Sleep Myoclonus

The 'sudden, brief, jerky, shock-like, involuntary movements' are called myoclonus (Fahn et. al. 1986). This brief twitching involves a muscle or a group of muscles. The brief lapses of contractions are called positive myoclonus and brief lapses of relaxations is called negative myoclonus. When these jerky moments occur during sleep, the condition is called sleep myoclonus.

What is It?
It is a type of muscle jerk that occurs during sleep. These muscle twitches occur during the sleep stage that comes just before the person falls into deep sleep. It has been found jerks due to this condition rarely disturb the person suffering from this disorder or their partners. It does not disturb sleep or cause the person to wake up. However, it indicates risk of developing serious sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome, etc in future. The condition affects fingers, toes, lips and eyes and therefore not noticeable to anyone who is watching the affected person sleep.

Causes
It is not a disease, but a symptom. It occurs during the REM sleep and is found to be stimulus-sensitive. This means it is triggered by external stimulus like light, sound or movement.

Symptoms
The symptoms are characterized by rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles. Some people may suffer from hiccups or hypic jerks when they are drifting off to sleep. A few individuals tend to suffer from jerks of an arm or leg, just before the person is drifting off to deep sleep. In some cases, the condition itself is a symptom of restless leg syndrome that needs medical attention.

In Children
The sudden jerk during sleep may indicate the presence of this condition in children. You may feel your child is suddenly twisting in sleep. In most cases, both sides of the body are affected. A flexion or fingers, wrists, elbows and sometimes feet is observed repeatedly while the child sleeps. To many concerned parents it may appear as a myoclonic seizure attack or infantile spasm. However, it is generally harmless in children.

Benign Neonatal Sleep Myoclonus
Coulter and Allen first described this disease in 1982. This disorder is also commonly mistaken as seizures in newborns. The symptoms include sudden, lighting like jerks of the extremities during sleep. As the central nervous system matures in a newborn, it tends to diminish its manifestation.

Treatment
In most cases, there is no treatment required. This condition rarely causes any problems to the individual and does not affect sleep. The condition is tested in children for any underlying neurological disorder. If there is no cause of concern, no treatment is offered. In case of benign neonatal sleep myoclonus, no medication is necessary to treat this condition.

Adults and children need to be tested for any neurological abnormalities. When parents find their children jerk and twist in sleep, they become worried that it may be a sign of seizures. However, this condition may not always indicate any neurological injury or abnormalities. To be on the safe side, always consult your healthcare provider for more details regarding this condition and its clinical manifestations.