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Restless Sleep Disorder

Lourdes M DelRosso1, Rosalia Silvestri2, Raffaele Ferri3

  • 1University of Washington, Seattle Washington, Seattle Children's Hospital, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.

Sleep Medicine Clinics
|May 14, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Restless sleep disorder (RSD) involves frequent large movements during sleep, impacting daytime function in children. Diagnosis requires polysomnography, and iron supplementation is a potential treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Neurology
  • Movement Disorders

Background:

  • Restless sleep disorder (RSD) is characterized by frequent large body movements during sleep.
  • It is primarily studied in children aged 6 to 18 years and is associated with daytime impairment.
  • The exact pathophysiology of RSD remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the current understanding of Restless Sleep Disorder in children.
  • To outline diagnostic criteria and suspected pathophysiological mechanisms.
  • To review the limited treatment options available.

Main Methods:

  • Diagnosis relies on polysomnography (PSG).
  • Current criteria involve identifying over 5 large movements per hour of sleep via PSG.
  • Research suggests potential roles for iron deficiency, sleep instability, and sympathetic activation.

Main Results:

  • Polysomnography is essential for diagnosing RSD.
  • The disorder affects children and leads to daytime functional issues.
  • Iron deficiency, sleep instability, and sympathetic overactivity are implicated in its development.

Conclusions:

  • RSD diagnosis in children requires objective sleep studies.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying causes of RSD.
  • Iron supplementation is the sole investigated therapeutic intervention to date.

Keywords:
ChildrenRestless sleepRestless sleep disorder

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