Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder characterized by involuntary, repetitive movements of the limbs during sleep (via Cleveland Clinic). These movements, typically involving the legs but can also affect the arms, occur in a rhythmic and periodic fashion, often every 20 to 40 seconds. PLMD can lead to sleep disturbances, causing frequent awakenings throughout the night, which can result in daytime fatigue and other sleep-related issues. In 2011, researchers with the American College of Chest Physicians examined 100 patients at a sleep clinic and found that left-handed individuals were significantly more likely to experience limb movements on both sides of their body during sleep than right-handed individuals.
While the exact cause of this association remains a mystery, these findings suggest that there may be a connection between left-handedness and PLMD. It’s important to note that these studies don’t prove that left-handedness causes sleep issues or other disorders. However, they do raise intriguing questions about how neurological factors linked to left-handedness may influence sleep patterns.