Constant wiggling of legs and arms. Why does a person twitch during sleep

In fact, restless leg syndrome can affect not only the legs, but also the hands. Usually both limbs are affected to the same extent and, when it comes to the legs, their lower part mainly suffers. But in rare cases, it happens that a person feels twitches and goosebumps in the upper parts of the legs.

Why this happens, doctors do not really know, but they suggest that it lies in the violation of the chemical balance in the brain. And, by the way, not those who move a lot, but those who sit a lot, and even in one position, are most susceptible to this disease.

What do experts advise to somehow alleviate your suffering?

The first recommended way to deal with twitching legs is to give up. Yes exactly. If your legs keep you awake, get up and walk. Not all night, of course, but for some time, until you properly stretch your indefatigable limbs.

There are some things you can do before bed. So, for example, try to make cool ones for the workers. Just do not jump out into the street and run barefoot in the snow - everything needs a measure.

If the cold did not help, try the opposite option - warm them well. Hot baths, cotton stockings, rubbing are suitable for this. An excellent remedy can also be a small foot before bedtime with the help of an electric massager.

As one of the reasons restless leg syndrome also called active digestion. So try to eat less at night. An excellent, by the way, way out - and you will calm your legs, and you will not gain excess weight.

Do not forget about the nerves. Nervous tension, stress, constant fatigue can also make your legs dance all night. Try to get enough rest, master a couple of relaxation exercises or a set of simple breathing exercises aimed at relieving nervous tension.

You might think that since the problem is in the nerves and the brain, then you should calm your legs in a more radical way, or even stun yourself with sleeping pills. But this is your big mistake! Firstly, do not take in head to take alcohol as a “relaxing” one, this will definitely not help you, but will only exacerbate the problem. Sleeping pills, as you might guess, are addictive. Once you get addicted to them, and you will have not one, but two whole problems.

But there are some things you can still accept. For example, medical studies have shown that it greatly alleviates the condition restless leg syndrome a couple of aspirins at night. True, this method does not work for everyone.

Another reason for night running can be iron and folic acid deficiency. Therefore, doctors advise taking a good complex of vitamins every day.

A good way to deal with restless legs syndrome walks before going to bed are also considered. It is best to walk at an energetic pace, do some light exercises, stretch the muscles of the legs. The fact is that physical activity contributes to the production of endorphins, which will help you ensure a sound and restful sleep.

Doctors also advise suffering restless legs syndrome, give up some pleasures (they call it bad habits), such as coffee and cigarettes. Studies conducted on this subject have shown that people who quit smoking and stop drinking coffee, after about 4 weeks, get rid of a tiresome illness.

Usually restless leg syndrome It doesn’t cause much concern, except for yourself, if you can’t fall asleep normally for several days in a row. But, if you, once again trying to fall asleep, feel new symptoms, and they are not similar to those that were before, you should consult a doctor. In any case, even if such a problem bothers you for the first time, and the sensations are too unpleasant and painful, be sure to visit a doctor.

The fact is that such symptoms may be evidence of developing kidney or lung disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and other disorders. It is clear that in such cases it is important to make an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible and start.

Alexandra Panyutina
Women's magazine JustLady

Almost every person in his life has experienced a feeling when a muscle on the leg above the knee twitches. This is not necessarily due to disturbances in the functioning of the body, the reduction also occurs for physiological reasons. What are the causes of this phenomenon and how to deal with it?

Types of involuntary muscle contractions

Twitching of the muscular tissues of the knee or thigh can be varied. But the most common types of events are:

• Pulsating contractions that quickly disappear, but bother regularly.
• Seizures. They are accompanied by severe pain, do not go away on their own for a long time, therefore, in order to quickly stop the phenomenon, it is necessary to massage the sore part of the leg.
• Twitching of a muscle that does not result in movement of the lower limb.
• Spasms of muscle tissue, lasting for a long time and characterized by twisting the legs from the inside.

Such phenomena occur separately and have different causes.

Physiological causes

If the knee twitches, it does not have to be a manifestation of any disease. Tissues often involuntarily contract in healthy people, which occurs due to exposure to natural factors.

Physical training

People who are actively involved in sports often experience twitching of the muscles of the lower extremities. This happens due to the fact that a person incorrectly or insufficiently warmed up the tissues during the warm-up process before the main workout.

