Drooling into your pillow could be a sign of a serious medical issue

2 weeks ago 1

(CNN) — The evidence is irrefutable — a pile of drool atop a drenched spot on your pillow. As you awake with a start, you might even wipe that bit of spittle still dangling from your mouth.

Drooling can be embarrassing, especially if you’re waking up to a newly minted lover beside you. But if you’re sleeping alone or next to a seasoned partner who isn’t disturbed by bodily functions, experts say it’s not a big deal — unless it’s a frequent occurrence.

“Everyone drools at one time or another when we have too much to drink the night before or fallen asleep on the couch after a big holiday dinner,” said Dr. Landon Duyka, a clinical assistant professor of otolaryngology — head and neck surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

“If this is more of a persistent thing — you’re waking up every night and your pillow is drenched — we want you to see a doctor, especially if it’s recent,” Duyka said. “It could be a sign of a more serious sleep disorder or even a neurological condition such as Parkinson’s.”