Restless Legs Syndrome and Sleep-Related Movement Disorders

Abstract

Normal sleep is characterized by a relative lack of body movements. In a variety of sleep disorders, abnormal movements may result from pathological arousals, whereas in sleep-related movement disorders the movement itself is the pathological event. Sleep-related movement disorders are typically characterized by simple, often repetitive and stereotyped movements that occur at sleep onset or during sleep and may disrupt sleep. These include restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements, sleep-related bruxism, sleep-related leg cramps, and sleep starts. These are common disorders that may be barely noticed or, as in the case of severe restless legs syndrome, can be life-altering. Proper diagnosis is essential because effective treatments are usually available.