Sleep Disorders

There are many different sleep disorders, which are officially documented at this website:

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders

I talk about night terrors and various other sleep disorders throughout my own site here, but on this particular page I touch on a few sleep disorders and go into them in depth, providing some links to FAQ's and info for those who may need them. Please look through these links not only for yourself, but for any family members or friends who might benefit from these links. Some of the info provided is not commonly known, but needs to be.

I talk about these disorders because they disturb the sleep, and any disorder that disturbs one's sleep can also lead to enhanced recall of dreams or nightmares, which can be good or bad depending on one's experience. I also talk about them because they affect my family personally. Please note: I am only giving my personal experience & opinions & some links that I think may be helpful to others, and this is *NOT* intended to be medical advice; please consult a medical physician for medical advice.

You can read about Periodic Limb Movement & Restless Legs Syndrome here:

Sleep Disorder Channel.Net

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is usually lumped in with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), but they are different because RLS involves the legs while PLMD can involve the arms and legs also. RLS makes a person absolutely miserable, with a crawling sensation in their legs that forces them to move often, and they cannot rest. If they are lucky, just getting up & going to bed to sleep will handle the problem; but if the problem goes deeper than that, then they will be woken up or not able to sleep due to these sensations. I've had them before, my mother has them, my husband and child have them all to varying degrees. Chances are that you know somebody who has them. There are treatments available, but ironically, one common treatment for them actually causes restless legs in myself. Oftentimes the treatments are unsuccessful, but research is ever hopeful. You can find support groups on the net and websites that have helpful information. Here are a few sites:

"I never even realized I moved in my sleep until my wife told me that I was constantly moving my arms& legs all night long, even unintentionally waking her up when my arm would thrash around or I'd be holding her and suddenly tense up, almost like having a seizure which scared her half to death more than once. We just laughed about it until years later it progressed and suddenly I was getting sick from being so tired and never getting enough rest. It was because I never really got into deep REM sleep due to the interruptions from the PLMD. When my other lab tests checked out normal, my wife mentioned to our doctor that my PLMD was much worse now, and maybe I should have a sleep study? So a sleep study was ordered, and it was found out that I had a particularly severe case of PLMD, with almost 50 disturbances per hour. No wonder I was becoming a walking zombie! My wife was upset, saying that I wasn't "myself" anymore, just basically not responsive and the best description truly is that of a zombie."

"The symptoms I get are extreme tiredness where I will even fall asleep and doze during the day, and I feel nauseous from not getting enough rest. I'm cranky, my memory is shot & I can't concentrate, and feel just as bad when I get up as when I go to bed. It doesn't matter how much rest I get. Unfortunately, the sleep center that did my study dropped the ball and didn't get the full report from the neurologist, and we didn't know enough to expect a full follow-up with the neurologist, so our family doctor tried to treat it as best he could but he didn't know what to do and for a year I just got much worse. Finally, we called the sleep center again & spoke to them at length and someone there mentioned that I should have seen the neurologist, so I went to see him and got a medication prescribed for me that has been a big help. It's not a miracle cure, but it helps. It's called Mirapex. It's normally prescribed for Parkinson's Disease, but this is one of the off-label disorders they are having success with. There are a couple others that are used, but this one is the one with the biggest success rate."

"The #1 thing I would want to tell others is that it is very very important not to give up on getting help for themselves. It isn't always easy to get help from doctors, especially with insurance companies giving us all so many challenges the way they do today. But you have to work hard at it and do your own research and find others to help you, and then find specialists to help you if necessary. Be patient and don't give up! No one single doctor can possibly know everything, so find others that are experts in the field of PLMD, RLS, sleep disorders, or neurology if your family physician tries normal medications if they don't work for you."

"Here are some of the tests done: MRI brain, brain stem & spinal cord; chemistry profile & cbc. Everything checked out normal, but tell my body that; I kept getting much worse. I didn't want anything to be physically wrong with me, but it was and yet the lab tests yielded no clues so I was left untreated. The websites and books all talk about PLMD like it is something simple and not disabling, but a severe case of it is quite disruptful of one's life, and must be treated."

