| Waking from a sound sleep suddenly with | | | | will keep a person awake for another hour or |
| ever-worsening leg cramps is an agonizing | | | | two. |
| occurrence that usually won't go away easily. | | | | Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a medically |
| There are other conditions involving the legs that | | | | recognized specific chronic condition common to |
| prevent a good night's sleep. | | | | groups with both genetic and/or acquired factors |
| There are chronic muscular, neurological, and | | | | resulting in the urge to move the limbs around, |
| psychological conditions that contribute to | | | | usually the legs. Sufferers are generally in the |
| insomnia. One is Restless Legs Syndrome, another | | | | over 40 age range but young people can be |
| is a sudden panic reaction caused by "missing a | | | | affected also, and were misdiagnosed in the past. |
| step", the sensation of the foot hitting nothing as | | | | The phenomenon was simply labeled "growing |
| you fall and happens upon entering sleep. In the | | | | pains" and it was thought that the child would |
| case of the latter the jolt of panic causes | | | | grow out of it. All sorts of hyperactivity can |
| hyperventilation and a secretion of adrenalin that | | | | account for young people being awake. |