Medical Services > Sleep and Breathing Disorders

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) can be described as an irresistible urge to move or stretch the legs. Sometimes people feel crawling sensations that are relieved when they move their legs. Other times, people are unaware that they kick and "dance" in bed. When such leg movement happens throughout the night, RLS keeps a person from getting enough sleep and qualifies as a sleep disorder.

About 5 to 10 percent of people experience RLS at some point. RLS is hereditary about 30 percent of the time. In some cases, RLS is a result of another physical condition such as vitamin deficiency, nerve or muscle disorders, kidney disease, or alcoholism. RLS may also be triggered by medicine, caffeine, smoking and fatigue.

Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) causes people to jerk or stretch their legs repeatedly. The movements occur about every 30 seconds, usually during the first half of the night. Often, people with PLMD aren't aware of their condition, but they do know they're not getting enough sleep.

UT Southwestern Medical Center’s state-of-the-art resources, combined with attentive and compassionate health care, provide patients with the most effective and caring treatment available for PLMD. First, our physicians determine whether the patient has any underlying causes for PLMD, such as kidney disease or anti-depressant use. Our specialists then treat the underlying disorder. If there is no underlying disorder, they can prescribe medications and therapies to treat the PLMD itself.

The sleep specialists at UT Southwestern can diagnose RLS and PLMD with an overnight test called a sleep study, also known as a polysomnogram (PSG). The sleep study measures the patient’s neurological, cardiovascular, breathing and muscle functions while sleeping.

Please visit the Health Library to learn more about PLMD and RLS.