Twitching when falling asleep
definition
Muscle twitching when falling asleep is very common.
Around 70 percent of the population has already experienced this. The legs are often affected. Most of the time, it occurs in the phase just before going to sleep. Why the muscles twitch when falling asleep has ultimately not been definitively researched. However, the scientists agree that this phenomenon is usually harmless and does not indicate a rare neurological disease.
causes
How the muscles twitch when falling asleep has not been finally researched.
However, the following theory of the sleep researchers seems plausible: In this phase the brain is switched to sleep mode. For reasons unknown, this sometimes happens a little disorderly. The balance between excitatory and inhibitory impulses is disturbed, so that short-term electrical impulses are passed on to individual muscles, which then contract. This is perceived as a twitch.
Scientists also assume that it often occurs in people who suffer from stress or emotional distress. A magnesium deficiency can also cause twitching before going to sleep, which usually also leads to night cramps in those affected. In most cases the causes are harmless. In rare cases, however, a neurological disease such as restless legs syndrome can also be behind it. The patients then not only suffer from twitching when falling asleep, they also wake up several times a night, and it is often accompanied by tingling pain.
Also read: Twitching in the legs
Twitching from stress
The causes of uncontrollable twitching of the muscles when falling asleep are often harmless.
Scientists were able to show that this very often has to do with stress. Emotional stress, such as arguments at work or conflicts in a partnership, can ultimately lead to twitching of the muscles. Scientists have put forward the following theory in this regard: When there is stress or emotional stress, the balance between exciting and inhibiting electrical impulses in the brain is often not quite right. However, this is a very finely regulated system. If there are disturbances here, it can easily be that suddenly stimulating impulses predominate and trigger a spontaneous muscle contraction.
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Twitching after exercise
Twitching when falling asleep is a common phenomenon. It also occurs in healthy people; it can be seen more often, especially after exercise.
This mainly affects the muscles in the arms or legs. Muscle twitching can always occur after intense strength training. This is often taken as an indication of overtraining. However, it can also be due to a lack of magnesium or calcium. During sport, the body loses water and blood salts with the sweat, so athletes can expect increased magnesium and calcium requirements.
Twitching when falling asleep after alcohol
Alcohol has many different effects on the human body. Among other things, there is an effect in the central nervous system, which explains the clouded perception and dizziness. Alcohol also affects the activity of certain nerve cells in the brain. Alcohol has a positive effect on nerve cells that inhibit brain activity, while it has a negative effect on activating nerve cells.
Sleep and falling asleep are influenced by alcohol. Alcohol tends to make you tired, but the very restful REM sleep occurs less frequently and for a shorter time under the influence of alcohol. Sleep is therefore rather superficial after consuming alcohol. The twitching that occurs when falling asleep can therefore be more pronounced under the influence of alcohol. Falling asleep with alcohol in the blood is also different than normal. Although the body is almost asleep, parts of the brain are still active when under the influence of alcohol. Sudden jerks are most likely an expression that the sleep phase is disturbed.
The fact that the twitching varies greatly from person to person can be seen from the fact that drinking alcohol reduces the frequency of twitching when falling asleep in some people. The exact reasons for the occurrence of the twitching and the influence of which alcohol has on the processes has not yet been conclusively clarified.
Read more about this: Effect of alcohol- influence on the various organs
Can it be an indication of epilepsy?
Muscle twitching is usually harmless, but it can actually be an indication of the presence of epilepsy.
In diseases such as epilepsy, a functional disorder in the brain leads to a continuous spread of pathological excitation impulses in certain areas of the central nervous system. This incorrect excitation of certain regions in the brain activates the muscles belonging to this region in an uncontrolled manner. This manifests itself in the typical involuntary attack-like muscle twitching. One then speaks of an epileptic fit or seizure.
Muscle twitching when falling asleep is completely different. Most of the time there is only brief twitching of an arm or leg. Of course there are also forms of epilepsy in which only a small part of the brain is affected. One then speaks of a partial seizure. The pathological spread of excitation is limited to a smaller area in the brain. Therefore often only one muscle group of the twitches, e.g. affected on the face or only on the hand. Jerking when falling asleep is certainly not a typical sign of epilepsy. However, there are also forms of epilepsy that can only manifest themselves with minimal symptoms such as twitching.
Also read: Symptoms of epilepsy
Are twitching when falling asleep dangerous?
No! A twitching of the muscles when falling asleep is absolutely harmless in the vast majority of cases. However, if the twitching occurs several times during the day or during the night, it is worth visiting your doctor. This will be able to rule out most of the dangerous causes through a targeted collection of the medical history and an orienting neurological examination; especially with the question of other accompanying symptoms.
Indications for more serious neurological diseases are long-term numbness or pain in the extremities or the spine. A twitch of the muscles when falling asleep may be frightening at first, but it is usually not dangerous.
More on this topic: Twitching in sleep
Concomitant symptoms
The affected person cannot deliberately influence the twitching of the muscles when falling asleep.
For various reasons there is a malfunction of the associated nerve; the muscle is activated. Stress and psychological stress are often the triggers. However, the nerve can also be irritated by a herniated disc in the area of the spine. In this case, the person concerned usually complains of other symptoms such as severe pain and sensory disturbances or paralysis.
Can you prevent twitching when falling asleep?
