headbouncing

[winniebear]

I have bounced my head to fall a sleep ever since i was 9 months old.My family asked the doc what it was from,but all they came up with is, that it could be that it was my way of getting rid of headachs as a baby. and that i would grow out of it.As i got older I too thought about how this would effect my life as  an adult.I tired every thing to stop.my family tired to pay me to stop ,ground me ,yell and nothing worked.I did however get to where i would bounce or kick my foot in place of bouncing my head.I am Now 28 and i still have to kick my feet to sleep.No doctor has been able to tell me why.As far as effecting my relationship,its funny it has gotten to where if i dont kick my feet my husband will end up kicking his to go to sleep.He just got  so used to the rocking of it and when my knees hurt and i cant kick he will and i just wiggle my feet. Is there an answer for this.. i have looked all my life,can any one help?

[jak24]

My 3 year old son does this every night, even at naptime, with his head or foot, sometimes both. He even does it sitting or even standing on the couch. Ive seen him do it on a concrete floor (it had a carpet but with no cushion.) He is actually doing it next to me on the couch right now...he also makes noise when he does it, like how an infant "sings" themselves to sleep. I was actually getting worried that something might be wrong with him as it has been getting worse. First it seemed he was doing it to sort of rock himself to sleep but now he does it for most of the night, with the moaning keeping half the house up. I was hoping it was something he would just grow out of but looks like ill be checkin with the doc....

[Hholcombe]

I do the same for over 47  years.  I do it when I don't feel as well either.  I don't use my forehead anymore but use my chin with the pillow shoved under the chin. I do the foot movement and bang at times.  I do this to fall asleep which could be a few hours in the middle of the night. I don't think I do this when asleep only when I go to sleep and to tired to fall asleep as well if I wake up in the middle of the night.  I sleep in the couch at times not to bother my husband but he said it doesn't bother him. I just feel more comfortable being alone doing it.

[Hholcombe]

Hi,  I am 49 and a twin. I have been bouncing my head as I call it to help me go to sleep. I have been doing this my whole life as well as my twin.  We didn't know other people had this issue until now. Our friends thought we were strange and it was embarrassing growing up.  I did stop for awhile but did not last long.  I have the habit to bang my head when I am sick as well, it helps me concentrate on the banging and put pressure on my stomach. It is very comforting. I also rock my head back and fourth and bang my feet/legs.  I recently have to bang my head through out the night when I wake up it helps me go back to sleep, this does last at least 2-4 hours.  I take trazadon to help my mind shut off so I don't need to bang but that does not always help with the head banging.  I am not sure if this is a disability or not. I am applying for disability for my MS and have several other issues.  Learning disability since I was a toddler and a social issue of being shy, I was not sure if this was an issues of the head banging as well.  I am not stupid or other mental issues, I have commonsense, just a learning disability with school. I was not sure if this was all related or not. I always felt that there was some thing wrong with me. Having the learning issue, insecure problems and shyness my whole life if this was all related to the head banging or not.   Is there any one out there that can relate as well.  

[Najaaa]

Hi im 14 and this has been going on for more than 10years now. I am really suprised, like we have the EXACT same problem. I lay in my belly fat and bang/bounce my head in the pillow and when i just feel like it i start bouncing my foot and i only do this to fall asleep. Its a habit and i cant stop i really wish i could because now I've got like a dark patch of skin on my forehead where i bang my head and when people ask me what happen there i just say birth mark because it is really embarrassing for me especially in high school. I'd just really like if I'd stopped but i tell my self i can but i cant

[chrissy1995]

I have the same problem, its called RMD (Rhythmic Movement Disorder)

[dancediva]

I have read  people say their story is like yours, but mine is EXACTLY the same. I bounce my head, laying on my tummy to fall asleep. If I am laying with my hubby I bounce my foot....That is so crazy to hear a similar sitiation! How can we stop?....He says I look like a mental patient when I bounce my head!! It could be lol...

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Firstly, the rocking or bouncing movement provides a rhythmic stimulation to the brains sleep wake system (reticular activating system ). This sends signals to the sleep centers in the brain and we fall asleep. That's the reason we pat small kids and they fall asleep.

It is not a way of fighting any headache.

Have you considered restless legs syndrome ?

Regards