Prevention of stress, diagnosis of stress, Sleep Irina Vasilyeva Surely everyone has experienced a similar feeling. You fall asleep and fall asleep and suddenly it begins to seem like you are falling. An unexpected fall does not last long. It ends with a sharp start and waking up. Or here's another example. You look at a sleeping person and see how his limbs tremble during sleep. And when he wakes up, this person cannot even remember what he dreamed about. What causes a person to startle or jerk violently in their sleep? Isn't this harmful? Or maybe this signals some kind of physiological or mental disorder? There are a lot of explanations for this phenomenon on the Internet: from scientific to esoteric. But which of them is true and which is false? Let's figure it out together.
Good afternoon, dear reader! Today we will look at all the possible causes of this condition.
Some of them will be characteristic of healthy people, others – not so healthy.
I think you can easily determine what belongs to the first and what to the second group.
Night shudders when falling asleep
Startling when falling asleep and during sleep is familiar to many. This occurs especially often when falling asleep. Considering the phases of sleep, this phenomenon occurs at the moment when a person feels asleep. With a sharp contraction of the muscles, he wakes up again. Not everyone likes it, but it is not a pathology, except in exceptional cases. If you experience convulsions with sudden, irregular jerking of the limbs or other pain or spasms, you should consult a doctor.
Description of symptoms
A sign of myoclonus is an involuntary startle at the moment of falling asleep or during sleep, which does not have a regular sequence. It does not cause physical pain, but it disturbs sleep. A person wakes up from the fact that his body in one part or another makes an involuntary jerk. Most often, the muscle contraction leading to this movement occurs in the extremities, usually the lower ones. Hands shake much less often.
Sometimes there may be trembling of the whole body. Especially rarely, the action occurs in the area of the tongue or soft palate.
The intensity of movements can vary, from a slight wince to a jerk. The latter can lead to hitting the wall (if the bed is not located in the middle of the room).
Myoclonus syndrome occurs in both adults and children. Even infants can react this way to a sound or color external influence (thunder, flash of light).
Explanation of the syndrome
Why a person shudders in his sleep is not an idle question. A large number of people face this phenomenon. Doctors identify several causes of the syndrome:
- heavy physical exertion on the shuddering muscle group;
- nervous stress that preceded falling asleep;
- emotional outburst;
- stopping taking sedatives or sleeping pills;
- decrease in oxygen content in the air.
In addition to benign myoclonus, there is a malignant variety. In this case, involuntary flinching may be caused by:
- cerebrovascular diseases;
- head or spine injuries;
- suffered micro-strokes;
- disorders of the kidneys or liver.
The type of myoclonus can only be determined by consulting a doctor. Trembling associated with serious illnesses is often accompanied by cramps and other painful sensations, which indicates the need to visit a specialist.
Reasons why an adult twitches when falling asleep
Most often, when falling asleep, people experiencing chronic fatigue or stress startle. It has long been known that sleep consists of several phases. The transition from one of them to another takes about 2 hours, and the immersion in sleep itself occurs gradually. That is why, after a day full of emotional and physical stress, when it seems to us that we fall asleep only by placing our head on the pillow, we have not yet completely switched to sleep mode. Being in the phase of superficial sleep, a person continues to react to all many external factors: sounds, light and others that become irritants. When you fall asleep, the body relaxes, but the brain continues to work. Losing control over the body, it begins to send a signal to the nervous system, which causes a sharp short-term muscle contraction. This phenomenon is called myoclonus in medicine.
Types of spasms and twitching
At the moment of falling asleep, the body relaxes, and the brain classifies this fact as dangerous. A sharp muscle twitching becomes a triggering mechanism, a reaction to danger. Excessive muscle tension can also lead to involuntary winces. Convulsions during sleep are of various types:
- synchronous and asynchronous;
- rhythmic and arrhythmic;
- spontaneous;
- reflex.
