Even though I slept for a long time, I still felt tired when I woke up. What's going on?

author：Editor date：2024-03-05 18:42:53 popularity： column：article

Have you ever had such an experience

Someone close to you tells you that you move around in your sleep

Even though I slept for a long time, I still felt tired when I woke up.

If so, you may have Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD)

What is Periodic Limb Movement Disorder?

Periodic limb movement disorder is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated episodes of stereotyped limb movements during sleep . Mainly contraction of the tibialis anterior muscle, sudden dorsiflexion twitching of one or both toes and ankles, 0.5 to 5 seconds each time, should be at least 3 times in a row, with an interval of 5 to 90 seconds, and usually occurs during light sleep.

These movements are not under conscious control and can also interfere with sleep continuity, making it difficult for patients to maintain sustained deep sleep to relieve fatigue, so they feel tired during the day.

What are the symptoms of Periodic Limb Movement Disorder?

1. Primary difficulty in starting sleep or disorder in maintaining sleep;

2. No sense of restorative sleep;

3. Often combined with daytime fatigue or daytime sleepiness;

4. Observable regular movements of the legs after falling asleep, such as flexion, which may involve the upper limbs in severe cases;

5. Occasionally, you may experience leg pain and discomfort after waking up.

Since exercise occurs during sleep, many patients easily ignore these symptoms or treat them as other diseases, and only seek medical examination after feeling that they cannot sleep well and feel tired during the day.

Why does periodic limb movement disorder occur?

At present, the pathogenesis of periodic limb movement disorder is not completely clear. Existing hypotheses suggest that it may be related to dopamine system dysfunction . Some people also believe that it is related to neurological lesions, other physical diseases, mental illnesses, drug effects, and sleep breathing disorders .

Who is more likely to develop periodic limb movement disorder?

● Periodic limb movement disorder affects 4% to 11% of the population and can occur at any age, but is rare in children and more common in the elderly.

● In addition, patients with restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and REM sleep behavior disorder are more likely to develop periodic limb movement disorder

● People who use dopamine receptor antagonists, antidepressants, antihistamines, or allergy drugs may cause limb movement disorders during sleep to occur or worsen.

● Iron deficiency may also cause periodic limb movement disorder.

How is periodic limb movement disorder treated?

lifestyle intervention

1. Reduce the intake of caffeine drinks such as coffee and tea.

2. Don’t drink alcohol before going to bed.

3. Develop and adhere to a regular routine.

4. Manage stress: massage before bed, take a hot bath, etc. to relax your mind.

5. Balanced nutrition: Supplement calcium and iron intake in an appropriate amount. It is recommended to consume 300-500 grams of vegetables, at least 300 grams of milk and dairy products, and at least 25 grams of soybeans or nuts every day.

medical treatement

1. Dopamine (DA): Levodopa.

2. Dopamine receptor agonists: pramipexole, ropinirole, entacapone.

3. Anti-epileptic drugs: gabapentin, pregabalin, sodium valproate.

4. Benzodiazepines: Clonazepam (can only improve sleep conditions and is ineffective against PLMS).

5. Selective MAO-B inhibitor: selegiline.

A doctor needs to determine the cause of periodic limb movement disorder and treat it symptomatically.