prolonged sleep jerks

I am a 57 year old female.  I want to know if it's normal to twitch during the onset of sleep for a full half hour, and not even be aware of it?  My husband says I twitch/jerk nearly every night, and some nights, he has to get out of bed because I disturb his sleep!  The twitches seem to be full-body.  I'm sometimes aware that I'm twitching as I get sleepy, and it only lasts a few minutes, my husband says.  However, just as often I'm completely unaware, and according to my husband, it can last up to 30 minutes.  Should I be concerned?  I'd appreciate any information.  Thank you, Lynn

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Twitches in the majority of cases are benign meaning they have no consequence and do not cause serious damage or are resulting from serious damage. The twitches can occur focally (one location) or generalized (many locations). Twitches can be related to anxiety/stress, caffeine, and often occur post exercise or muscular over-use. Another type of twitching, which is normal, is called a hypnic jerk, which may be what you are describing. It occurs as we are falling asleep. Again it is exacerbated by stress or caffeine. For these symptoms, the best treatment is to reduce the caffeine intake and/or reduce the stress. If the twitches are bothersome or disabling, medical treatment may be necessary. This will need to be at the discretion of your physician.

The other possibility is restless legs syndrome. Usually patients with this complain of aching sensations in the calves with or without creeping/crawling feelings. These symptoms may be relieved with moving the legs. The treatment of this condition is typically behavioral (e.g., improving sleep hygiene, moderate exercise before bed, etc) and/or correcting underlying anemia. If these measures fail, medications may be appropriate.

I would suggest you follow up with your primary care physician to discuss your symptoms, gather a more thorough history, examination, and if indicated, additional lab work that may include blood counts.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.