Also, the reason lies in the wrong sequence of exercises. The complex of classes is compiled so that the load on the muscles is gradual. Periodically, the body needs to be allowed to rest. After training, it is advisable to stretch.

Muscle spasms due to stress

Stress is the cause of many pathologies in the body. A person constantly exposed to a nervous shake-up often notices involuntary muscle twitches. In this case, it is recommended to just relax, forget about all the problems, drink a course of sedatives.

restless leg syndrome

This phenomenon is characterized by the occurrence of unpleasant sensations in the legs at rest. Most often this happens in the evening and at night. Due to restless legs syndrome, the human nervous system is loosened, which leads to muscle contractions.

Disease as a cause of twitching

Not only physiological factors, but also pathologies of the body can cause involuntary contractions of the muscles of the legs. Possible reasons for cuts could be:

1. Fibromyalgia. The disease is accompanied by severe soreness in the muscles, which is often accompanied by twitching. The pain syndrome is localized symmetrically: the same area hurts on both limbs.
2. Neurosis. It affects the functioning of the nervous system, therefore it directly relates to the development of involuntary contractions.
3. Skull trauma. Because of them, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe brain responsible for stimulating muscle tissue can be damaged.
4. Malignant neoplasms of the head. The reason is the same as in the previous case, only the disturbances are due to the tumor.
5. Infectious pathologies of the brain. The penetration of the infection leads to the fact that an inflammatory process occurs in the head, which can affect the area responsible for the regulation of muscle activity.
6. Mental disorders. Some of them can cause irreversible changes in the brain. Therefore, patients often experience involuntary twitching of both individual muscles and entire limbs.
7. Diseases of the digestive organs. There are pathologies due to which the process of absorption of nutrients fails. As a result, there is a lack of them, which leads to twitching of the muscular tissues of the legs.

In addition to pathologies, involuntary muscle contractions can be provoked by conditions that have arisen due to:

• Regular drug use. Heavy types of such substances irritate the nervous and endocrine systems, leading to impaired contractions.
• The use of medical preparations. Some drugs have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system.

Diagnostics

When a patient is contacted, the doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis. Based on it, a number of diagnostic measures are assigned. Their list includes the following examination methods:

1. Radiography.
2. Computed and magnetic resonance imaging.
3. Ultrasound procedure.
4. Arthroscopy.
5. Laboratory tests.

Diagnostics will allow you to get complete information about the state of the body, make an accurate diagnosis and develop effective tactics for recreational activities.

Treatment of pathology

Therapy of spontaneous twitches depends on what caused the disease.

First aid

Emergency care is required for a person if his legs are cramped. In this case, the disease is accompanied by severe pain, which is difficult to endure. To eliminate cramps, you need to massage the affected area.

To relax the muscles, you can try to stretch your leg and pull the toe towards you. After such manipulations, the pain syndrome will quickly recede. After the symptom disappears, you will need to do a stretching exercise.

Diet

To get rid of the twitching of the muscles of the legs and arms, it is worth reviewing the diet. Be sure to give up food that includes chemical additives, sweet, salty, coffee, black tea and alcoholic beverages.

It is necessary to replace harmful foods with those rich in phosphorus (fish, dairy products), magnesium (oatmeal, cocoa), potassium (vegetables and fruits), vitamin D (fatty fish). Thanks to these substances, the work of the nervous system is normalized, the process of absorption of useful components is removed, spasm is relieved.

exercise therapy

For full-fledged work and strengthening of the muscles of the legs, daily physical activity is necessary, so patients are advised to exercise. A complex of physiotherapy exercises is developed for each person separately, depending on the cause of the muscle twitching.

Exercises allow not only to strengthen the muscles of the legs, but also to normalize the metabolism of substances in the body, improve the functioning of the immune system and the motor activity of the joints, and lose excess body weight.

Physiotherapy

Depending on the identified pathology, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy procedures. The following techniques favorably affect the functioning and condition of muscle tissues:

• Heat treatment.
• Magnetotherapy.
• Mud applications.
• Coniferous baths.

Physiotherapy produces the following therapeutic effects:

• Normalizes the metabolism of substances in the body.
• Improves blood flow.
• Stabilizes the functions of the muscles and joints of the legs.

