Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder Quiz
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Acting abnormal in my sleep
Head-shaking during sleep
Banging the head repeatedly into a pillow or mattress when asleep
Clenching my teeth
Sucking my finger in my sleep
Abnormal talk while sleeping
Gnashing my teeth at night
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder?
Sleep-related rhythmic movement disorder (RMD) involves rhythmic, repeated body movements while drowsy or asleep, which most commonly occurs in babies and children but can persist into adulthood. In addition to abnormal movements, the disorder can also manfest with loud humming or other sounds. The exact cause of RMD is unknown. Rare causes include head injury, stress, and brain infection.
Typical Symptoms of Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder
- Unusual behaviors or actions when sleeping
- Shaking head left and right when asleep
- Knocking head back and forth against the bed when sleeping
- Rocking back-and-forth on all fours when sleeping
- Teeth grinding while sleeping
- Suck my thumb when sleeping
- Legs shake or rock when falling asleep
- Stiff, rigid muscles causing difficulty bending joints
Diagnostic Questions for Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have unusual sleep behaviors?
- Do you shake your head while asleep?
- Do you knock your head against the bed or pillow while sleeping?
- Do you rock back and forth on all fours while sleeping?
- Do you grind your teeth at night?
Treatment of Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder
In most cases, the symptoms fade away as the child grows older. Medications such as sedatives may be prescribed to reduce symptoms.
Reviewed By:
Benjamin Kummer, MD (Neurology)
Dr Kummer is Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS), with joint appointment in Digital and Technology Partners (DTP) at the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) as Director of Clinical Informatics in Neurology. As a triple-board certified practicing stroke neurologist and informaticist, he has successfully improved clinical operations at the point of care by acting as a central liaison between clinical neurology faculty and DTP teams to implement targeted EHR configuration changes and workflows, as well as providing subject matter expertise on health information technology projects across MSHS. | Dr Kummer also has several years’ experience building and implementing several informatics tools, presenting scientific posters, and generating a body of peer-reviewed work in “clinical neuro-informatics” – i.e., the intersection of clinical neurology, digital health, and informatics – much of which is centered on digital/tele-health, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He has spearheaded the Clinical Neuro-Informatics Center in the Department of Neurology at ISMMS, a new research institute that seeks to establish the field of clinical neuro-informatics and disseminate knowledge to the neurological community on the effects and benefits of clinical informatics tools at the point of care.
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Gogo E, van Sluijs RM, Cheung T, Gaskell C, Jones L, Alwan NA, Hill CM. Objectively confirmed prevalence of sleep-related rhythmic movement disorder in pre-school children. Sleep Med. 2019 Jan;53:16-21. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2018.08.021. Epub 2018 Sep 25. PMID: 30384137.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S138994571830697X?via%3DihubHoban TF. Rhythmic movement disorder in children. CNS Spectr. 2003 Feb;8(2):135-8. doi: 10.1017/s1092852900018368. PMID: 12612499.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cns-spectrums/article/abs/rhythmic-movement-disorder-in-children/825069126984B01F63679F6AE2BD6D84#Lam N, Veeravigrom M. Sleep-related rhythmic movement disorder in children: a mini-review. Front Neurol. 2023 May 15;14:1165130. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1165130. PMID: 37255722; PMCID: PMC10225739.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1165130/fullDelRosso LM, Cano-Pumarega I, E SSA. Sleep-Related Rhythmic Movement Disorder. Sleep Med Clin. 2021 Jun;16(2):315-321. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2021.02.007. Epub 2021 Apr 15. PMID: 33985656.
https://www.sleep.theclinics.com/article/S1556-407X(21)00009-6/fulltext