My seizures are defined as nocturnal, however if I happen to need a nap during the day - eg. because of a bad night with seizures - I will often have several myoclonics that wake me. Technically this is not at night but is during sleep. So are these still considered "nocturnal"? Does anyone else with exclusively night-time seizures have any seizures when napping during the day? I also find it interesting that I never have the tonic seizures when napping; only the myoclonic.
Definition of nocturnal seizures?
- Thread starter masterjen
- Start date
Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy Forums
Welcome to the Coping With Epilepsy forums - a peer support community for folks dealing (directly or indirectly) with seizure disorders. You can visit the forum page to see the list of forum nodes (categories/rooms) for topics.
Please have a look around and if you like what you see, please consider registering an account and joining the discussions. When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no ads, access to members only (ie. private) forum nodes and more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!
- Messages
- 17,355
- Reaction score
- 756
- Points
- 263
I think if they occur while you are asleep -- even during the daytime -- then they are considered "nocturnal" seizures. The majority of nocturnal seizures occur in light sleep (within one or two hours of going to sleep, or one or two hours before waking) so that would make "naptime" vulnerable to seizures as well. It's particularly insidious that sleep deprivation can be both the cause and the result of nocturnal seizures.
Do you know what are of the brain your seizures originate in? A few studies have shown a loose correlation between the area of the brain where the seizures originate, and the time of day they occur:
-- Occipital seizure occurrence peak between 4:00PM and 7:00PM
-- Parietal seizures peak between 4:00AM and 7:00AM
-- Frontal lobe seizures peak between 4:00AM and 7:00AM
-- Mesial temporal lobe seizures have a primary peak in the late afternoon between 4:00PM and 7:00PM and secondary peak in the morning between 7:00AM and 10:00AM.
Do you know what are of the brain your seizures originate in? A few studies have shown a loose correlation between the area of the brain where the seizures originate, and the time of day they occur:
-- Occipital seizure occurrence peak between 4:00PM and 7:00PM
-- Parietal seizures peak between 4:00AM and 7:00AM
-- Frontal lobe seizures peak between 4:00AM and 7:00AM
-- Mesial temporal lobe seizures have a primary peak in the late afternoon between 4:00PM and 7:00PM and secondary peak in the morning between 7:00AM and 10:00AM.
Thanks for the information, and I did not know about the timing of seizures correlating with where they originate in the brain. My seizures are from the frontal lobe area and do occur between 4 and 7 AM (except on those rare nap occasions, of course). This is shocking and interesting at the same time!
Hi masterjen, I have nocturnal epilepsy too, and I didn't think of the daytime napping thing either until February. I'd flown a few days earlier and my sleep was really messed up because of jetlag, and I was having a nap in the afternoon and woke up with a slightly "chewed tongue" and your other tell tale signs.
Do you have day naps regularly? Like at the same time etc?
Do you have day naps regularly? Like at the same time etc?
Nakamova: Makes sense - one's body is wearing thin on the nutrition side of things by that time of the early morning, merging into a lighter stage of sleep, onset of daylight . . . very interesting!
seetseet: I do not regularly have naps. It is rare that I do, even after a night with seizures. I have to be feeling quite exhausted before I will resort to a nap. But typically when I do nap I am left wondering why I bothered because of the myoclonics. At these times I just try to convince myself that I am at least getting some degree of rest because I am lying down and not doing anything!
Interesting, but I haven't noticed that mine have adhered to any particular time of day. Had them morning, mid day, evening, and at night. Thought haven't noticed nocturnal issues before. (knock on wood)
I know I should take a nap more often than I do, and these times would often relate to what I would suspect to be medication-induced sleepiness not just a night with seizures, but I don't. I know I would end up being far more productive the rest of the day if I rested for even just 30 minutes or an hour, but because of ridiculous stubbornness (and maybe a bit of ego) I don't let myself lie down.
I can't do daytime naps, hehe I am bad because if I have one today at 2pm I'll be "tired" tomorrow at 2pm, I don't think naps are a bad thing, I just feel bad that I as seet could have gotten this, this, and, this, done..
Masterjen: What is a myoclonic seizure like?
Dignan: I reckon nocturnal seizures are better, safe in bed
Fedup + masterjen : were you both advised to sleep more?
Masterjen: What is a myoclonic seizure like?
Dignan: I reckon nocturnal seizures are better, safe in bed
Fedup + masterjen : were you both advised to sleep more?
A myoclonic seizure is jerks of your body (not the hypnic jerks you get when falling asleep) of your body, usually of your arms or shoulders. I also get them in my torso sometimes. They do not affect consciousness and are not associated with fatigue unless they occur repeatedly at night, because they can cause a disturbed night of sleep.
As far as getting more sleep, I was advised to do whatever makes me feel better but I don't always listen to myself :/
As far as getting more sleep, I was advised to do whatever makes me feel better but I don't always listen to myself :/
- Messages
- 5,979
- Reaction score
- 989
- Points
- 268
Over the last year I think I have started having seizures in my sleep. I'm not exactly sure if I have them at night because my husband and I sleep in separate bedrooms but I have woke myself up because I feel like I had been shaking. I also feel like I might have had a very bad nightmare because my head is spinning and I don't know where I am, I really don't know how to describe it. I'll fall right back asleep after this. I normally only have complex partials and I will shake at times during them.