With the help of these procedures, the treatment is faster and more successful.

Prevention

To prevent the occurrence of muscle twitches for physiological reasons, you need to take sports activities more seriously. It is impossible to allow overstrain of muscle tissues, you should gradually increase the load and knead the tissues before training.

To prevent pathologies that cause muscle twitching, you need to lead an active lifestyle, protect yourself from stressful situations, eat right and treat diseases in the body in time.

Question: why do you twitch in a dream - many are interested. There is no person who has not experienced the sensation of falling, stumbling, or kicking the ball when falling asleep. At the same time, having almost fallen asleep, a person shudders, twitches and wakes up due to a sharp contraction of muscles in any part of the body.

Twitching in a dream - what is it

What causes a person to suddenly wake up is called Simmonds myoclonus - frequent muscle twitches in different muscle groups. Such muscle contractions are rhythmic and synchronous, or erratic. They are fast jerky muscle twitchings, similar to those that appear when irritated by an electric current.

A similar phenomenon is observed in both children and adults; they belong to physiological myoclonus, which are known to everyone. These startles during falling asleep are especially common in children. They are associated with the imperfection of their nervous system and the difference in the duration of sleep phases compared to such periods in adults.

Main Physiological Causes

Sleep myoclonus is a completely normal physiological process. Despite this, over time, seizures can progress: become more frequent and become a little longer. Their distinguishing feature is the change in localization. At night, after falling asleep, the muscles of the leg may contract, the next night there is a contraction of the muscles of the arm, the third night will be associated with sudden twitching of the muscles of the face.

There are several factors that lead to the occurrence of myoclonus. They are partly the answer to the question - why do you twitch in a dream.

Neurophysiological reason

When falling asleep, the muscles completely relax - their tone is reduced as much as possible, the body relaxes to ensure proper rest. At the time of falling asleep, body temperature decreases, blood pressure decreases, heart rate slows down, breathing slows down. The hypothalamus perceives this as a process of dying of the body, so the brain sends electrical signals to relaxed muscles to raise their tone - a sharp involuntary contraction occurs, which leads to awakening due to the fact that a person shudders in a dream. But only a few people suffer from such twitches.

Physical exercise

If you are interested in why you are twitching in a dream, you need to analyze your past day. Large physical loads on the muscles throughout the day - physical education or sports, long walking, strenuous movements associated with work - adversely affect the muscles. Their tone is increased for a long time, and even rest does not lead to their relaxation. To reduce tone, the brain sends electrical impulses, which causes the muscles to gradually decrease tone. But at the same time, their twitching occurs, contractions alternate with relaxation, as a result of which a person twitches in a dream. Often myoclonus - involuntary muscle contractions - can be accompanied by moderate pain.

To get rid of the pain that has arisen, you can do some light gentle exercises for those muscle groups that are tense. To do this, perform rotation in the joints, sipping or raising the legs. Such exercises lead to muscle relaxation, the pain will subside, twitching and cramps will stop.

chronic stress

The answer to the question - why do you twitch in a dream - may also be a mental overstrain to which a person has been subjected all day. Acute and chronic stress and overwork lead to the impossibility of falling asleep quickly. People in a state of mental exhaustion suffer from insomnia. This is due to the fact that with overwork and nervous overload, the falling asleep phase lengthens. Impulses produced by the brain lead to startle and awakening. After that, the process can be repeated: prolonged falling asleep, involuntary muscle twitching, sudden awakening.

With constant daily stress and overwork, any external stimuli in the form of sound, light or movement are perceived as exaggeratedly strong. In this state, any factor that is insignificant in its effect can cause sleep disturbance.

Violation of the blood supply

Another reason why you twitch in a dream is a violation of the blood supply in the vessels of the legs and arms. This is the so-called Ekbom's restless legs syndrome, or nocturnal myoclonus. With an uncomfortable posture, the vessels can collapse, and then the blood circulation is disturbed, and the legs or arms go numb during sleep, paresthesias occur. The brain immediately sends an impulse to change position - the person jerks sharply, begins to wake up, move, turn around. Such tremors in sleep lead to a change in body position and, at the same time, to an improvement in blood supply.

