Causes of muscle twitching during sleep
Disease description:
Last night, I suddenly woke up from sleep with a twitch, and I don't know what caused it. I'd like to ask, what are the possible reasons for muscle jerks during sleep?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Wang Mingxuan
The cause of muscle twitching during sleep is physiological myoclonus. When falling asleep, the brain's inhibitory control over the spinal cord decreases, which typically leads to twitching symptoms either just before or shortly after falling asleep. Additionally, twitching may result from ischemia, hypoxia, or low blood sugar. Electrolyte imbalances—such as deficiencies in potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, or magnesium—can also lead to twitching.
