Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Body Tremors During Sleep Time?
Question: At night when I am sleeping I jump and shake, my husband wakes me up, but when I go back to sleep I do the same. Then during the day this last week, I feel shakily all through my body. This doesn't happen all the time.
Brief Answer:
Several possible causes....polysomnography is recommended.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Several possibilities may explain your sleep disorder. One possibility is a condition called REM sleep behavior disorder. Sleep has several stages. The REM stage is the one where we have our dreams. Normally the muscles are paralyzed during this stage so there are no movements, but in this disorder paralysis doesn't happen so dreams are associated with movements.
Another possibility might be sleep apnea, loss of muscle tone with transitory collapsing of airways during sleep which may lead to awakenings, bad quality sleep and tiredness during the day.
Both these disorders as well as other more rare sleep disorders are diagnosed through an exam called polysomnography or sleep study where electrodes are placed on your scalp to monitor brain electrical activity during sleep. That test would exclude also seizures as a less likely possibility.
Restless legs syndrome is another cause of abnormal movements during sleep, but in that condition there is the more prominent manifestation before sleep of uncomfortable feeling and urging to move your legs with a need to move to relieve symptoms, so if you have no such issues it's unlikely.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Several possible causes....polysomnography is recommended.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Several possibilities may explain your sleep disorder. One possibility is a condition called REM sleep behavior disorder. Sleep has several stages. The REM stage is the one where we have our dreams. Normally the muscles are paralyzed during this stage so there are no movements, but in this disorder paralysis doesn't happen so dreams are associated with movements.
Another possibility might be sleep apnea, loss of muscle tone with transitory collapsing of airways during sleep which may lead to awakenings, bad quality sleep and tiredness during the day.
Both these disorders as well as other more rare sleep disorders are diagnosed through an exam called polysomnography or sleep study where electrodes are placed on your scalp to monitor brain electrical activity during sleep. That test would exclude also seizures as a less likely possibility.
Restless legs syndrome is another cause of abnormal movements during sleep, but in that condition there is the more prominent manifestation before sleep of uncomfortable feeling and urging to move your legs with a need to move to relieve symptoms, so if you have no such issues it's unlikely.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
