A sleep expert has issued precious advice for those whose sleep is disturbed by some muscle twitching.

Moving your legs while you’re asleep or feeling like you’re about to

fall isn’t just something our puppies do. Humans experience the same

body twitching — in fact, it’s a pretty common occurrence affecting 70

percent of the population in the US, as explained by Cleveland Clinic.

What is sleep myoclonus?

But what is body twitching exactly? The scientific name for this phenomenon

is sleep myoclonus (also known as hypnic myoclonus), and happens when you shift

from one sleep phase into another. During these sleep transitions, the body

muscles can have spasms called hypnagogic jerks (or hypnic jerks), and are more

likely to happen when you’re falling asleep, or during the light

stage of sleep that follows this first moment in the sleep cycle.

The scientific name for this pretty common phenomenon is hypnic myoclonus. (Getty Stock Images)

Why does it happen?

According to sleep disorders specialist Reena Mehra, MD, MS,

there are several possible explanations as to why sleep myoclonus is pretty common.

The most plausible theory is that the body misinterprets the light sleep phase

as wakefulness while also recognising that the muscles aren’t moving. The brain

then sends a message to the muscles to check in they’re still

working so to keep then active as a way to protect the body.

The neurotransmitters released carry the message from your nerve cells,

attaching to your muscle protein cells. This attachment signals the cells to act in a certain way, causing your muscles to move.

What can you do to reduce sleep myoclonus?

There are a few tips to follow if you want to improve your sleep hygiene and reduce your proneness to hypnic myoclonus.

Manage your stress

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as stress is responsible for making most conditions worse.

The goal should be to reduce your stress level before heading to bed,

including cutting down on screen time, implementing a sleep routine or

practicing meditation, and planning for the next day earlier in the day rather than when you’re in bed.

No ‘brain rot’ before you sleep. (Getty Stock Images)

Reduce your drug and alcohol consumption

Stimulants can increase the chance of having your body twitch when you’re in bed.

This happens because drugs and alcohol can prevent you from getting nourishing

sleep and enter the deeper phases of the sleep cycle, thus resulting in hypnic jerks or feelings of movement while in light sleep.

Cut down your caffeine intake

Again, no surprises here. Caffeine is known to have a stimulant effect than can hinder your sleep.

Too many cups of coffee won’t just keep you awake at night, they can also induce myoclonus if you do manage to fall asleep.

Sleep more
This may seem counterintuitive, but it makes perfect sense if you think about

the fact you need to complete a sleep cycle to fell fully rested. If you don’t

get your hours in, the lack of sleep can increase the likelihood of twitching.