What is Restless Leg Syndrome?

What is Restless Leg Syndrome?

Restless leg syndrome is marked by an irresistible urge to move your legs when you’re in a resting position, such as when you are seated or lying down. The restlessness feels like a tickling or a constant twitch that is relieved only when you move, stretch your legs, or by getting up and walking around the room.  

Some people describe RLS sensations as burning, itching, crawling, mild electric shocks, or even tugging. It can be next to impossible to sleep with such unpleasant tingles in the legs and no other recourse but to move them. Unfortunately, RLS usually settles during the evening, right when you’re ready to rest and relax. A sedentary lifestyle can also induce RLS symptoms, which means that if you don’t exercise regularly, these twitchy sensations can occur at any time, particularly when you’re seated for hours.  

RLS differs from person to person, which means many of them don’t realise that they have it in the first place. By understanding the symptoms, you’ll find solace in the fact that there is a name for what you may be going through, which you can confirm by consulting a medical professional. You’ll then be in a better place to address the problem and seek a more permanent solution.  

What are the symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome?

RLS is difficult to diagnose because it cannot be measured or detected using scans or other procedures. Instead, an RLS diagnosis is based only on the patient's subjective symptoms. This emphasises the need of having a clear set of criteria for determining which feelings indicate RLS in a patient. While diagnosing RLS, doctors check if individual feels compelled to move their legs, arms, or other body parts, which is frequently accompanied by unpleasant sensations. The urges are triggered by inactivity and moving the affected body parts usually relieves the pain briefly. RLS also significantly worsen at night and the feelings can be described as tingling, burning, aching, itching.

These sensations are generally unpleasant for some people. Others may have pain as a result of them. Symptoms might range from moderate to severe, and they can happen once in a while, once a week, or every night. They may go away for weeks or months at a time before reappearing. The sensations are frequently felt on both sides of the body, though they may alternate or be limited to one side in some persons. The intensity of RLS symptoms tends to grow as people become older.

What are the causes of RLS?

It is difficult to determine the exact causes of RLS. Usually, people over 45 years old complain of the syndrome, although anyone can experience it. Studies have discovered that women are twice as likely to experience RLS than men. Research has yet to uncover concrete causes of the syndrome, but it has found a few underlying links to it. 

For instance, genetic links have been revealed for RLS, which means you can inherit the condition. A dopamine imbalance, which means that your body doesn’t have enough of the neurotransmitter in charge of transporting signals from the body to the brain, can also result in RLS. Dopamine is essential for controlling physical movements and regulating emotional responses. Pregnancy can also lead to temporary RLS due to the many changes the body experiences at this time, which will resolve within weeks after delivering the baby. 

How Do You Treat Restless Leg Syndrome?

RLS by itself isn’t dangerous. However, when it persistently and severely interrupts your sleep cycles, it can not only negatively impact essential areas in your life, but also put your health at high risk. Although there are no official treatments for RLS, there are a few ways you can manage or relieve the symptoms. Here are a few of them: 

Adopt Healthier Habits

It’s best to adopt a multi-pronged approach when addressing health issues, so you may want to modify your daily habits. Exercising regularly, cutting down on sugar and sodium (especially before bed), and keeping a healthy sleep pattern can help manage RLS.  

You may also want to take iron and magnesium as iron deficiency can lead to RLS. Apples, honey, and pomegranates are excellent sources of iron. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant that may help calm your legs and prevent them from twitching. Bananas, avocadoes, tofu, fatty fish, and legumes are full of magnesium and are great for your health. 

Some substances such as nicotine, caffeine, alcohol and certain medications can also exacerbate the symptoms of RLS, so controlling your consumption of them may lead to less triggers.

Practice Yoga

Yoga is a practice that emphasises breathing and stretching. Not only can it help you calm down, but it can also keep you physically fit if you’re a dedicated practitioner. By incorporating yoga into your daily routine, you may reduce the effects of RLS. 

Change Your Sleep Environment

Your sleep environment and hygiene play a huge role in how well you sleep at night. Create a cool, comfortable, and cosy atmosphere to rest in and eliminate all sources of blue light, which means putting away your tablet, smartphone, laptop, or TV. Using the proper mattress, pillows, and a weighted blanket will also help tremendously. 

How Do Weighted Blankets Help With RLS?

Weighted blankets, as implied by the name, are therapeutic blankets that are designed to be heavy. It uses the science of deep touch pressure or DTP to jumpstart crucial chemical reactions in your body that regulate your mood (serotonin) and make you sleepy (melatonin). These blankets are heavy enough while distributing the weight evenly across your body, activating pressure points that make it easier to feel cosy enough to sleep. 

Weighted blankets come with many benefits. They can reduce cortisol levels, or how much of the stress hormone you have, as you sleep. When your cortisol levels are too high for a long time, you’ll be more susceptible to developing high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and other medical conditions. Cortisol has also been linked to RLS, so when you start feeling unpleasant tingles in your legs, it’s time to throw a weighted blanket over you. 

Thanks to the snug feeling a weighted blanket gives you, it feels like you’re getting a hug, which will skyrocket your serotonin levels while encouraging your body to produce more melatonin. You’ll feel calmer, less anxious, and fall asleep faster and easier. You’ll feel so relaxed that sleep will take over faster than the onset of your RLS. 

Insomniacs have also found a reprieve in weighted blankets, which have helped them manage their sleep issues better. Several studies have found the positive effects of a weighted blanket on this specific sleep disorder, which bodes well for those struggling with RLS.