Sleep Spasms: How To Avoid Them

When they occur, sleep spasms can awaken both those who experience them and their partners. These reactions are often preceded by intense sleep or dreams. Usually, you will feel like you are slipping on stairs or falling from somewhere above. Has this ever happened to you?

Sleep spasms are involuntary tremors that occur mainly between wakefulness and sleep. They are also known as myoclonic spasms or equine tremors and consist of strong and short muscle movements.

Although sleep spasms can be worrying or uncomfortable, they are not serious problems. In fact, it is a situation that many people live in. We do not yet know why they occur, but we do know that certain factors contribute to these episodes. We will explain everything below.

Why do sleep spasms occur?

Experts believe that sleep spasms have to do with preparing the body for rest. At this point, the body tends to slow down all its functions, such as breathing and heartbeat. In addition, motor function stops, the body making sure that it does not react and remains safe.

Other theories claim that these spasms are something we inherited from our ancestors. Take a look at this study by the University of Colorado, led by Coolidge.

The study said that spasms could be an archaic reflection of the misinterpretation that the brain makes during muscle relaxation at the beginning of sleep. It’s like a signal to alert our ancestors that they were about to fall from the tree when they fell asleep.

This suggests that sleep spasms are vestiges of a defense mechanism. On the other hand, there are triggers, such as noise or light, that can stimulate these sudden movements, according to an article in the MSD Handbook.

What factors can contribute to sleep spasms?

As we all know, the pace of life these days affects many aspects of health. Moreover, sleep is greatly affected by the fast pace, according to an article published by the Sleep Institute in Madrid.

According to these experts, having an accelerated pace of life and sleeping a few hours a day can lead to various diseases. These include cardiovascular, hormonal and immunological diseases.

Similarly, these factors can cause us to experience involuntary spasms, as many diseases predispose us to them, according to an article published by Mayo Clinic. Although there is no scientific evidence in each case, other factors that appear to influence spasms are:

How to reduce spasms while sleeping?

Because night spasms can be the result of anxiety or stress, the first step is to try to relax. To do this, it is essential to change your mindset and change certain habits.

The routine can often seem suffocating, but we need to focus on staying calm. Trying to see things in a less dramatic way can help us reduce our constant anxiety.

Similarly, it is essential to lead a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet and moderate exercise regularly are essential when it comes to getting quality sleep.

Although its findings are not definitive, a recent study published in Advances in Nutrition describes the relationship between a healthy diet and the duration and quality of night rest.

In addition, physical activity has beneficial effects on the mind. According to research published by the Clinical Psychology Review, exercise helps lower stress and anxiety.

In this sense, sports such as yoga or Pilates, which promote relaxation and breathing management, are highly recommended alternatives.

At the same time, in terms of nutrition, it is important to reduce your caffeine intake; As mentioned earlier, this is one of the factors that can trigger spasms when you sleep. It is also advisable to quit smoking and any other toxic habits.

Finally, as Hauri (1991) suggests, it is necessary to establish a correct sleep schedule. Try to organize your day to rest for at least eight hours. Try not to take problems with you to bed at bedtime. Thoughts that disturb your mind will also affect the way you sleep.

Improve your health through sleep

Sleep spasms are not a health problem. However, if it affects your sleep quality too much, then you should try to improve your lifestyle.

As we have seen, lifestyle is a determining factor when it comes to sleep. Beyond that, if you think your spasms are due to a complication that exceeds these factors, do not hesitate to consult your doctor to dispel any doubts and prevent more serious problems.