Why do people twitch in their sleep and is it dangerous: scientists have revealed the secret of night twitches

Trembling in sleep is familiar to all people. They are often accompanied by a feeling of falling, which causes you to wake up. This phenomenon has always aroused interest. The trembling was attributed to the tricks of evil spirits, explained by the consequences of the work of the hypothalamus, the mechanisms of protecting a person from death in a dream. Experts who study sleep have put forward many hypotheses, but they still cannot find a final and comprehensive explanation of why a person shudders in his sleep.

Hypnagogic jerks

There are several theories about the causes of sleep startling. The most accurate are those associated with the excitation and contraction of muscle fibers.

1. Strong emotional, psychological or physical stress during the day, which does not allow the muscles to relax. The brain gives an impulse to the body to relax, as a result the whole body shudders, causing the person to sometimes wake up.
2. Transition from one sleep phase to another. If a person was engaged in vigorous activity before going to bed, even after dozing off, he will think about unsolved problems. At the same time, the brain also continues to work actively. As a result, when sleep enters the slow phase and brain and muscle activity has dropped, the body reacts with a start.
3. Insufficiently good blood circulation in the lower extremities in adults due to uncomfortable posture. By convulsive muscle contractions, the nervous system provokes a change in body position, which causes the legs to tremble.
4. Reaction to a strong external stimulus.

Such unexpected muscle contractions do not pose any danger to humans. Doctors call them hypnagogic and are characteristic of most people. They appear when all the nerve fibers going to a particular muscle are strongly excited at the same time. They can occur in any part of the body.

The body twitches during sleep: the main reasons and ways to combat it – Self-development

21.11.2019
During the period of night rest, people rarely sleep in one position. They move their legs and arms, roll over from side to side, jerk their limbs, or generally shudder. Often they don't even notice it.

What causes muscle spasms? Is this a physiological need or the cause of a possible disease? This feature is called by scientists as hypnagogic twitching or nocturnal myoclonus.

In 70% of the population this is a physiological feature. Most often occurs at the initial stage of sleep. It has no symptoms, goes away on its own and, only in isolated cases, is pathological.

Norms of twitching in a person's sleep

Most of humanity has encountered myoclonus, calling it twitching. This is a feature of the physiological state.

Occurs when frightened or during the first stage of sleep. Usually one-time and goes away immediately.

Muscle contractions also occur after physical training. In children - during intensive growth. Even hiccups are classified as physiological myoclonus.

You should not worry if these contractions are isolated, pass quickly and do not cause physical discomfort.

But, if symptoms tend to become more frequent and intensified, interfere with rest and are observed while awake, you should be wary and seek help from a specialist.

Who is most likely to experience myoclonus?

A baby twitches in his sleep as much as an adult or elderly person. Moreover, twitching occurs more often in the initial stages of falling asleep. This leads to the conclusion that the problem is equally diffusion for all age categories.

Factors influencing twitching when falling asleep

There are several main factors that can affect the intensity of nighttime shuddering:

• psycho-emotional situation at work, scandals at home, increased suspiciousness, depression lead to mental disorders. They are one of the main factors of a restless stay. They can cause neuralgic syndrome and lead to pathology;
• physical overstrain of the body during the working day. Excessive intake of lactic acid into the muscles causes tone and involuntarily contracts them;
• The process can also be influenced by external stimuli, such as the light of street lamps, noisy neighbors, extraneous noise from the street. These factors negatively affect the sensory systems, disrupting not only sleep, but also mood;
• Experts say that the position at the time of rest is very important. Blood flow should not be disturbed, muscles should be in a relaxed state, internal organs should not be pinched;
• An important factor is the excessive intensity of the brain during the daytime. This problem is associated with people whose work involves brain activity. And also creative people;
• excessive consumption of alcohol, energy drinks and caffeine will contribute to restless rest;
• The computer and computer games excite the brain, which can provoke nighttime impulses.

Causes

Most doctors do not consider nocturnal myoclonus a pathology. They attribute it to a natural function of the nervous system.

• Before going to bed, the muscles relax sharply, and the body perceives this situation as a dying process. A signal is sent to the hypothalamus. The muscles begin to contract rapidly to awaken the body and renew vitality;
• in a state of sleep, vital processes are dulled, but the brain continues to work intensively and control the situation. It sends pulses to make sure everything is working properly. These minor tremors are unnoticeable. They do not bother you and are purely physiological;
• trembling may also indicate a lack of minerals and trace elements in the body - glucose, sodium, potassium;
• rapid growth in children can cause the syndrome. But there is no reason to worry. This goes away naturally as the baby grows up;
• for people who suffer from severe snoring, a sharp start may indicate that breathing has stopped;
• taking medications or abruptly stopping them can cause limb spasms and convulsions;
• The syndrome can appear in people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries or concussions.

