# Rhythmic movement disorder



## Syncsolo (Oct 26, 2010)

If you don't know what it is then google it, it's basically repetitive head-banging or side to side movements. Anyway in my case I used to roll my head and body side-to-side as a child. At bedtime I'd be lying on my back and rocking my self to sleep for hours. 

It became a habit I didn't grow out of and I used to do it every night until I fell asleep and used to do it in my sleep to at times. This continued into my early teenage years and I also turned up my music loud everyday and rocked side to side to the beats while lying down for a few hours. I didn't really stop until my 20s, thank god I have now though.

It's soothing to anxiety and stress, so I was just wondering if anyone else had this as a young child and later into teenage years and even adulthood?


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## davej001 (Mar 24, 2011)

*hey fellow rocker*

its so nice to read this as i have suffered from the same thing my whole life. what is so similar is the music thing. im 25 and i still rock to music for atleast a couple of hours a day. when i have girlfriends i seem to be able to not wanna do it when im with them which proves it is just a habit. problem is i'm so touchy feely and uneasy in bed as i'm used to rocking.

i'm in a fairly successful band and i write all my music while rocking... a positive i guess, i think the biggest problem is the fact that when i rock i over think things... u get that?

another positive is i have a 6 pack like i go to the gym everyday.. people always ask how i stay in such great shape.

overall tho i worry about the health risks... parkinsons etc.. what we are doing surley cannot be good. i also think there is so much more to it than people realise.. i have read somewhere that it could be an addictive form of meditation... this sounds interesting.. i def think it needs more research as i think there is a chemical that is released in your brain when you do it that could be addictive.. another thing i've read.


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## alvarezplayer (Sep 8, 2011)

*fellow rocker..good way of putting it*

It's so amazing to me to hear about other people with this problem.I just recently found out what RMD is.for so long I thought i was the only one with this strange embarrassing disorder so i feel your pain.one person person even thought i was possessed by demons,good times right .I've also got anxiety really bad and restless leg syndrom and i swear the three are connected wish they would do more research on it.it's really interesting to hear you are in a band cuz i'm also a musician and i totally get the over thinking thing.
not only that but i used to be a workoutaholic,but i started using booze to get rid of RMD and anxiety......bad idea cuz it made it worse in the long run and I got outa shape.I'de love to hear where you found info bout the meditation thing cuz ha get this ...i meditate all the time.that would make since cuz it's like a stronge urge to move and comforting like a drug.
it's awesome and kinda sad to see there are people like me.I'm sorry anyone has to go through this ish..and wow sleeping next to a girl for the first time praying to God you dont slam your head into her....ya cuz thats fun. 
I wonder if this thing wrong with my brain makes you naturally adept to music,I play bongos like a wild man and I'm best at rhythm guitar.Ha rhythm..It's killing me and saving me at the same time,don't know what I'de do without my music.


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## Kaylawilson (Mar 13, 2013)

*im a head banger*

Im 13 almost 14. I had a sleep study done when i was almost 4. They said i would grow out of it before i turned 5 or 6.. but i didn't. I'm mostly likely stuck with this for the rest of my life. Every night before i go to sleep, i lay on my stomach and bang my head over and over again on my forearm or a pillow. I usually i have a pillow under me to support my stomach so i don't have a back ache. Its hard for me to stay at a friends house. Its hard for me to sleep anywhere else other then my own bed. I get to nervous that someone my make fun of me or something. I just glad to know that im not the only one that has to deal with this.


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## P0PPY (Feb 20, 2014)

*Not alone!*

I can not believe it! I honestly felt like I was the only one. I'm seventeen at the moment, and have never been able to shake the habit. I used to bang my head on a pillow or mattress repeatedly as a small child, as did one of my aunts when she was that age as well. I also would repeatedly though lightly hit my head while sitting upright on the soft back of a couch or car seat while listening to music in some form (I prefer earbuds so I can be surrounded by the music and drown out everything so I could have some time to myself. I grew out of the first one, but not the second one. My parents were not very nice about it when I started to comprehend what they were saying, but when they realized it wasn't going away, they became more accepting, especially my mom. It doesn't have that specific calming effect unless I listen to music, which is what I do after a stressful day of school or to prepare or wind down after something really unsettling. It's helped a lot with my anxiety, sleeping, and even headaches (wtf right?) general nausea and car-sickness, and not to mention, I have incredible abs. I agree with the band guy, I do think it could be some sort of addictive meditation practice, and I also believe it has something to do with the release of endorphins after studying myself for patterns in this whole thing. How else can it cure all these ailments and provide the calming effects it does? If any of you wish to discuss this further, PLEASE feel free to message me! I've never felt comfortable to talk about this to anyone before, and it feels like a giant weight lifted off of my chest. I'm so glad I don't have to be the only one to try and figure this out.


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## protestthehero (Apr 8, 2014)

*I am glad I have not suffered alone, It brings me hope*

I have been suffering with this since I was 5. I was a preemie and stopped breathing three times. I am also suffering severe ear damage because of this. I like to lay down and rock my head while listen to music. I can dream anything I want.


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## toddlerchild (Jan 25, 2015)

Hello, my child is 3 and is doing a lot of rhythmic movements in bed and also sometimes out of bed when tired or when listening to music. I removed recently his pacifier and now he wakes up much earlier than before because he doesn't know how to get back to sleep. So he does a lot more rhythmic movements. I don't want him to keep this for many more years so what can I do to make it stop ? I try to tell him not to make noise and he does stop for a while then starts again (because he does noise when he does the movements ). At kindergarden he does the same without the noise weirdly enough. As you can see I am worried but I try to act very gently with him on this topic. Thanks for your help


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## 1icepop (Apr 12, 2014)

It sounds like the autistic behavior called stimming. http://autism.wikia.com/wiki/Stimming


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## Lululemonslisa (Feb 14, 2015)

Just reading everyone's posts is making me feel so much better already. I have been banging my head on my pillow ever since I can remember. I'm glad I can talk about this with you guys because it's so embarrassing and sounds so silly. I do it every night before I go to bed, every morning, and even sometimes during the night. It is my go to when I'm feeling anxious or upset. I will only do it to music and will hum along. I've tried to stop for yearsand have thought that it would be something I grow out of yet I am 19 years old and still doing it. I want to stop yet at the same time I wish it was considered normal because I like doing it. I'm just so happy this is actually a thing.. After 19 years of doing this I finally decided to google it last night which was freaking me out at first but now I feel so relieved just knowing that I'm not the only one who does this. I read that most kids who don't grow out of it have autism..but I know I'm not autistic. My theory is that I learned early on as a kid to do this when I was feeling anxious or sad or upset and it was a way for me to cope with some trauma I may have experienced.


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## kageri (Oct 2, 2014)

I do some rhythmic movement but I don't think for the same reasons. I will rock back and forth while waiting with a group of people or talking to someone. It's more excess energy. I want to go,do something, not stand around making small talk. I just can't stay still so I rock or twist back and forth. I stopped for awhile. I was too sick to have any energy. It took them 5 years but they found it was caused by an infection in my back. Surgery and 6 antibiotics later I am back to rocking when I talk to people.


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## Grandma Jim (11 mo ago)

My grandson is rocking at night, I thought it was fine since he wasn’t hurting himself, but now he is 😞. We do keep him some nights, has anyone tried putting pool noodles on the crib rails to help prevent harm? If so did it work. Or if anyone has another idea please share.


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