For scientists, sleep remains one of the most mysterious aspects of our daily lives. Not only can your quality of sleep determine how active or productive you feel the next day, but turns out that what you do while sleeping can also indicate some crucial facts about your health.
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As reported by Jacksonville Sleep Centre, whilefist clenching is very common in babies, it is also a normal occurrence in adults. There are studies which suggest that it could even be good for you, as it can be the brain’s way of processing what happened during the day.
But you should definitely speak to a doctor, if you find that your sleep or health is being affected by fist clenching during your sleep. Here are the reasons why you might be doing so.
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Anxiety or stress
One of the reasons why you might be clenching your fist could be because you are going through a period of increased anxiety or stress.
As per the report, there are some recent studied which have found links between fist clenching and grinding teeth during sleep: both seem to activate the sensorimotor cortex of the brain and are associated with increased emotions, anxiety and stress.
Physical conditions
Lifestyle changes such as increased physical exertions could also lead to fist clenching during sleep. Even factors such as exercise, change in diet and hydration or even experiencing ailments such as lower back pain, could potentially lead to your body reacting by clenching fist during sleep.
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Underlying medical conditions or medications
Clenching fists while sleeping can be an indicator of underlying medical conditions in some cases. Conditions such as epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis, and schizophrenia have all been linked with causing clenched fists. However, one caveat is that if you are suffering from any of these conditions, you will find yourself clenching your fist both at daytime and during sleep.
Certain medications could also be responsible for the body’s reactions during sleep. For example, cholesterol medications could cause muscle pain and cramping, known as statin-induced muscle pain. Again, antidepressant medications have also been found to cause joint pain and muscle aches.
So do pay attention to any changes in your medications which could cause you to clench your fist during sleep.
Sources used:
Jacksonville Sleep Centre: ‘Why Do I Clench My Fist While Sleeping?’
