So, most of you may undergo strange things in your sleep. Snoring, twitching, talking, walking...sound familiar?
Here's some more information:
Hypnic Jerk (aka Twitching in your sleep): A hypnic or hypnagogic jerk is an involuntary muscle twitch (more generally known as myoclonus or a myoclonic twitch) which often occurs during the transition from wakefulness to sleep (see hypnagogia). It is often described as an electric shock or falling sensation, and can cause movement of the body in bed. Hypnic jerks are completely normal, and are experienced by most people, especially when over-tired or sleeping uncomfortably.
For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnic_jerk
Snoring: Snoring is the act of breathing through the open mouth in such a way as to cause a vibration of the uvula and soft palate, thus giving rise to a sound which may vary from a soft noise to a loud unpleasant sound. This most commonly occurs during sleep.
The cause of snoring is some kind of blockage in the breathing passage. Those blockages can be of many kinds—here are just a few:
Tongue falling into the throat
Allergies
Throat weakness causing the throat to close during sleep
Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in muscles
Fat gathering in, and around, the throat
When the airflow in the breathing passage becomes irregular due to a blockage the soft palate may start flapping. This flapping of the soft palate is what makes the snoring sound.
Numerical statistics on snoring are often contradictory, but at least 30% of the adult population and perhaps as many as 50% of people in some demographics snore. [1] [2]
Snoring is usually an involuntary act, but may also be produced voluntarily.
According to Dr. William C Dement, of the Stanford Sleep Center, anyone who snores and has daytime drowsiness should be evaluated for sleep disorders.
For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snoring
Somniloquy (aka Sleep talking): Somniloquy or sleep-talking is a parasomnia that refers to talking aloud in one's sleep. It can be quite loud, ranging from simple sounds to long speeches, and can occur many times during sleep. Listeners may or may not be able to understand what the person is saying.
Sleep-talking usually occurs during transitory arousals from NREM sleep. It can also occur during REM sleep at which time it represents a motor breakthrough (see sleep paralysis) of dream speech (the words spoken in a dream are uttered out loud). Full consciousness is not achieved and the sleep talker is not aware of his/her vocal output.
Sleep-talking can occur by itself or as a feature of another sleep disorder such as:
REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) - loud, emotional or profane sleep talking
Sleepwalking
Night terrors - intense fear, screaming, shouting
Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED)
Sleep-talking is very common and is reported in 50% of young children, with most of them outgrowing it by puberty, although it may persist into adulthood (about 5% of adults are reported to talk in their sleep). It appears to run in families.
Sleep-talking by itself is harmless and the content should be taken lightly, however it can wake up others and cause them consternation—especially when misinterpreted as conscious speech by an observer. If the sleep-talking is dramatic, emotional or profane it may be a sign of another sleep disorder (see above). Sleep-talking can be monitored by a partner or by using an audio recording device; devices which remain idle until detecting a soundwave are ideal for this purpose.
One famous sleep talker is Dion McGregor, a man who became something of an underground celebrity when his roommate Michael Barr recorded his nightly soliloquies (which were often hilariously detailed), which were then released as a series of albums in the 60's.
For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somniloquy
Sleep walking: Sleepwalking (also called noctambulism or somnambulism), under the larger category of parasomnias, is a sleep disorder where the sufferer engages in activities that are normally associated with wakefulness while asleep or in a sleeplike state.
For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepwalking
Periodic leg movements: during sleep are kicking movements of the legs which occur every 20-90 seconds all during the night and may disturb the normal sleep of both the sleeper and the bed partner.
For more information: http://www.cancersupportivecare.com/sleep_disorders.html
As for me, I twitch in my sleep...or so I've been told.
