Understanding Sleep Kicking: Causes & Conditions

Sleep Myoclonus

- Muscle jerks that occur during sleep are called nocturnal myoclonus.

- When these types of muscle jerks are associated with sleepwalking (parasomnia) or REM behavior disorder, they are called a parasomnia periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD).

Causes of PLMD

- Iron deficiency

- Kidney failure

- Excessive caffeine intake

- Parkinson’s disease

- Multiple sclerosis

- Diabetes

- Certain medicines

- Restless legs syndrome (RLS)