"One of the best resources for this disorder can be found on the internet. There are support groups where people can tell you where to find knowledgeable doctors in your area, so I highly recommend them. Good luck to everyone, I hope you can find help if this might be your problem." --Warren.

The above was a personal account & are opinions of my friend Warren, and not meant as medical advice. Please seek professional medical assistance if necessary.

Bruxism simply means that a person grinds, gnashes or clenches their teeth while they sleep. My mother has this disorder, and wears a dental guard when she sleeps. It is important to seek dental evaluation and treatment because this disorder can cause serious medical issues if untreated. According to the ICSD, or International Classification of Sleep Disorders, bruxism is the 3rd most common sleep disorder, following sleep talking and snoring. They believe bruxism is triggered more often during times of tension or stress, like many other sleep disorders. I will add links to bruxism sites below for people to learn about this disorder and read FAQ's so they can avoid serious problems that can happen if they don't seek help for this disorder, but first I want to add that it is not uncommon for people who grind their teeth in their sleep to dream something to "make sense" of this unconscious habit, such as their teeth throbbing and growing large, or popping out. These dreams can be very intense and realistic, and may be trying to point towards the need for dentistry treatment for the bruxism, rather than an esoterical or emotional symbol about our waking life issues. That's just an example off the top of my head; I've heard from numerous people with requests for dream interpretations, and some are clearly possibly related to a physical symptom such as teeth grinding. Something to think about!

Links on teeth grinding or bruxism:

Here is a description of a sleep disorder usually found in babies or children, but which rarely does afflict adults as well:

Rhythmic Movement Disorder: Also known as jactatio capitis nocturna, headbanging, headrolling, bodyrocking, bodyrolling, rythmie du sommeil. The term rythmic movement disorder is preferred as different body areas may be involved in the movement activity. (snipped from below site:)

These movements can also be accompanied by gutteral noises that sound pretty primeavel. Cool! Ok, so it's not so cool to their spouse in the middle of the night. But my main concern is this: I've had people contact me, worried that their relative or friend who displays the above symptoms are possessed by a demon(!) No, this is not demonic possession...it's a neurological sleep disorder that is not fully understood by science as of yet, unfortunately. However, the good news is that the WWW is bringing fellow-RMD'rs together so they can bond and share their angst. And I'm sure they have plenty of angst to share!

I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose anyone, so if you are concerned that you or someone you know may have this disorder, you would need to contact a reputable sleep clinic in your area. I have provided a link below.

This is a disorder that is said to be rare in adults, usually occuring in babies and children who outgrow it by their teen years; but guess what-- adults are now finding each other on the net and are suprised that there are others out there with the same disorder.

Many doctors are unfamiliar with RMD, so you should be on guard not to be dismissed as if you are imagining things, or that it's no big deal. C'mon, you can stand up for your patient rights better than that! If the doc is dropping the ball, call him/her on it and demand a referral to someone who is trained in these sleep disorders, such as a sleep disorder clinic. That's right, I said FIRE the doctor. They aren't gods, they are paid by you, the consumer. They are hired help and should do their job. If they don't, find a better one on the net or by calling around and asking questions. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I hear from so many people who suffer because of inept doctors who should do better by their patients, or who let the insurance companies lead them around by the nose. Ok, so often it's the insurance companies fault...don't get me started! (stepping down from soapbox)

So remember: RMD has nothing to do with being possessed by a demon. I know it seems weird and even scary, but it is a medical issue, not a demonic possession issue. A general rule of thumb to go by is this: if their head doesn't spin completely around, you're probably safe any the pea soup episodes. Unless they want to really jerk your chain! (grin)

Seriously, can you imagine how many people who have had this disorder who have most likely been ostracised over the eons? Thank goodness we live in a more knowlegeable age these days. We do. Don't we?

Here is a link to Eric's website with an online Email Support Group for RMD!

And another link to his website:

Eric's Rhythmic Movement Disorder Page

I highly recommend Eric's page to anyone who deals with RMD on a personal basis, or knows someone who does. Tell him ZenCyn sent ya!