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How do you know if you had a seizure in your sleep or not?

A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Akeley, MN

I haven’t been feeling right and I’m not sure how to tell. I don’t think I’m having big seizures while sleeping tho but I don’t know. For people who get them what are the signs and symptoms for you? And how can you tell? Will your partner ( if you have one or had one) let you know?

May 8
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MyEpilepsyTeam

It's really unsettling to wake up feeling off and not know why. The good news is there are some clues to look out for that might suggest a nocturnal seizure happened.

When waking up, watch for signs like:

- Unexplained bed-wetting
- Biting your tongue during the night
- Falling out of bed
- Morning tiredness or confusion
- Show Full Answer

It's really unsettling to wake up feeling off and not know why. The good news is there are some clues to look out for that might suggest a nocturnal seizure happened.

When waking up, watch for signs like:

- Unexplained bed-wetting
- Biting your tongue during the night
- Falling out of bed
- Morning tiredness or confusion
- Unexplained bruises
- Trouble concentrating
- Arm or leg stiffness
- Jerky movements
- Night sweats
- Sudden awakening

As one MyEpilepsyTeam member shared, they typically wake up after a nocturnal seizure drenched in sweat. A partner can absolutely be a huge help here. They may notice movements, sounds, or other unusual behaviors during the night that you'd never know about on your own. It's worth asking them to pay attention and note anything unusual.

If you're sleeping alone, a nighttime seizure monitor can detect excessive movement and alert you when seizure-like activity is happening. Since you're not feeling right, it's really important to bring this up with your neurologist or healthcare team. They can arrange a video EEG combined with a sleep study to monitor brain activity overnight and get a clearer picture of what's going on. Don't wait on this one — getting answers sooner means better peace of mind and a safer sleep.

May 8
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

For me, I never knew. I was always told by family or friend.

May 8
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

I only know of one seizure I had while I was sleeping and that was during a five-day VEEG. I only knew of the strong seizures I had that night but the nurse told me I had another in between.

May 8
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

Embarrassing to say but.. when I used to have seizures while sleeping I would urinate in my sleep or I would talk in my sleep.

May 8
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

@A MyEpilepsyTeam Member
I have never known when I have a day time seizure but @A MyEpilepsyTeam Member has nocturnal seizures and finds things out of place

May 8

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