Sleep phases

The change in sleep phases is another factor in why you twitch in your sleep. When a person falls asleep, the state of complete relaxation that occurs during the period of falling asleep passes into the phase of REM sleep - rapid eye movement. At this time, the brain processes all the accumulated information. This is a kind of protective function. A signal from the brain can suddenly interrupt this process of relaxation, the person shudders, the phases of sleep change again - the process repeats.

Rapid growth in children

Excessively rapid growth in children of the asthenic type leads to sudden twitching of different muscle groups during sleep. Over time, when the child grows up and gains sufficient body weight, this will pass on its own.

Pathological causes

In addition to the physiological reasons described for why you twitch in a dream, a number of pathological processes can occur in the body, leading to a sudden contraction of some muscles and a sudden awakening. These include:

• sleep pathology;
• hypokalemia and hypocalcemia (low content of potassium and calcium in the body) - in this case, it is necessary to consult a specialist who, based on the tests, will prescribe the necessary drugs;
• a lack of magnesium in the body leads to a sudden contraction of the muscles, due to which a person twitches in a dream and wakes up;

a nervous tic is in many cases a pathological condition that requires an examination by a neurologist and an ophthalmologist who will help to cope with the problem.

Pathological causes leading to such phenomena most often include the following:

• brain hypoxia;
• abrupt withdrawal of certain drugs (barbiturates, benzodiazepines);
• neuroses;
• mental disorders;
• epilepsy;
• degenerative changes in cells.

Pathological nocturnal myoclonus is more pronounced than physiological, and more polyetiological, as indicated above.

All of these disorders most often occur in the elderly and senile age - they constitute a risk group. Although this process can occur in any person at any age.

How to get rid of twitching in your sleep

In the treatment of both physiological and pathological myoclonus, not only drug therapy, which is prescribed last, plays a role, but, above all, the correct lifestyle and behavior before bedtime:

You need to do quiet, calm activities, read a few pages of an interesting book.

You can drink green tea - it slightly reduces pressure and soothes.

During the day, you need to try to do without stressful situations and physical overstrain.

Avoid heavy dinners late in the day, especially before bed. Three to four hours before bedtime, you can eat something light in small quantities.

It is important to go to bed at the same time, setting yourself up not to fall asleep, but to relax.

In the event that all the applied independent efforts do not bring results, and shuddering and twitching continue, it is necessary to visit a neurologist. He may prescribe medication.

For the treatment of myoclonus (both physiological and pathological) are used:

Clonazepam at a dosage of 28 mg per day or more - as prescribed by a doctor;

Valproate (Depaxin, Convulex, Apilepsin) - 10 - 40 mg per day;

tryptophan precursors (L - tryptophan, Kalma, Senadot).

But drugs are a last resort. If possible, it is necessary to pay attention to the problem at its first manifestations and tackle it, calming the nerves before going to bed with available non-drug methods. In this case, it will be possible to get rid of these unpleasant phenomena and establish normal sleep.

Dear subscribers, hello! I was interested in why he twists his legs at night and what to do to calm down? Let's talk about Restless Leg Syndrome. Many of us suffer from insomnia, and one in three, if not more often, names the reason for the inability to fall asleep in the fact that their legs twist a lot, and sometimes they pull - which is also not very pleasant.

Feelings are specific- unpleasant, in the evening lying down the legs do not find a place, I want to pull them so that the tension subsides. It's not itching, it's not pain, it's not even numbness. Some internal nerve nodes that relax for a while, as you move your foot, and then accumulate again and prevent you from falling asleep. Let's talk about it today. Why does he break and twist his legs and what to do to get rid of this scourge.

Why does he twist his legs?

Our body, in particular the nervous system, has certain rhythms that synchronize our internal clock. At a certain time, in the evening, we want to sleep, the whole body relaxes and drowsiness rolls in. If you lie down during this period, then you will fall asleep quickly and without problems. But if something interferes, distracts, stirs up the psyche, then there is a high probability that the legs will begin to twist.

