(CBS News) A rare, violent sleep disorder in which people violently kick, punch or thrash in their sleep may be more common in smokers and people exposed to lots of pesticides, new research suggests.
The sleep-kicking disorder is actually called "REM sleep behavior disorder." According to WebMD, people typically lose muscle tone (paralysis) during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep - but that doesn't occur in people with the disorder, causing them have movements (sometimes violent) that can seriously harm the person or their sleep partner. It is estimated to affect only 0.5 percent of adults.