Experts classify involuntary muscle spasms as
- myoclonic jerks;
- hypnogogic convulsions;
- restless legs syndrome;
- sleep paralysis
Let's figure out what is unique about each type. Is the “shudder and wake up” state dangerous for the body?
Myoclonic jerks
Irregular twitching that does not have a constant location is characteristic of people suffering from epilepsy. It often occurs in older people and is associated
- with neuroses;
- decreased amount of oxygen in muscle tissues;
- age-related degenerative changes occurring in cells.
Muscle contractions can occur in individual parts of the body (legs or arms, facial muscle contractions are possible) or cover it completely. The location of seizures often changes. The danger of myoclonic twitches lies in their ability to progress.
Involuntary muscle contractions (myoclonus) can occur not only at rest, but also during movement.
Hypnogic seizures
This type of involuntary movement, when the legs move when falling asleep, is still being studied. Experts have not come to a definite conclusion about the cause of their occurrence. According to the results of recent studies, it was discovered that involuntary spasms occur when the cervical vertebrae relax at the moment of falling asleep. The nerve fibers leading to the muscles simultaneously become excited, and the person feels a sharp spasm, leading to awakening.
Restless legs syndrome
The phenomenon is typical for middle-aged and elderly people and has a precise location. Unlike previous varieties, the cause of the movements produced is an unpleasant sensation that occurs in the lower extremities: burning, pain. To relieve the feeling of discomfort, a person begins to make involuntary movements with his legs. The disease can progress, and as a result, movements begin to be made with the hands. The syndrome occurs either as a result of acquired health problems or at the genetic level.
Sleep paralysis
This disease phenomenon is distinguished by the fact that the body does not produce sudden shudders, but on the contrary, the person does not have the ability to make them. The brain realizes the need to perform certain movements when waking up, but the body refuses to obey the ongoing impulses. Sleep paralysis does not cause a sudden awakening. Attacks occur only upon normal awakening after sleeping on your back. Doctors believe that stress and an inactive lifestyle are prerequisites for the appearance of sudden numbness.
Did you know that in medieval Europe people were subjected to the Inquisition due to sleep paralysis?
Restoration of motor function will occur when the brain is fully involved in work and is aware of what is happening. At this stage, you can begin to slowly move your tongue, eyes, limbs, starting with your fingers. Having managed to raise your head, you can try more active movements.
Martial arts in the depths of the brain
The most common movement we make in our sleep is rapid eye twitching. When we dream, our eyes move according to what we are dreaming. For example, we see a tennis match in a dream, our eyes move, following it in flight. If you see that the sleeper's eyes are moving, this is the surest sign that he is dreaming.
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Hypnogogic seizures seem to be a sign that the motor portion of the nervous system retains some control over the body when sleep paralysis begins to take hold. Instead of one sleep-wake switch in the brain that controls our sleep, we have two opposing systems. They balance one against the other during the daily cycle.
Differential diagnosis
The cause of involuntary shuddering when falling asleep can only be determined by differential diagnosis. Modern equipment makes it possible to identify diseases with similar symptoms at an early stage. Only after a full examination, in some cases:
- CT or MRI;
- electroencephalography;
- radiography;
- Ultrasound of the vessels of the cervical spine and head;
- ECHO.
Treatment is prescribed individually.
Physiological factors of night twitching
The occurrence of attacks of nocturnal myoclonus, according to scientists, is influenced by various physiological factors.
- Sleep phases - during the transition from shallow to deep sleep, the brain receives a motor impulse, to which it reacts with a sharp start.
- Neurophysiology - twitching is caused by the incompatibility of a completely relaxed body and rapid eye movements. The brain gives an impulse that returns the body to activity. Further falling asleep occurs more calmly and evenly.
- Circulatory problems - lead to a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the blood and poor blood supply to the limbs and their numbness. The sharp impulse sent helps to wake up, restore activity and improve blood circulation.
