Technologies are provided herein for real-time detection of motion and noise (MN) artifacts in electrocardiogram signals recorded by electrocardiography devices. Specifically, the present disclosure provides techniques for increasing the accuracy of identifying paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) rhythms, which are often measured via such devices. According to aspects of the present disclosure, a method for detecting MN artifacts in an electrocardiogram (ECG) recording includes receiving an ECG segment and decomposing the received ECG segment into a sum of intrinsic mode functions. The intrinsic mode functions associated with MN artifacts present within the ECG segment are then isolated. The method further includes determining randomness and variability characteristic values associated with the isolated intrinsic mode functions and comparing the randomness and variability characteristic values to threshold randomness and variability characteristic values. If the randomness and variability characteristic values exceed the threshold characteristic values, the ECG signal is determined to include MN artifacts.