Uncontrolled sudden attacks of sleep, known as sleep attacks, are a hallmark symptom of narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder where the brain struggles to control sleep-wake cycles, causing overwhelming daytime sleepiness and sudden, involuntary sleep episodes at inappropriate times, often entering REM sleep quickly. These attacks can happen anytime, from a few seconds to 30 minutes, even while talking or walking, but people often wake feeling refreshed, only to feel sleepy again soon after.
Overview. Narcolepsy is a condition that makes people very sleepy during the day and can cause them to fall asleep suddenly. Some people also have other symptoms, such as muscle weakness when they feel strong emotions.
Narcolepsy will make you feel very sleepy. This sleep disorder affects your brain's control over sleep and wake cycles. Sudden “sleep attacks” can happen anytime — even during work, class or a conversation. You might have muscle weakness, vivid dreams or temporary paralysis while falling asleep or waking up.
Conclusions. Hypnic jerk is a prevalent sleep-related movement that is, in the majority of cases, benign. However, it can cause significant sleep disturbances, daytime fatigue, a substantial reduction in quality of life, and an increase in the risk of major depressive disorder in the patient.
Conditions such as neurological disorders, mental health issues, and sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea can all contribute significantly to excessive daytime sleepiness. Some medications, including sedatives, can also cause excessive sleepiness.
Sleep attacks are defined as short, irresistible episodes of sleep during the day. People with narcolepsy may experience short 10-20 minutes of sleep from which they awaken feeling refreshed, but the intense feelings of sleepiness return within 1-2 hours.
The five key signs of narcolepsy, often remembered by the acronym CHESS, are Cataplexy (sudden muscle weakness), Hallucinations (vivid dream-like images), Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS), Sleep Paralysis (inability to move when falling asleep or waking), and Sleep Disruption (fragmented nighttime sleep). These symptoms reflect a disruption between wakefulness and REM sleep, with elements of sleep intruding into the waking state.
Finally, from a nutritional perspective, it has been suggested, albeit anecdotally, that deficiencies in magnesium, calcium and/or iron can also increase the chances of experiencing a spontaneous hypnic jerk.
Seizures happen in up to 80 out of every 100 people (up to 80%) with a brain tumour. You might have some jerking or twitching of your hands, arms or legs.
These are completely normal and aren't the same as a myoclonic seizure. They are: Hypnic jerks: If you've ever had a sudden muscle twitch or spasm right as you were falling asleep, that was a hypnic jerk (the name comes from “hypnos,” the Greek word for “sleep”).
Hypnic jerks are associated with a rapid heartbeat, quickened breathing, sweat, and sometimes "a peculiar sensory feeling of 'shock' or 'falling into the void'". It can also be accompanied by a vivid dream experience or hallucination. A higher occurrence is reported in people with irregular sleep schedules.
Different types of focal epilepsies cause nocturnal seizures. Focal epilepsies cause seizures that start in a specific part of the brain. They typically begin in early childhood. Sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE) is the most common cause of nocturnal seizures.
Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder. A person with narcolepsy has excessive daytime sleepiness, with repeated episodes of sleep attacks, falling asleep involuntarily at inappropriate times, often several times every day.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Narcolepsy is a lifelong condition. It may be dangerous if episodes occur while driving, operating machinery, or doing similar activities. Narcolepsy can usually be controlled with treatment. Treating other underlying sleep disorders can improve narcolepsy symptoms.
Medical conditions.
Brain and nerve conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury, may raise the risk of sleep disorders. Heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic pain are linked with insomnia. Being overweight raises the risk of obstructive sleep apnea.
Some of the first signs of a brain tumor may include:
Neurologic Diseases That Can Be Accompanied by Myoclonus
Brain tumor red flags include persistent, worsening headaches (especially in the morning/night), new-onset seizures, unexplained nausea/vomiting, vision changes (blurred, double), balance/coordination issues (clumsiness, trouble walking), significant personality or behavioral shifts, weakness/numbness on one side, and speech difficulties (slurring, trouble finding words). These symptoms often stem from increased pressure or direct interference with brain functions, and their gradual or sudden appearance warrants medical attention.
Hypnic jerks are not dangerous. A person experiencing them does not need to consult a doctor or seek medical treatment unless they cause distress or other symptoms, such as incontinence, injury, pain, or confusion. This article explores hypnic jerks, how common they are, and how to reduce their frequency.
Early ALS twitches (fasciculations) feel like brief, sporadic, annoying muscle spasms, similar to an eye twitch but in limbs, back, or stomach, often visible or felt under the skin, usually not painful initially but can become persistent and interfere with sleep, often accompanied by subtle weakness or stiffness, rather than intense pain. They're like tiny ripples or quivers, often happening when muscles are at rest, but differ from benign twitching by eventually leading to noticeable weakness and atrophy in the affected muscles.
Nervous system conditions that can cause muscle twitching include:
Narcolepsy in pediatric patients is often misdiagnosed as a more common medical condition, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, depression, syncope, or other sleep disorders.
Decreased serum vitamin B12 levels are independently associated with the development of narcolepsy, which illustrates the complex relationship between vitamin B12 and narcolepsy.
Find out more about diagnosing narcolepsy.