Sometimes a similar phenomenon can occur as a consequence of viral diseases.

In what cases is specialist help needed?

In 70% of the population, myoclonus is a physiological feature. But there are also pathological features that require the help of a specialist.

For example, when a person twitches even while awake and an increase and worsening of seizures occurs.

https://youtu.be/Td-jGLAJUyM

Trembling and twitching can cause a number of diseases:

• epilepsy;
• diabetes;
• pinched nerves;
• gout;
• muscle dystrophy;
• metabolic disorder;
• avitaminosis.

If myoclonus does not disappear for a long time, interferes with healthy sleep and contractions intensify, it is better to see a specialist and identify the cause.

Timely diagnosis will help prevent a number of hidden diseases.

Treatment

• It is worth noting that all medications must be taken after diagnosis and identification of the origin of involuntary muscle contractions.
• Drug treatment is prescribed only by the attending physician, since there can be many causes of the syndrome.

Anticonvulsants from the Anticonvulsants group occupy the main place in the fight against spasms.

Among the medicines, antiepileptic drugs have proven themselves:

• Barbiturate;
• Clonazepam;
• Volproate;
• Benzodiazapine;
• bioactive supplement L-tryptophan;
• Tryptophan.

How to help a person get rid of myoclonus

If night trembling often bothers you and prevents you from getting quality rest, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• create and follow a daily routine. Determine the hours at which you need to go to bed and what time you need to wake up;
• You should not exercise intensely in the evening. If you wish, you can do a series of light relaxation exercises. But move exercises in the gym or fitness to the morning or afternoon;
• improve the microclimate in the bedroom and prepare a sleeping place, nothing should bother you, the bed should be comfortable and spacious;
• It is advisable to sleep in complete darkness without extraneous stimuli and noise. If this is not possible, there is an option to purchase a sleep mask and earplugs;
• Don't overeat at night. Eating fatty, high-calorie foods has a negative impact on your well-being. Fast carbohydrates are also not suitable, they immediately saturate the body with energy and provoke action;
• You should avoid drinking coffee drinks before your evening rest;
• Do not take energy drinks or alcohol at night;
• try to avoid stressful situations in the evening. If you have been too stressed during the day and cannot calm down even at night, try breathing exercises or meditation;
• give up computer entertainment before bed. They excite the nervous system and prevent sound, restful sleep.

Source:

Startling when falling asleep in adults: causes, treatment

As the long-awaited time of rest approaches, a person tries to relax as much as possible and quickly fall asleep. And suddenly, when thoughts begin to get confused and consciousness becomes clouded, a sharp jolt occurs, and an unpleasant feeling of falling into the abyss arises.

Sudden awakening is accompanied by a feeling of restlessness and anxiety.

Why does the body twitch when falling asleep and how dangerous are these episodes? Considering the urgency of the problem, doctors conducted a number of studies and defined this phenomenon, and also found out the nature of its occurrence.

Night shudders in adults during the process of falling asleep

Night twitching or myoclonus is one of the fastest, if not rapid, types of hyperkinesis, which is characterized by frequent and chaotic (or rhythmic) contractions of muscle fibers or entire groups of limbs, face or torso. A fairly common question at doctor’s appointments is: why do I startle and wake up when falling asleep?

• focal – one muscle group is involved in the process;
• segmental - adjacent structures are attached;
• generalized - all muscles are involved, symptoms become more pronounced.

Description of symptoms

The main symptom of the syndrome is involuntary shuddering. They can occur chaotically or repeat rhythmically. Both one muscle and an entire group are involved in the process with varying frequencies. Externally, the syndrome manifests itself as:

• random twitching of various structures;
• rhythmic tremors of the whole body;
• spontaneous flexion of the feet and hands;
• involuntary rotation of the eyeballs;
• convulsions, suffocation;
• increased heart rate;
• "tika" eyelids;
• twitching of the soft palate and tongue.

In the latter case, temporary disturbances in speech articulation are observed. Depending on the number and frequency of convulsive episodes, doctors distinguish benign myoclonus and its pathological form.

Explanation of the syndrome

Scientists began studying the phenomenon back in the 19th century. The term “myoclonus” was first introduced by N. Friedreich in 1881. Externally, vibrations and contractions look like an “electric shock”, as a result of which a person can suddenly shudder, jump sharply, involuntarily throw out his limbs, or stagger as if from a jolt.