To prevent this from happening, plan your evening, create a calm atmosphere in the evening. Do not allow nervous experiences, a surge of emotions. Before going to bed, dissolve Glycine or Valerian- if the leg is aching, then this will help. Drink soothing herbal teas. I will talk about this in more detail later in the text.

restless leg syndrome

This diagnosis is very rare. If a person with similar problems visits a doctor, then most often he will leave with nothing. That is, the doctor will not reveal any problems and outwardly aching legs will be quite healthy. And even an ultrasound will not show any internal changes. And the vessels and joints in the legs will be in good condition.

Neurologists will also not make a diagnosis, since everything will look normal in their field. And for a man whose legs twist as soon as he gets into bed, this does not make it any easier. The problem is still the same...

This phenomenon, when you can’t sleep - your legs are pulling, and doctors don’t make any diagnosis at the reception, can be called restless legs syndrome.

Legs ache at night what to do

Most often, the legs begin to twist when the person has already laid down on the bed and prepared for bed. Some kind of internal tension begins to build up and a discharge is required - to move your legs. Of course, after a short time, the tension builds up again and everything repeats again and again. There is no sleep.

note that similar problems are present in children - fidget. They say about such children that they have "an awl in one place." But children fall asleep easier, get tired and already sleep literally on the go. But we, adults, do not fall asleep from these symptoms.

In older people, the syndrome occurs more often, but it can also occur in middle-aged people. Women are more likely to suffer from restlessness in their legs than men.

What is the cause of leg restlessness

It's hard to pinpoint one reason. It's just that a person feels a burning desire to move his legs while lying in bed. Some doctors say that the predisposition to the syndrome is higher in those people whose parents suffered from this scourge.

There is an opinion that the problem arises from the nervous tension accumulated during the day, which comes out in this way, through the need for movement of the muscles of the legs.

It is also noticed that restlessness of the legs manifests itself in people suffering from anemia, kidney failure, hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease. But it is impossible to call these diseases the cause of the syndrome, since it also occurs in those who do not suffer from the above diseases.

According to my observations, restlessness in the legs can cause even coffee or tea, drunk before bedtime, or after 3 pm. It can also be the cause of torsion of the legs and emotional conversation after 18 hours. In persons prone to increased nervous excitability, twists the legs more often. So take note and spend your evenings in a relaxed atmosphere.

How to calm your legs so that they do not twist

The simplest and most effective remedy for such problems is before going to bed, dissolve a tablet of Glycine. The drug very well relieves all the symptoms of anxiety in the legs, relaxes the psyche, acts gently and is recommended to everyone, even children. The tablet is sweetish in taste, it must be put under the tongue and held until completely absorbed. Others, you can just dissolve in your mouth, it will also work.

Valerian also relaxes the legs very well.. Suck a regular Valerian pill under your tongue and your sleep will be smooth and without any urge to move your legs nervously.

You can also take vegetable sedative drug Novo-Passit. It costs more, but it's good and works. In principle, these three remedies will be enough to surely remove all the symptoms of anxiety and twisting in the legs.

Create a calm environment after 18 hours. Drink soothing herbal infusions. Gives a good effect reception of sedative collection No. 2 and No. 3- Sold in all pharmacies. Brew a sachet and drink it like a tea before bed.

Of the stronger pharmaceutical preparations, Nakom, Madopar and Mirapeks soothe the legs very well. They are prescribed to patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. But that shouldn't bother you! If you take these drugs before going to bed, then you will not twist your legs.

Drugs that treat epileptic seizures also help. These are Gabapentin and Clonazepam. Of course, these drugs only relieve the symptoms, but the problem remains. So deal with your nervous stimuli.

If he twists his legs, rub them with ointment

Some people tell me that ointments help them with anxiety in their legs. In particular, the Asterisk type. To this I can say that there is simply a substitution of sensations. From within, everything moves outward. You feel skin irritation and problems from inside the legs are relieved. It will help someone, but someone will not want to sleep from this either. So I would not recommend ointments.

Foot massage

Here everyone should experiment on their own. It may help one and not the other. But this is probably very effective, since you accelerate the blood and lymph, which makes the muscles relax very well. Massage can help.

Warm baths before bed to keep your legs from spinning

This method helps everyone. Feet, well warmed up before going to bed, will not bother you. They will be relaxed and the nerve impulses in them will not cause a desire to change their posture. Too hot baths should not be done. Overheating is also undesirable.

