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Real members of MyEpilepsyTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

how can you tell if you have a seizure in your sleep?

A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Prairie Grove, AR
May 5
 · 
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A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

If you don't have anyone there to watch for signs. I would get a motion camera or some kind of recording device.

May 5
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

I know some people have a motion camera on them.

May 5
MyEpilepsyTeam

Nocturnal seizures can be tricky to detect, especially if you sleep alone. However, there are some telltale signs to look out for when you wake up. Here are some clues that you may have had a seizure during the night:

- Bed-wetting
- Tongue biting
- Falling out of bed
- Unexplained bruises
- Morning tiredness or confusion
- Show Full Answer

Nocturnal seizures can be tricky to detect, especially if you sleep alone. However, there are some telltale signs to look out for when you wake up. Here are some clues that you may have had a seizure during the night:

- Bed-wetting
- Tongue biting
- Falling out of bed
- Unexplained bruises
- Morning tiredness or confusion
- Trouble concentrating
- Sudden awakening
- Arm or leg stiffness
- Jerky movements
- Night sweats

As a MyEpilepsyTeam member shared, "Typically, a nocturnal seizure happens shortly after I fall asleep, but there have been times when it has been midnight. I usually wake up after the seizure from being drenched in sweat." If a neurologist suspects nocturnal seizures, they will usually perform a video EEG combined with a sleep study to monitor brain activity and detect any abnormalities. An MRI scan may also be needed.

There are also nighttime seizure monitors available that can detect excessive movement and alert you or a caregiver. Options include mattress sensors and camera devices that use infrared technology. Some practical safety tips to reduce injury risk during nocturnal seizures include:

- Using a low bed frame or placing the mattress on the floor
- Placing a mat beside the bed in case of a fall
- Mounting bedroom lamps on the wall rather than on a nightstand
- Moving furniture away from the bed

It's always a good idea to discuss any concerns about nighttime seizures with your healthcare team so they can help adjust your treatment plan if needed.

May 5
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

@A MyEpilepsyTeam Member , Most but not all of my seizures happen in my sleep. I don’t always know that I’ve had a seizure in my sleep or any other time, unless I notice something odd or someone witnesses it, like my Mom or stepdad who I still live at home with. I know one time my stepdad heard me making noises when I was sleeping & wondered if I was having a seizure & so he got my Mom & they checked on me & confirmed that I was having a seizure but obviously all they could do was sit & wait till I came out of it. One time I woke up & sat up in bed & was moving my hands on the bed beside me like I was looking for something & was confused & then I snapped out of it & so I can only guess it was a seizure. In 2020 I had a really different type of seizure for me, but to shorten the details I apparently had one in my sleep with a loss of bladder & no memory at all of walking to the bathroom & removing my feminine pad & going back to bed. In 2022 I was in a car accident with bad internal bruising like around my ribs & my nose was a little fractured & a scratch on my head & a my eye was bruised & 2 weeks later I probably had a seizure in my sleep because for the first time ever, I had a seizure where I woke up on the floor beside my bed & I was sliding my finger across the side of the bed. Because I have TMJ where I grind my teeth at night, I have to wear a mouth guard when I sleep, but a few years ago when I didn’t have any insurance my mouth guard broke & the over the counter ones were to loose & so I went a little while without a mouth guard & during that time I had a seizure where one night I bit my bottom lip so bad it was swollen, numb & sore & so I even went to my Family doctor about it but all she could recommend was to put ice on it & then a night or so later I had another seizure in my sleep & for the first time ever I bit my tongue & that hurt as well. After those 2 seizures & not having a mouth guard available at the time, made me appreciate my mouth guard even more being it proved that it at least protects my mouth in some way when I have a seizure in my sleep. My dentist makes my mouth guard cause they can make it where it will fit my mouth perfectly. Overtime my mouth guards do age & I have to get a new one. I don’t know if your insurance would cover it but because of my TMJ & my seizures it’s worth the money. Even with the mouth guard, I still bite my mouth a little, but my mouth guard gives me more protection. One time I took a nap & woke up with a different pair of PJ pants on with no memory of changing pants. I’m sometimes really tired & weak after my seizures. But those are some of my experiences. Your friend in Texas, Becky

May 5 (edited)

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