Sleep is a fundamental process for human beings and other animals, as it allows the body to rest and repair itself. We spend a large part of our lives sleeping, and not doing so properly can have a noticeable effect on our abilities.

But sometimes, even though our mental activity and brain waves are mainly in the process of sleep, our body is not so much as it has not finished deactivating itself and making movements even if it is not conscious.

This is what happens in sleepwalking or in jactatio capitis nocturna , the latter being the sleep disturbance we will talk about throughout this article.

The nocturnal jactatio capitis: description of this parasomnia

A sleep disorder characterized by the appearance of rhythmic and involuntary swaying, tapping and movements of the head and sometimes the whole body is called nocturnal jactatio capitis. Sometimes grunts or unrelated sounds also appear.

Symptoms

As a parasomnia, it implies the existence of abnormal behaviour during sleep, which is carried out without the affected person being aware of it and without it causing them to wake up .

In the case of nocturnal jactatio capitis the movements made are usually gentle, although sometimes they can be sudden and violent and result in blows and injuries, without the sufferer ever waking up. These episodes usually last around a quarter of an hour , and the average is around 60 or 70 movements per minute.

This alteration appears during childhood and usually occurs between six months and four years of age, although it is more common between nine months and two years. Although it is not common, this parasomnia can occur or persist in adolescence or sometimes into adulthood. It can appear in both boys and girls .

Causes

The causes of these movements are not entirely clear, but it has been suggested that they have the function of relieving anxiety , imitating the rocking movement to relax and facilitate sleep or simply as a source of gratification.

Some theories propose that in some cases it may appear in the presence of a vital stage in which the child feels tense and frustrated. Also may arise due to a deprivation of affective stimulation, or as a learned and conditioned behaviour in which the child acquires rocking as a method of calming down (by linking it to the rocking of the cradle or the parents).

My son has it: should I be worried?

The existence of this type of parasomnia usually generates deep concern in the parents, often in the face of the fear that the child may have some neurological problem or be suffering from some type of epileptic seizure .

Although some of the movements made during sleep may resemble epilepsy in those cases where the movements are violent, the truth is that nocturnal jactatio capitis does not imply a neurological alteration and in fact no alterations are observed at the level of brain waves or functioning. However, it is not superfluous to carry out an assessment in this respect as the presence of these could favour this type of problem

Nocturnal jactatio capitis is generally a harmless sleep disorder that does not in itself generate damage to the sufferer, although it is advisable to take the precaution of placing a barrier on the bed to prevent falls or to watch out for corners or elements with which the child can hit and injure himself.

The prognosis is positive and it is usually a type of parasomnia that disappears after a few months , although it can last for years and even last well into adulthood (although the latter is rare).

Treatment of this disorder

While nocturnal jactatio capitis usually disappears on its own over time and does not pose a health risk, different treatment options can sometimes be used, especially when the movements are particularly virulent and generate bumps on walls and objects or are very frequent.

It should be considered first to analyze if there is some type of environmental element that may be generating stress to the child or to assess whether he or she receives enough or too much stimulation to frustrate him or her or to cause the need to calm down.

As far as the problem itself is concerned, on a psychological level , a method similar to that of the pipi-stop of cases of nocturnal enuresis and based on conditioning can be applied : an alarm or a lighting device is placed that is activated when the child starts to make movements. This, although slightly aversive, will wake the child up and interrupt the movement and eventually the child will stop linking the movement to calming. Sometimes it may also be considered appropriate to use drugs, always under a doctor’s prescription, such as benzodiazepines or tricyclic antidepressants.

Bibliographic references:

  • Walsh, J.K., Kramer, M. & Skinner, J.E. (1981). A case report of jactatio capitis nocturna. American Journal of Psychiatry, 138 (4).