"Kicking and punching" while asleep is a symptom of 'REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)'.
EXPLANATION:
During RBD, a person acts physically vibrant as a result of unpleasant dreams.
Sudden and violent physical movements also occur if a person has RBD. It is called as "dream-enacting behavior".
Physical movements such as kicking or jumping from bed also takes place as the person experiences violent dreams like being chased or defending himself from others.