First aid in the middle of the night if he twists his legs

What to do if you wake up in the middle of the night with the desire to twist your legs? Try lightly massaging your calves and thigh muscles.. This will relieve the nervous tension that accumulates and provokes a change in posture.

Also, always have Glycine in the first aid kit in case of such a case. I already wrote about it above, the drug perfectly eliminates twisting, the legs stop twitching themselves.

Walk before going to bed - and the legs will not twist

Don't eat big at night, and it is better not to eat after 18 hours. Also do not drink tea and coffee in the afternoon. Take a walk before bed. In the evening, no films or conversations that excite the psyche.

Before bedtime stretch your legs, toes towards you, heels away from you, to stimulate the outflow of lymph after a day of wakefulness.

Of course, it is important to understand why the whole body breaks before going to bed. It could be a sign of a cold or flu coming on. If you also feel weakness, you want to lie down, then most likely the aches in the body are of a viral-cold plan.

Video - why twists legs

Collection for calm feet

I can also recommend my personal collection for calm feet, and general relaxation before bed. The composition of the collection of herbs includes: valerian (Valeriána), oregano (Origanum ) , sweet clover (Melilótus), thyme (Thýmus), motherwort (Leonúrus). This collection can be ordered in a personal message.

Lying and standing legs twitch - reasons

In conclusion, I will answer one more question that was asked not so long ago. A person's legs twitch both in a standing position and in a prone position. The reasons for this phenomenon can most often be a lack of salt in the diet, it was about the muscles. So, nerve impulses cannot pass through the tissues with high quality if there is not enough salt in the body.

Alas, this problem is very common among those who decide to completely give up salt. This is unacceptable, as it leads to muscle twitching. If you experience similar phenomena, then add salt to your diet in the amount of 2-4 grams. This will benefit the transmission of nerve impulses and your condition will improve.

Leg twitches during sleep or in the process of intoxication, which cause a lot of discomfort, are familiar to about 10-15% of adults and most children. Few people attach special importance to this "little thing", even fewer who want to seek treatment from a doctor. However, restless leg syndrome can be caused by other conditions.

Symptoms usually appear before going to bed: goosebumps, tingling, electric discharge or burning sensation. Unpleasant sensations disappear, one has only to stand up and take a few steps. Falling asleep can be very difficult.

The twitching continues during sleep. Usually a person does not realize this, but each nerve impulse provokes a micro-awakening of the brain. The result is disappointing - repeated wake-ups negatively affect the quality of sleep and well-being during the day.

Possible causes of the syndrome

An accurate diagnosis can be made by polysomnography - the study of signals from sensors attached to the body of a sleeping patient. It is best to supplement this procedure with blood tests: general, iron, folic acid, glucose and vitamin B12.

Restless legs syndrome can be caused by:

• kidney failure,
• Anemia and diabetes
• spinal column injury,
• Iron deficiency (especially common in pregnant women),
• Taking medications (antidepressants, antiemetics, cardiac).

In 50% of cases, leg twitches are caused by a malfunction in dopamine metabolism - this condition has not yet been explained by doctors, but it does not pose a threat to health either.

Fight for healthy sleep

Drugs that regulate dopamine levels can only be taken with a doctor's prescription, but there are a few tricks that help improve the condition:

• Moderate exercise before bed - walking, stretching exercises;
• Physiotherapy - rubbing, foot baths (if there are no contraindications), magnetotherapy, vibration massage, mud applications;
• Refusal of alcohol and caffeine (afternoon).

A strict sleep-wake schedule and evening relaxation help to reduce the intensity of symptoms.

Where to treat the problem

If disturbing symptoms are detected, you should undergo an examination at a sleep clinic with a sleep doctor. Sometimes additional consultation of narrow specialists is necessary - a neuropathologist, endocrinologist, psychotherapist.

Treatment is carried out at home, outpatient or in a hospital. In the first two situations, the patient is recommended a therapeutic course. Control of the dynamics and correction of treatment is carried out at repeated consultations with a somnologist. In severe disorders, serious therapy in a hospital is required.

Cost of treatment

The cost of therapy depends on the identified pathologies. An initial consultation with a somnologist costs about 1,500 rubles. But if the somnologist is a professor, doctor of medical sciences, then the price of a consultation reaches 5,000 rubles.