Prognosis for Nocturnal Seizures

A nocturnal seizure is a form of epileptic seizure that occurs at night while a patient is sleeping. These seizures should be evaluated by a doctor and may be successfully managed with treatment.

Symptoms

• According to the University of Michigan Sleep Disorders Center, nocturnal seizure sufferers may awaken several times during the night and experience abnormal behavior or movements during sleep including violent leg and arm movements, tongue biting and urine loss. Some patients with nocturnal seizures also experience epileptic seizures during the day, while others only have seizures at night.

Medical Help

• Patients who develop nocturnal seizures should see a doctor or neurologist who specializes in sleep disorders.

Sleep Study

• Individual nocturnal seizure patients may undergo a sleep study in which the patient sleeps overnight at a sleep specialist’s office. The specialist uses video monitoring to learn about the specific behaviors that the patient exhibits while sleeping.

Medication Prognosis

• Many patients can control their nocturnal seizures with medications such as anticonvulsant drugs, according to the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

Sleep Improvement Prognosis

• Nocturnal seizures are more likely to occur during light non-REM phases of sleep, or phases without rapid eye movements, as reported by the University of Maryland Medical Center. Sleep specialists may help patients improve sleep quality with sleep hygiene improvements and other methods that may reduce the likelihood of nocturnal seizures.