too much to do during the day and while that may be in fact true, it is in no way preventing texters from putting down their phones.

“People are doing so much during a normal day that it makes them feel like they're on call even at night,” Cunnington explained. “It's so easy to receive emails constantly and get notifications from smartphones, that it becomes difficult for us to separate our waking and sleeping time,” he added.

Among those who sleep text, there is one age group in particular that seems to be texting in their sleep more than others; yep, you guessed it, teens. Sleep texting reportedly seems to be the latest fad among today's youth, with increasing numbers of cell phone users text messaging friends while asleep.

If you are already struggling to get a good night's sleep, chances are you should separate yourself from your cell phone as well as any other electronic devices close to bedtime, however, if you can’t bring yourself to detach, at least lock your device to avoid text messaging in your dreams. Who knows what awful things you could end up texting to your colleagues or in-laws.