I usually take a nap in the afternoon and my husband has told me that I've had seizures. He's not positive if I was awake during the seizure or not because he will just see that I'm shaking some and know that I'm having a seizure. I think I usually fall right back asleep after the seizure during my nap because I'll wake up an hour or so later and my husband will tell me I've had a seizure.
One major thing that will bring on seizures for me is if I'm very tired. I always take a nap in the afternoon, not just if I'm tired, so I really don't think that has anything to do with me having them in my sleep.
I usually take a nap in the afternoon and my husband has told me that I've had seizures. He's not positive if I was awake during the seizure or not because he will just see that I'm shaking some and know that I'm having a seizure. I think I usually fall right back asleep after the seizure during my nap because I'll wake up an hour or so later and my husband will tell me I've had a seizure.
One major thing that will bring on seizures for me is if I'm very tired. I always take a nap in the afternoon, not just if I'm tired, so I really don't think that has anything to do with me having them in my sleep.
I fall asleep very quickly after a night-time seizure as well, and in fact have fallen back asleep during them sometimes - I don't quite understand how that can happen but it does. Fatigue is a seizure-trigger for me, too, whether physical fatigue, mental fatigue or both combined. It is very difficult to maintain a healthy balance between living the life I want and minimizing seizures.
Probably also getting low on hydration and/or sleep being disturbed due to needing to get up and use the bathroom about that time of the a.m.
I have had an occasional TC during a nap over the years (maybe twice) but it was always when I was couch snoozing due to being sick. Otherwise strictly nocturnal for 31 years.
RanMan
Too Much Experience with Epilepsy
- Messages
- 408
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 91
Nocturnal Seizures
Nocturnal seizures?
This could be due to lack of oxygen to the brain while you sleep from snoring or certain sleep aids such as certain anti-epileptic drugs, sleeping pills, or some sort of other restriction to the airway. This also causes night time seizures.
In my case, I have been dx'd with Chronic Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
After my sleep disorders test the Dr. showed me the EEG from that one night, I would stop breathing up to 50 times/hour and had 3 seizures and that I was waking up "post ictal" (moody and spaced out) tired,lethargic, (feel like crap)
I have purchased a CPAP machine (Constant Positive Air Pressure)as recommended by my Doctor, which provides constant air pressure and have noticed a vast improvement.
No more snoring (the whole family sleeps better now), more energy when I wake up, better REM sleep, improved memory (less short term memory loss), and most of all ~ NO MORE NIGHT SEIZURES. (or snoring)
Randy
Nocturnal seizures?
This could be due to lack of oxygen to the brain while you sleep from snoring or certain sleep aids such as certain anti-epileptic drugs, sleeping pills, or some sort of other restriction to the airway. This also causes night time seizures.
In my case, I have been dx'd with Chronic Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
After my sleep disorders test the Dr. showed me the EEG from that one night, I would stop breathing up to 50 times/hour and had 3 seizures and that I was waking up "post ictal" (moody and spaced out) tired,lethargic, (feel like crap)
I have purchased a CPAP machine (Constant Positive Air Pressure)as recommended by my Doctor, which provides constant air pressure and have noticed a vast improvement.
No more snoring (the whole family sleeps better now), more energy when I wake up, better REM sleep, improved memory (less short term memory loss), and most of all ~ NO MORE NIGHT SEIZURES. (or snoring)
Randy
I have finally gotten my HMO to approve a VEEG so I can find out if sleep apnea might be an issue in my nocturnal seizures or not.
Another thing to think about for those who do have sleep apnea, I have met a neurofeedback practitioner who tells me that NFB is highly effective on sleep apnea. NFB sounds a lot easier than a Cpap machine strapped to your face at night.
Another thing to think about for those who do have sleep apnea, I have met a neurofeedback practitioner who tells me that NFB is highly effective on sleep apnea. NFB sounds a lot easier than a Cpap machine strapped to your face at night.
- Messages
- 214
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 66
I do not strictly have nocturnal seizures. My seizures (while sleeping) do occur just before waking up always. I have complex/mixed sleep apnea, but my resuce inhaler (Albuterol) has cut way back on OSA seizures--only three episodes the last three plus months, one of which was because I forgot to take the inhaler before going to sleep. I have diabetic type seizures due to a liver malfunction (no gluconeogenesis, or manufacture of ATP from adipose tissue) so many of my nocturnal seizures signal me that it is time to eat. I had one CSA (central sleep apnea) seizure which was vastly different from the OSA seizures--no snoring or gasping for air upon waking which occur with OSA--considerably different physiological sensations.
I find it confusing for daytime seizures during sleep to be considered nocturnal, because it potentially dilutes the meaning of nocturnal.
I find it confusing for daytime seizures during sleep to be considered nocturnal, because it potentially dilutes the meaning of nocturnal.
I know this is an old thread and slightly off topic, but this bit is interesting and fits my experience. Mine are temporal lobe and I noticed a few months in that my partials happen mainly in late afternoon and evening. On the one day (so far, knock on wood) that I had generalized, the first happened at 4pm and the second at 7pm, perfectly bookmarking the timeframe you listed here. Fascinating.
(Sorry for the tangent!)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk