$Unique_ID{BRK02483} $Pretitle{} $Title{What Causes Violent Sleep Motions?} $Subject{punches kicks night asleep sleep disorder rem rapid eye movement muscles paralyzed rbd rem-sleep behavior disorder clonazepam relaxant ill defined symptoms symptom rare muscle punch kick sleeping disorders paralysis} $Volume{N-18} $Log{} Copyright (c) 1992,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc. What Causes Violent Sleep Motions? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ QUESTION: You wrote about a husband keeping his wife awake with his snoring. What have you got to say about a guy who punches and kicks at night, and then jumps out of bed to run into a wall, all while he is still asleep? I call it weird and want to know what can be done about it. He is a pretty good guy when he is awake, but these actions scare me to death. Please help. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ANSWER: It sounds like a sleep disorder that has only been described in the literature quite recently. It occurs most frequently in men over the age of 60 and takes place during a part of the sleep cycle known as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This is the period of sleep during which we dream, but since the muscles of the body (with the exception of those needed to breathe) are all paralyzed, most people cannot act out their dreams. In this sleep disorder known as RBD (for REM-sleep Behavior Disorder), the muscles are still active, which permits the patient to move about, sometimes in a very acrobatic and forceful manner. The basic cause of this strange disorder is not well understood, but the diagnosis may be made from your description and confirmed during an all night sleep study. Even if a full episode does not occur, abnormal muscle activity and tone will still show on the test. It can be treated effectively with clonazepam, a muscle relaxant, which if taken at bedtime will relieve the symptoms. ---------------- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.