Apparently race has a bearing on how a sleep disorder characteristic attacks. Restless Leg Syndrome or RLS has been found to hit Africa-American women more based on a study presented at CHEST 2009. While the study may have shown how ethnic origin plays a role on this issue, exact causes were unknown. Women were found to be more iron deficient and have rheumatoid arthritis which were risk factors associated with RLS.

“Restless legs syndrome is a common sleep disorder that may not be easily recognized by patients and clinicians,” said Kalpalatha Guntupalli, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. “Educating clinicians and patients about the signs and symptoms of RLS may raise awareness about this overlooked condition and lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment.”

(Source) Press

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There is a drug that was originally meant to aid seizures but based on a study conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Center, the same drug can be a great remedy as well for menopause women who have trouble sleeping.

The drug is called Gabapentin, a drug that has proven to provide improved sleep quality without the harsh side effects that sleeping pills are known to carry.

Gabapentin’s impact on the sleep quality factor in menopausal women may reflect improvement in hot flashes, stabilization of sleep architecture, or a decrease in the amount of time to transition from wakefulness to sleep, the researchers wrote. It is also possible that Gabapentin improved sleep quality by addressing underlying sleep pathology, such as restless legs syndrome.

(Source) Times of India

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For the people in St. Louis suffering from various sleep disorders, the opening of the new SSM Center for Sleep Disorders in St. Marys should be a welcome note. Sleep problems are growing in numbers and while not all regions have the luxury of easily accessing sleep specialists in their region, local folks in St. Louis can now expect help within their grasps.

The various sleep disorders today like daytime sleepiness, insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and other sleep disorders are no laughing matter. They have become serious issues to which many people are finding hard to remedy. Sleep specialists are bound to change all that and from the looks of it, this new sleep center is bound to help a lot of people combat these sleep abnormalities.

Under the direction of Dr. Raman Malhotra, a neurologist, the center offers diagnosis and management of sleep disorders through clinical and laboratory evaluations of patients.

Sleep studies are conducted in private bedrooms in a controlled area where brain, heart, muscle and breathing activities are monitored.

(Source) St. Louis Business Journal

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For couples, it would be quite normal to hear that one of them suddenly finds themselves on the floor after being “kicked” out of bed in a manner of speaking. While it is sure to be not done on purpose, the issue of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) cannot be avoided especially for people who have had a rough day at work.

A person cannot help but want to move his legs during these cases. The feeling is not all that pleasant. Normally it feels like you have to get up and do some legwork to help soothe that irritating sensation when you are already lying down. Worst, you are not the only one having trouble sleeping but perhaps your partner too who you may even accidentally kick out of bed.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is something most people haven’t heard of. The disorder results in a strong urge to move one’s legs and is further accompanied with unpleasant sensations in the legs. In such cases, moving one’s legs temporarily relieves the unpleasant feeling. Recent studies conducted have proved that many people suffer from RLS and almost three per cent of them feel that this disorder has severely affected the quality of their everyday life.

(Source) The Times of India

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What causes insomnia can be any of the follow below:

Excessive worrying

Illness — including painful arthritis, congestive heart failure that causes difficulty in breathing, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), among others.

Medications — for example, some drugs for hypertension and decongestants have stimulating effects; there are many others.

Consuming caffeine within six hours of bedtime. Lack of physical activity and/or exposure to natural outdoor light.

Sleep apnea, an obstruction of the airway, which can cause you to stop breathing repeatedly during the night. This forces the brain to keep waking you up to restart your breathing.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) — which can make your legs so tingly that you feel an uncontrollable urge to move them.

Prostate problems, urinary incontinence, or or a urinary tract infection that makes you run to the bathroom several times a night.

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