What is Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD)?

ByJacob Welsh

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) has symptoms similar to Restless Leg Syndrome. RLS causes sufferers to feel the need to move while at rest. PLMD, RLS's ugly step-sister, causes involuntary movements of the limbs when a person is awake or asleep. While RLS causes sufferers to feel the need to move, PLMD causes actual movement.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder is often active at night, and those who suffer may not know they have the disorder until it is pointed out by a partner. The movements caused by PLMD are rhythmic, with legs kicking once, twice, even three times per minute. These constant movements can disrupt the sleep cycle, causing you to wake tired and allowing a great night of sleep to escape you for years.

PLMD was first identified in the 1950s, and was called nocturnal myoclonus. Myoclonus is the characteristic muscle contractions, similar to those seen in people having seizures. The name was changed because the movements in PLMD are not related to those contractions typical of seizures.

Like its cousin Restless Leg Syndrome, PLMD can be a primary or secondary disorder. The causes of the primary disorder are unknown, though many doctors believe that sufferers have difficulty regulating the nerves travelling to the arms and legs from the brain. In cases where it is secondary, sufferers could have a larger problem like iron deficiency, diabetes, sleep apnea or narcolepsy. PLMD can be caused by medications, and conversely, as a symptom of drug withdrawal. If you think your PLMD could be triggered by a larger issue, make an appointment with your physician.

If you suffer from PLMD, a memory foam mattress could help you keep symptoms at bay. Memory foam mattresses sink when triggered by body heat, creating a comforting nest around the body. If you are looking to treat your restless leg syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder, a memory foam mattress topper is an affordable answer...they start at just $99!

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What is Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD)?

Overview of Sleep Disorders

Definition: Sleep disorders involve any difficulties related to sleeping, including difficulty falling or staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive total sleep time, or abnormal behaviors associated with sleep.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors: More than 100 different disorders of sleeping and waking have been identified. They can be grouped in four main categories:

1.Problems with falling and staying asleep (insomnia)
2.Problems with staying awake (excessive daytime sleepiness)
3.Problems with sticking to a regular sleep schedule (sleep rhythm problem)
4.Unusual behavoirs during sleep (sleep-disruptive behaviors)

PROBLEMS WITH FALLING AND STAYING ASLEEP: Insomnia includes any combination of difficulty with falling asleep, staying asleep, intermittent wakefulness and early-morning awakening. Episodes may come and go (be transient), last as long as 2 to 3 weeks (be short-term), or be long-lasting (chronic).

Common factors associated with insomnia include:

• Physical illness
• Depression
• Anxiety or stress
• Poor sleeping environment such as excessive noise or light
• Caffeine
• Alcohol or other drugs
• Use of certain medications
• Heavy smoking
• Physical discomfort
• Daytime napping
• Counterproductive sleep habits:
  
  
  • Early bedtimes
  • Excessive time spent awake in bed

Disorders include:

• Psychophysiological insomnia: a condition in which stress caused by the insomnia makes it even harder to fall asleep
• Delayed sleep phase syndrome: your internal clock is constantly out of synch with the "accepted" day / night phases; for example, patients feel best if they can sleep from 4AM to noon
• Hypnotic-dependent sleep disorder: insomnia that occurs when you stop or become tolerant to certain types of sleep medications
• Stimulant-dependent sleep disorder: insomnia that occurs when you stop or become dependent on certain types of stimulants

PROBLEMS WITH STAYING AWAKE:


Disorders of excessive sleepiness are called hypersomnias. These include:

• Idiopathic hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness that occurs without an identifiable cause)
• Narcolepsy
• Obstructive and central sleep apnea
• Periodic limb movement disorder
• Restless leg syndrome

PROBLEMS STICKING TO A REGULAR SLEEP SCHEDULE:

Problems may also occur when you do not maintain a consistent sleep and wake schedule. This occurs when traveling between times zones and with shift workers on rotating schedules, particularly nighttime workers.
Sleep disruption disorders include:

• Irregular sleep-wake syndrome
• Jet lag syndrome
• Natural short sleeper (the person sleeps less hours than normal but has no ill effects)
• Paradoxical insomnia (the person actually sleeps a different amount than they think they do)
• Shift work sleep disorder

SLEEP-DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS:

Abnormal behaviors during sleep are called parasomnias and are fairly common in children. They include:

• Sleep terrors
• Sleep walking
• REM sleep-behavior disorder (a type of psychosis in which a person"acts out" dreams so violently that they may injure the person sleeping with them)

Overview of Sleep Disorders