Sleep Education
Today is September 22nd, 2014 

Bookmark and Share

Periodic Limb Movements

  Related Articles
Adults with ADHD Experience Sleep Problems
Research is Cracking the Genetic Code for Restless Legs
A Gift for Grandparents Day: A Good Night’s Sleep

What is it?


1. Periodic limb movements while you sleep (PLMS)

2. Periodic limb movements while you are awake (PLMW)




  • Depression
  • Bad memory
  • Short attention span
  • Fatigue

Who gets it?



  1. Restless legs syndrome (RLS)
  2. REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD)
  3. Narcolepsy

Low brain iron may play a role in making PLMS worse.

High rates of PLMS have been found in some people with:

  • Spinal cord injury
  • Multiple system atrophy (a rare neurological disorder)
  • Sleep related eating disorder (SRED)


  • Some antidepressants
  • Lithium


  • Kidney disease
  • Parkinson disease
  • ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder)
  • Pregnancy
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS)

How do I know if I have it?


1. Has someone else told you that your body makes unusual, repetitive movements while you sleep?

2. Do these tend to occur in your lower legs?

3. Do you feel like you are never well-rested, even after a full night of sleep?

4. Are you often very tired during the day?

If your answer to each of these questions is yes, then you might have PLMD.


  • Another sleep disorder
  • A medical condition
  • Medication use
  • A mental health disorder
  • Substance abuse

Do I need to see a sleep specialist?

For most people, the movements do not disturb their sleep in a severe way. They do not need to seek medical help. In other cases, severe movements can greatly disturb your sleep and life. In this case, you will want to see a sleep specialist. You will need someone with the proper training and experience to help treat it.

What will the doctor need to know?


Will I need to take any tests?

Your doctor will likely have you do an overnight sleep study. This is called a polysomnogram. The polysomnogram charts your brain waves, heart beat, and breathing as you sleep. It also records how your arms and legs move. Not only will it keep track of your movements, it will also help detect any other sleep disorder that you may have.

How is it treated?

When it is necessary to treat PLMS, the same drugs that are used for restless legs syndrome also work for PLMS. These include drugs that replace a chemical in the brain called dopamine. These drugs are also used to treat Parkinson’s disease. However, if you have PLMS, you are not at an increased risk of getting Parkinson’s disease. Other medications used include the following:

  • Sleeping tablets
  • Some anti-seizure medications
  • Narcotic pain killers

    Reviewed by Donald R. Townsend, PhD
    Updated May 16, 2006

Back to top
   Copyright © 2010 American Academy of Sleep Medicine