When falling asleep, involuntary contraction of a muscle is more common. Mostly a malfunction in the brain is responsible, which occurs especially in the transition phase between sleep and wakefulness. However, there are factors that favor this muscle twitching. You can eliminate these as best you can. On the one hand there is stress and psychological stress, on the other hand there is sometimes a magnesium deficiency behind it. Therefore, a sufficient supply of magnesium ensures that no muscle twitching occurs due to a magnesium deficiency.
consequences
Involuntary jerks that occasionally occur when falling asleep can generally be considered harmless.
So far, no connection with serious illnesses such as epilepsy has been established. Nevertheless, the twitching can have an impact on the well-being of the person concerned.Strong twitching can make it difficult to fall asleep and in some cases even lead to sleep disorders and insomnia. The consequences of lack of sleep can have a very negative impact on the quality of life of those affected.
Read our article on this: Consequences of lack of sleep
Duration
The muscle twitching when falling asleep is mostly limited to the phase shortly before falling asleep and is therefore only of very short duration.
Usually it disappears with the onset of sleep. Since it occurs more often in stressed or emotionally stressful people, the twitching is not always equally pronounced. It may appear every evening for a few days and then go away for weeks.
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diagnosis
The doctor will first conduct a detailed medical history survey. He asks which muscle group is affected, as well as the frequency and severity of the muscle twitching and any accompanying symptoms.
The doctor will then do a brief physical exam. After these two steps, the doctor will surely have a suspected diagnosis. In most cases, no further diagnostics are necessary. If further examinations are necessary, these are usually carried out by a neurologist. In this case, further examinations are understood to mean a measurement of the nerve conduction velocity (ENG) and the measurement of electrical muscle activity (EMG).
therapy
A twitching of the muscles when falling asleep is in the vast majority of cases absolutely harmless and does not require any treatment.
Especially when stress or emotional stress is the trigger, the muscle twitching usually disappears on its own without treatment. Learning different stress management techniques is helpful. Psychotherapy can also be useful to deal with emotionally stressful issues.
If a magnesium deficiency is likely due to an increased need due to pregnancy, the body should be supplied with more magnesium, for example through food in tablets or in powder form. Then the muscle twitching will quickly improve.
Serious illnesses as a cause of twitching when falling asleep are very rare. You will be treated by the neurologist. Basically, however, the muscle twitching when falling asleep has no disease value and therefore does not need to be treated.
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Magnesium against twitching when falling asleep
A twitching of the muscles when falling asleep can have many causes. The fact is that it occurs more frequently due to stress and emotional stress.
A lack of magnesium is also seen as a common trigger for muscle twitching. People with an increased need for magnesium are particularly affected, e.g. Athletes or pregnant women. It therefore makes sense to try to absorb more magnesium through food first. Foods rich in magnesium are: Legumes such as beans, chickpeas, lentils, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds or bananas. In addition, you can always take magnesium in the form of dietary supplements as tablets or in powder form.
Twitching when falling asleep during pregnancy
Pregnancy affects that different processes and Metabolic processes in the body. Jerks, which are more pronounced or even occur exclusively during pregnancy relatively often. In addition to the twitching, which can occur in many people when falling asleep, and as harmless apply, pregnant women also experience twitches that deal with a certain Clinical picture explain. Many pregnant women complain of complaints that are part of the so-called "Restless leg syndrome" occur. In addition to painful and tingling legs and arms, there may also be uncomfortable twitching during the attempt to fall asleep. It is believed that certain Brain areas of the women affected incorrectly active and therefore the twitching and other complaints occur. Also come in Iron deficiency as well as a genetic component considered to be the trigger of the symptoms. It is not uncommon for the twitching to go away after pregnancy.
Twitching when falling asleep in babies
The nervous system of babies is not fully developed after birth and goes through major changes, especially in the first few months. In addition, there are a large number of impressions during the waking phase, which are processed during sleep. Jerks that occur while sleeping or falling asleep in babies are relatively common. In spite of everything, twitching is a great concern for the parents of the child. In addition to the twitching, which presumably occurs of a similar origin as in adults, a so-called newborn reflex is also responsible. This is known as the Moro reflex. It is a reflex that is essential for the survival of babies and is responsible, among other things, for the beginning of lung breathing after birth. When suddenly falling or while sleeping, babies suddenly stretch their hands and arms in the air. The fingers are also spread and the mouth opened.
Twitches are less common expressing the presence of the so-called West syndrome. This is a form of epilepsy that occurs in babies. A doctor can use diagnostic methods to determine whether the twitches are harmless or the effect of epilepsy.
Further information on this topic can be found at: Twitching in the baby
Twitching on falling asleep in young children
Children in toddler age, i.e. between the second and third year of life, also tend to twitch when falling asleep. As with adults, the reasons for this have not been conclusively clarified. It is likely, however, that the transition from waking to sleeping is the reason for the involuntary twitching. Children often have a very active daily routine. Both physical and psychological activity can increase the occurrence of the typical jerks when falling asleep. The so-called Moro reflex, which is responsible for the twitching in babies, cannot be the cause of the twitching in toddlers, since it is no longer present after infancy.
The twitching is usually not a cause for concern, even in small children. Only if real muscle cramps occur all over the body instead of twitching, it is possible that epilepsy is present, which should be clarified and treated. It is therefore essential that changes in the child's behavior are observed and reported to the doctor.
