A difference between REM and seizures? (curious)

[deejaay2]

Evening everyone! What's a difference between REM and seizures (in sleep) I know it may be an confusion question lol I apologize. But I just wanted to know cause' I am afraid that I might had one while I was asleep. Could still remember what happened. Still on my mind and making me nervous, ugh.

Can you tense up during REM sleep? Eyes blinking rapidly? :weep:

Hopefully someone would answer this. Don't want it to happened again and I never had a seizure, nor it don't run in my family.

Deanna J.

[AntsyVee]

Well, to begin with REM is a natural sleep cycle, and a seizure is an excess of electrical activity in the brain traveling from one hemisphere to the next that usually happens when one is awake. But I'm pretty sure that even epileptics who have seizures in sleep wake up.

Yes, you can tense during REM, and yes your eyes blink rapidly, and your hands, arms, feet or legs may twitch.

Haven't you ever seen a cat or dog sleep and all of a sudden they start twitching and their whiskers move? That's REM sleep.

I seriously doubt you had a seizure while sleeping.

[deejaay2]

Well, to begin with REM is a natural sleep cycle, and a seizure is an excess of electrical activity in the brain traveling from one hemisphere to the next that usually happens when one is awake. But I'm pretty sure that even epileptics who have seizures in sleep wake up.

Yes, you can tense during REM, and yes your eyes blink rapidly, and your hands, arms, feet or legs may twitch.

Haven't you ever seen a cat or dog sleep and all of a sudden they start twitching and their whiskers move? That's REM sleep.

I seriously doubt you had a seizure while sleeping.


When I had fell asleep, I feel my leg twitching (once) then I start tensing up and my eyes start to blink rapidly. I woke up cause it scared me and I thought it was a seizure..:wacko:

[AntsyVee]

Nope. Those are called hypnagogic jerks, and they're quite normal for people to experience as they go to sleep.

[deejaay2]

Nope. Those are called hypnagogic jerks, and they're quite normal for people to experience as they go to sleep.

Ohh. I finally get it lol. I had myself in a panic mode all day. I never in my life experience seizures. But that, whew, was scary. So how does a person feel after REM sleep?

[AntsyVee]

Rested. You have to have REM sleep to live.

---------- Post added at 21:18 ---------- Previous post was at 21:17 ----------

Hynagogic jerks don't happen during REM sleep. They happen as you're about to start sleeping. REM sleep happens in deeper sleep.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Nope. Those are called hypnagogic jerks, and they're quite normal for people to experience as they go to sleep.

And within the first two hours of sleep.

The waking stage is called Hypnopompia, although people often use Hypnagogia to cover them both.

All perfectly normal and not related to anxiety, although anxiety can increase their frequency. And the possible normal sleep phenomena are quite numerous including what may be perceived as symptoms of other mental health issues, but they aren't and anyone can experience them.

[deejaay2]

Rested. You have to have REM sleep to live.

---------- Post added at 21:18 ---------- Previous post was at 21:17 ----------

Hynagogic jerks don't happen during REM sleep. They happen as you're about to start sleeping. REM sleep happens in deeper sleep.


Okay lol I understand. So i didn't have a seizure? That was just REM sleep. Not to mention that I do be up until five. I have a messed up sleep schedule. Need to fix it. But thank you so much for answering <3