PURPOSE: The aims of the present study were to investigate the temporal relationships between jaw and bodily movements and clarify motor processes in the genesis of rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA) in sleep bruxism (SB). METHODS: Video-polysomnography recordings were obtained from ten subjects with SB (mean age: 23.4 ± 1.6 years) and ten matched normal controls (CTL) (mean age: 24.4 ± 3.2 years). RMMA and nonspecific masseter activity (NSMA) were scored in association with bodily movements in the leg, arm, head, and trunk using electromyography and video recordings. The relationship between oromotor episodes and bodily movements was assessed in terms of sleep stage distributions and temporal relationships. Cardiac changes preceding oromotor episodes in stage N2 were assessed. RESULTS: Approximately 80% of RMMA and NSMA were associated with movements in one or more body sites. RMMA and NSMA were more frequently associated with movements of the leg (70-75%) and arm (40-55%) than movements of the head (17-22%) and trunk (5-25%). The relationship between oromotor episodes and bodily movements did not significantly differ among sleep stages. Oromotor episodes and bodily movements did not show a consistent temporal pattern in the SB and CTL groups. Regardless of the temporal relationship between oromotor episodes and bodily movements, the mean heart rate significantly increased by 5 beats before the onset of oromotor episodes. CONCLUSIONS: No specific temporal motor patterns were found between RMMA and bodily movements. RMMA and NSMA represent a repertoire of arousal-related autonomic motor responses during sleep.