- Physical fatigue after hard work or sports.
- Nervous stress to which a person has been exposed during the day does not allow the body to completely relax when going to sleep.
- Myoclonus associated with a sharp noise or a bright flash of light provokes fear, which ends with a shudder.
- Myoclonus caused by apnea (stopping breathing) - the brain turns on and provokes a wince.
Learn more about the stages of sleep, how much sleep you need to get enough sleep and other interesting facts about your sleep.
Treatment program
Remember that therapy for restless sleep is long and requires patience from the patient. The first thing to do:
- Minimize the time you spend in bed before falling asleep. It is acceptable to spend a quarter of an hour on this, no more.
- Go to bed only when the desire arises. It is worth eliminating daytime naps.
- Get up and go to sleep at the same time every day.
- You can forget about cigarettes and caffeine in the evening. A couple of sips of milk at a pleasantly warm temperature, preferably with honey, acts as a sedative.
- Avoid exercising late at night. Physical activity excites the nervous system. But breathing exercises are very useful.
- A hearty dinner is not for you. A full stomach and sound sleep are incompatible. Drink less fluids at night.
- Learn to relax: lying in a warm bath, through a light massage or listening to pleasant music.
The optimal time for healthy sleep is 7-8 hours. Of course, the pillow and bed should be comfortable, and the temperature in the bedroom should be slightly lower than during the day. If watching TV in bed is a ritual for falling asleep, use it for your health. Remember that walking in the evening never hurt anyone. Fresh air and quiet movement are the best sleeping pills.
So, only the natural rhythm of sleep can be complete. It’s so simple: you need to fall asleep in the evening, wake up in the morning and feel that you got enough sleep! Then the quality of life will improve. Take care of yourself, be in constant mental balance, and your health will definitely be strong!
Pathological factors of myoclonus
In addition to natural physiological causes, shuddering can result from various diseases:
- epilepsy;
- hereditary degenerative problems in the brain stem and cerebellum;
- inflammatory processes in the brain caused by viruses;
- brain pathologies associated with human motor function;
- nervous and mental disorders;
- essential myoclonus (a disease of hereditary origin);
- restless legs syndrome;
- lack of microelements.
For tremors caused by the listed diseases, consultation with a doctor and individually selected treatment is necessary.
Clinical picture
- Physiological mobility - flinching. It is characterized by muscle tremors, and the sleeper may cry out.
- Teeth grinding – bruxism. In this case, breathing often changes, heartbeat appears, and blood pressure increases.
- Sudden excitement and anxiety, mental agitation, fears at night.
- Unconscious urination – in other words, enuresis.
- Disorders in the functioning of the nervous system, which are manifested by intermittent breathing.
What to do? To prevent restless sleep all the time, start small - follow simple norms and rules.
Startles during sleep in children
Involuntary movements in children due to abnormal electrical activity of the brain. It gives signals to muscle tissue. This leads to sudden twitching of the baby. They usually go away with growing up, but sometimes seizures are triggered by diseases:
- meningitis;
- head injuries associated with brain damage;
- intoxications (during treatment);
- brain tumors.
An external stimulus (light or sound) can cause such a reaction.
To find out the reasons, you need to consult a doctor and examine the child. If pathology is detected, urgent treatment is required.
Twitching in children can be caused by high fever. It is easy to identify this reason yourself and take measures to eliminate it.
Is treatment necessary?
To determine whether treatment for myoclonus is required, it is recommended to consult a doctor if signs of it appear (if the twitching is frequent and causes discomfort). They decide on the need for treatment. In most cases, the problem is solved by eliminating the causes of twitching:
- taking sedatives;
- weakening of physical activity;
- creating comfortable conditions for sleep.
Trembling, unless caused by serious pathologies, is not dangerous. It goes away after eliminating the causes that cause them. When a pathology is identified, it is necessary to treat the disease that is causing the seizures.