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Types of Sleeping Disorders
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Sleeping Problems (Home) > Types of Sleeping Disorders > Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD): Information, Symptoms and Causes
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) (also called Nocturnal Myoclonus) is a sleep disorder where the sufferer moves involuntarily during sleep. This can range from a small amount of movement in the ankles and toes, to slow jerking movements, right up to wild flailing of all arms and legs. These involuntarily movements are more common in the legs than arms.
PLMD also affects the sufferer's ability to sleep at night and function normally during the next day.
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is related to Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS, see section 4.11) in that 80-90% of people with RLS also have PLMD. However, the reverse is not true, most people with PLMD do not experience or develop RLS.
There are two types of Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD), and they are categorized on when the involuntarily movements occur:
- During sleep, the condition is called Periodic Limb Movement while Sleeping (PLMS), or,
- While awake or while waking, the condition is called Periodic Limb Movement while Waking (PLMW).
Symptoms
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder where the patient moves involuntarily during sleep. This can range from a small amount of movement in the ankles and toes, right up to wild flailing of all arms and legs. These involuntarily movements are more common in the legs than arms.
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Random Sleeping Tip |
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| Every individual has a specific time when their body gives them a signal that they need to sleep. This signal is what one has conditioned their body to give according to their routines. Once you have that signal being given from your body then you need not resist to that and must go to sleep at that time because there would be a specific time till that signal is going to be initiated and after that the sleep signal would just die out and you might not be able to sleep after that. So the signal needs to be given the due respect it needs. |
These involuntarily movements occur for between 0.5 and 10 seconds apart and recur at intervals of 5 to 90 seconds for periods lasting from a few minutes right up to an hour or more.
Causes
The exact cause for Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is not known at this time, however, some potential causes and triggers for Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) have are suspected and include:
- Age: The incidence of PLMD increases with age. It is estimated that 5% of people aged 30 to 50 and 44% of people aged over 65 are affected by PLMD.
- Links to Other Sleep Disorders: As many as 12.2% of patients suffering from insomnia and 3.5% of patients suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness may experience PLMD. Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is related to Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) in that 80-90% of people with RLS also have PLMD. However, the reverse is not true, most people with PLMD do not experience RLS.
- Genetics: there are some links to heredity.
- Medical and Other Issues: and medical causes have also been linked to PLMD such as:
- Alcoholism
- Caffeine consumption
- Fatigue
- Hot temperatures or extended time in cold temperatures
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Kidney disorders
- Muscle disorders
- Nerve problems
- Poor blood circulation in the legs
- Smoking
- Starting or stopping certain medications
- Vitamin or mineral deficiencies
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