If a significant part of the muscle groups is involved in the episode, then the balance of the body is disturbed, which leads to a fall. The intensity of the syndrome directly depends on the prevalence, sequence and amplitude of twitching.

If only one muscle is involved in the process, then convulsive movements remain almost unnoticeable than with more massive contractions.

Muscle tics that do not require specific treatment include:

• nocturnal myoclonus - occurs on the verge of transition of sleep from one phase to another;
• fear - appears when there are sharp sounds or bright lighting;
• eyelid tic – formed as a result of intense physical activity;
• hiccups are a reaction to irritation of the brain stem or vagus nerve.

The latter is formed as a result of overeating or against the background of problems with the gastrointestinal tract due to contraction of the diaphragm and larynx.

Harmless myoclonus

Today, the scientific approach allows us to consider several theories of the origin of uncontrolled muscle contractions that are not related to the development of pathological processes.

Neurophysiological. Slowing down of important processes at the moment of falling asleep, perceived by the hypothalamus as a state of death. As a result, the brain sends impulses to activate the activity of internal organs and systems, thereby stimulating the release of the stress hormone - adrenaline. A person feels as if he is falling from a great height into an abyss, and suddenly wakes up.

Sleep phases. Muscle spasm is caused by the transformation of the superficial stage (paradoxical) into deep (orthodox) sleep. The transition from one rest phase to another affects brain activity.

Unstable emotional background. Excessive emotional stress, disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system, frequent stress and overwork contribute to the occurrence of involuntary contractions of muscle structures.

Physical exercise. Regularly overloaded muscles are unable to quickly relax due to increased tone. The gradual weakening of tension is accompanied by chaotic twitching, which looks like a shudder.

Circulatory disorders. Oxygen deficiency due to insufficient supply to the vessels of the extremities leads to their numbness. This is due to both incorrect posture during sleep and more serious diseases.

Bad habits. Doctors associate nighttime twitching with excessive consumption of alcohol, energy drinks, caffeine-containing drinks, strong tobacco, estrogens, stimulants, and corticosteroid substances.

Sign of health problems

Pathological myoclonus, when the legs twitch when falling asleep, occurs for a number of reasons, each of which determines whether night twitches belong to any type of disease.

A characteristic feature of such states is their appearance not only at the moment of falling asleep, but also during the daylight hours while awake.

Experts note that frequent and involuntary startling when falling asleep in adults is due to reasons related to somatic disorders. They, in turn, indicate the following diseases:

• muscle tissue dystrophy;
• multiple and amyotrophic sclerosis;
• intestinal nerve injuries;
• autoimmune diseases;
• toxoplasmosis;
• metabolic disorders - hypoxia, uremia, hyperosmolar conditions;
• calcium and magnesium deficiency;
• lesions of the hypothalamus.

Source: https://donpi.ru/otnosheniya/vo-vremya-sna-dergaetsya-telo-osnovnye-prichiny-i-sposoby-borby.html

Myoclonic spasms

Closer attention should be paid to myoclonic seizures, as in some cases they may indicate a chronic disease. This type of abbreviation can be determined by its characteristic features:

• body or limbs shake unevenly;
• convulsive movements are observed throughout the night;
• over time, tremors during sleep intensify and become more frequent;
• the muscle groups involved in the twitching process change.

USEFUL INFORMATION: Jaw clenching during sleep: why does it occur and what to do about it? Myoclonic spasms can be physiological or pathological.

1. Physiological ones occur when there is a sudden noise from the outside or a touch that is unexpected for the sleeping person. Apart from inconvenience, such tremors do not pose any threat to health.
2. Pathological ones can develop only when exposed to certain factors. Treatment will be required to eliminate them.

A person may wake up several times during the night from shuddering throughout the body, regularly feel nightly attacks of tremors, and after a long night's rest, waking up in the morning with fatigue. This may be a symptom:

• oxygen starvation of brain tissue;
• degenerative-dystrophic changes;
• mental and nervous diseases;
• epileptic impulses.

Often night cramps are observed in people of retirement age, in people who have suffered strokes and neurosurgeries, as well as in patients who have been taking sedatives for a long time.

If the causes of startling during sleep are not identified in time and are not eliminated, then this process can subsequently lead to sleep disturbances and insomnia.

How often do you feel like you are shaking in your sleep?

USEFUL INFORMATION: Hands go numb during sleep: causes and treatment of hand numbness at night

Diseases that cause night tremors

Heart failure, iron deficiency in the body, diseases of the peripheral nervous system, tumors, genetic diseases and even pregnancy can cause sensorimotor disorders, which can only be identified after special examinations.

• Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, snoring. The brain reacts to the cessation of oxygen supply by a sharp contraction of all muscles, causing awakening and restoration of normal breathing.
• Restless legs syndrome. If the patient feels frequent tingling in the lower extremities, which gradually spreads to the arms and torso, or he has a desire to stretch his legs, move them, this may be caused by restless legs syndrome. These symptoms may be associated with dysfunction of the dopaminergic system, causing depression, pathological aggressiveness, impotence and a large number of other serious consequences. You should consult a neurologist for advice.
• Nocturnal epilepsy. Nocturnal epilepsy is considered a very rare manifestation. This is a situation where epileptic seizures occur while the patient is falling asleep.
• Paroxysmal dystonia. Sudden spontaneous movements of the limbs can be caused by nocturnal paroxysmal dystonia. They occur both during sleep and upon awakening. The person cannot explain what made him flinch. Experts have not been able to clearly establish why seizures occur during sleep; treatment is the same as for epilepsy.

Why the body twitches when falling asleep: scientists' answer

When a person sleeps, the influence of two brain systems, the reticular formation (responsible for sleep) and the ventrolateral nucleus of the preoptic area (responsible for wakefulness), reaches a balance. However, at a time when the body is just falling into sleep, these two systems do not yet have time to balance their influence on the person, and because of this, involuntary twitching appears.

It is important to understand that if your leg or other parts of the body twitch during sleep, this is not a disorder or a disease, but a completely normal phenomenon.

It can occur for several reasons. These include:

1. Anxiety and stress. If you are bothered by anxious thoughts about unsolved problems, personal, domestic or work problems, they may prevent you from falling asleep. Non-stop thought process will keep your brain active even while falling asleep. This leads to the fact that the brain begins to send “alarming” signals to various limbs in any phase of sleep, resulting in myoclonic tremors.
2. Abuse of caffeine and nicotine. These two substances, when used excessively or incorrectly, can have a whole list of negative effects. So, if you drink coffee or smoke before bed, it will be difficult for you to fall asleep, and the chemicals they contain will have a stimulating effect on the brain and prevent it from falling into a full sleep. Therefore, it is precisely because of their evening intake that a person twitches in his sleep.
3. Physical activity before bed. Of course, physical exercise brings great health benefits, it activates blood flow throughout the body and helps transport oxygen faster. However, if you engage in physical activity late in the evening, before going to bed, this can lead to hypnagogic jerks (twitches).

It should be noted that the exact reason why arms and legs twitch in a dream is not completely clear. All of the above is scientific speculation.

Preventing flinches

If falling during dreams and night tremors are not a disorder caused by a malfunction of the body's systems, then the provoking factor is emotional, mental or physical stress. In this case, for a restful sleep, you need to relax and tone your muscles. To do this you need:

• listen to calm melodies;
• take a relaxing bath;
• drink tea with soothing herbs;
• If possible, go for a massage.

INTERESTING FACTS!

• Scientists at the British Academy of Sound Therapy have named Marconi Union's Weightless the most relaxing song on Earth. Doctors and scientists have tried to figure out what melodies and rhythms contribute to complete relaxation.
• When listening to this music, blood pressure decreases, the concentration of stress noise and brain activity decreases. The pulse slows down by 35%, the level of anxiety drops by 65%, and a feeling of floating in weightlessness appears.
• The sounds of the melody help you fall asleep, so the annotation to the composition says that it is prohibited to listen to while driving.

USEFUL INFORMATION: Morning insomnia: causes of early awakening in adults and children

If you wake up with a start, don't be alarmed or panic. Try to relax your whole body by focusing on the tips of your toes, imagining that they are getting warmer, and gradually moving this sensation to your legs, stomach, chest, arms, and facial muscles. This will most likely help you fall asleep peacefully.

Night trembling is not always a consequence of the disease. With a properly organized work day, carefully calculated physical activity and moderate evening meals, you can get rid of them once and for all.

How not to twitch in your sleep: ways to solve the problem

If sudden movements during sleep bring you discomfort and you want to get rid of them, then you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• Do not consume caffeinated foods or drinks before bed;
• do not drink alcohol or smoke nicotine-containing cigarettes before going to bed;
• do not do intense physical exercise in the evening and before bed; instead, you can do yoga or Pilates;
• 30 minutes before bedtime you need to stop using any electronic gadgets, turn off the lights and try to relax;
• do breathing exercises before a night's rest, namely, enter for 10 counts, hold your breath for 5 counts, and then exhale for 10 counts. After several repetitions of this exercise, the breathing rate, heart rate and brain activity will decrease.

If you experience persistent twitching during sleep that persists even after following these recommendations, consult your doctor. A qualified specialist will find out the cause of frequent involuntary movements and help get rid of them.

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