Kleine-Levin syndrome
(KLS) is a rare disorder that causes recurring periods of excessive sleepiness. In some cases, this means up to 20 hours a day are spent sleeping. For this reason, the condition is commonly referred to as “sleeping beauty syndrome.”
What are the symptoms of Kleine Levin Syndrome?
Symptoms occur as “episodes,” typically lasting a few days to a few weeks. Episode onset is often abrupt, and may be associated with flu-like symptoms.
Excessive food intake, irritability, childishness, disorientation, hallucinations, and an abnormally uninhibited sex drive
may be observed during episodes.
How is KLS diagnosed?
KLS can be diagnosed
when there is confusion, apathy, or derealization in addition to frequent bouts of extreme tiredness and prolonged sleep
. The earliest it can be diagnosed is the second episode, this is not common. The condition is generally treated as a diagnosis of exclusion.
What is KLS disease?
Kleine–Levin syndrome (KLS), also called “
Sleeping beauty syndrome
” is a rare disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of hypersomnia and to various degrees, hyperphagia, cognitive disturbances, and hypersexuality.
What is the outcome of KLS patients?
Cognitive Disturbances
Between episodes, majority of patients were described as totally normal. In a few cases reported, academic decline and a mild, long-lasting memory dysfunction between episodes. [21,22] The possibility of residual dysfunction after KLS termination was also reported.
What triggers KLS?
The exact cause of
KLS is unknown
, but some doctors believe certain factors can increase your risk for this condition. For example, KLS may arise from an injury in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls sleep, appetite, and body temperature.
What is a Dyssomnia?
Dyssomnia refers to
the collection of sleep disorders that negatively impact the quantity and quality of sleep
2
. With dyssomnia, you might struggle to fall asleep at night
3
, which is a symptom of insomnia, or feel the need to sleep excessively, which is called hypersomnolence.
How is KLS treated?
There is no specific, definitive treatment to cure or control KLS
. Some aspects of the disease can be managed with medication, such as stimulants to combat the EDS, but this is most effective only once the episodes have already decreased in severity.
How do you know if you have sleeping beauty syndrome?
Sleeping Beauty Syndrome Signs and Symptoms
Sleeping most of the day and night
.
Abrupt onset
, sometimes accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Lethargy. Excessive food intake or food cravings while awake.
How is KLS similar to narcolepsy?
In contrast to narcolepsy, KLS is a
relapsing disorder
with mean duration of 14 years. In addition to excessive sleepiness, the KLS patients also have cognitive (working memory, language), perceptual (delusions, hallucinations), and behavioral disturbances (binge eating, hypersexuality) during their sleep episodes.
Is Sleeping Beauty syndrome narcolepsy?
Once referred to as “Sleeping Beauty,” Suzanne Reagan discovered her family history of
narcolepsy
also affected her, after undergoing a sleep study at Cleveland Clinic.
What are the 5 types of sleep disorders?
- Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) RLS is a condition that causes your legs to move or shake because of an unpleasant sensation. …
- Insomnia. …
- REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) …
- Sleep Apnea. …
- Narcolepsy.
Why do I sleep for days at a time?
The most common causes of excessive sleepiness are
sleep deprivation and disorders
like sleep apnea and insomnia. Depression and other psychiatric problems, certain medications, and medical conditions affecting the brain and body can cause daytime drowsiness as well.
How many people are affected by KLS?
Kleine Levin syndrome (KLS) is a neuropsychiatric disease that affects
about 1 in a million people
. Symptoms include hypersomnia, confusion, derealization, hypersexuality, megaphagia, altered mood, and hallucinations that occur during recurrent episodes, with normal sleep, thinking, mood, and behavior between episodes.
What do you call a person who talks in their sleep?
Sleep talking, formally known as
somniloquy
, is a sleep disorder defined as talking during sleep without being aware of it. Sleep talking can involve complicated dialogues or monologues, complete gibberish or mumbling. The good news is that for most people it is a rare and short-lived occurrence.
What is the most common sleep disorder?
Insomnia
– being unable to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is the most common sleep disorder.
