Restless Legs can be very disruptive to our Sleep
by Jane Chitty
If you have ever suffered from the condition known as "Restless Leg Syndrome", you will know how annoying and disruptive it can be.
Here is what we know about this condition...
- It is a condition of neurological origin that causes restlessness in the lower limbs with the continuous need to move one or both legs.
- It is mainly women who are affected by this condition and you just never know when it will suddenly start up.
- The problem will usually occur in the evening when you are trying to fall asleep or in the early hours of the morning when you wake up and then try to get back to sleep again.
Why does restless legs syndrome occur?
Dr Lara Fratticci, a neurologist at Humanitas, has spoken on this subject.
She says: "The need to move one's legs to get relief tends to worsen precisely in the evening and at night due to an evening physiological reduction in dopamine levels, a decrease that is even more significant in those who suffer from this disorder. Those who suffer from this syndrome also tend to be affected by insomnia"'.
There is a primary and a secondary form of the syndrome
- Primary form means a familial or idiopathic type of syndrome and for this, the cause is unknown.
- Less frequently, 'restless legs syndrome' has a secondary form when it is associated with other diseases, disorders, or conditions, such as renal failure, type 2 diabetes, peripheral neuropathies and more.
How is the syndrome diagnosed?
The diagnosis of this syndrome is very simple and is made through a normal neurological examination, without the need for instrumental tests. If the cause of the disorder can be found, medical practitioners will want to prescribe drug therapy - these could be based on anti-epileptic drugs, hypnotics, opiates and dopaminergic agents. Normally, the class of non-ergoline dopamine receptor agonists is used.
Of course, natural solutions are a better way to go
Taking care of one's sleep hygiene is important to combat restless legs syndrome.
- Take a hot bath or shower before going to bed.
- Reduce your intake of caffeine or alcoholic beverages that interfere with sleep.
- Engage in a relaxing activity before bedtime such reading.
- Massage your legs thoroughly once in bed.
- If symptoms occur during the night, get up and take a walk around the house.
I occasionally suffer from the syndrome and I find it pointless to stay in bed suffering. I get up and go downstairs and make myself a cup of something such as hot chocolate or lemon tea. While enjoying the drink, I do lots of stretching and other exercises with my legs and feet. When I return to bed, I will add a few drops of H-Sleep Aid to the back of my neck and almost without fail, I go back to sleep again with no more problems with those legs - until the next time...
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