Have You Ever Asked “What is Restless Leg Syndrome?”

Have you ever asked what is restless leg syndrome, and do I suffer from it? Essentially restless leg syndrome is a neurological disorder that is often classified as a sleep disorder due to the extent to which it disrupts the ability to fall or stay asleep.  For someone who has RLS nighttime might follow the pattern of lying down for bed, adjusting yourself to go to sleep, and as you begin to relax and fall off you become overwhelmed by uncomfortable leg sensations.  No matter how hard you try to ignore the sensations in your legs, the burning, tingling, crawling sensations, the harder it is to ignore them.  Sleep is characterized by attempts to fall asleep, frequent tossing and turning, and finally by getting out of bed to move the legs and stretch them.  However, the relief is only momentary and after lying down the same sequence of events starts all over again.

Restless leg syndrome is a real disorder and has been discussed in the medical literature for several centuries, finally being recognized as a disorder in the 1940s.  Despite this, and the fact that up to 1 in 10 people suffer from it, it is not necessarily that easy to find information.  Some health professionals don’t even take restless legs seriously or consider it a real medical condition.  There is nothing more aggravating than suffering through the night tossing and turning, having to stretch your legs, feeling exhausted, and then being told you don’t have a real condition.  You could be told that it is simply “nerves.”

The truth is if you have not gone through the night trying to cope with restless legs and experienced the extent to which it disrupts your sleep, you might not realize just how distressing it can be.  Fortunately, restless leg syndrome is being studied more than ever and is becoming a more recognized and accepted disorder among the medical community.  If you have been suffering from restless legs you are in a better position than you ever were before to find some effective relief.

One of the prevailing theories about how restless leg begins is that it is caused by an imbalance in dopamine, one of the chemical neurotransmitters that send signals between nerve cells in the brain.  Dopamine helps to regulate neuromuscular activity.  For perhaps half of all cases of chronic restless leg syndrome there is a genetic basis.  While many men will complain of having restless leg syndrome it is found more commonly in women.  In fact, many pregnant women experience a temporary form of restless leg syndrome typically toward the end of their pregnancy.  Most often symptoms disappear after delivery of the child, although there is a greater susceptibility to chronic RLS with each pregnancy a woman has.

Restless leg syndrome can also be secondary to other disorders, including kidney failure, iron deficiency, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes.  A Recent study has found that there is also a connection between celiac disease and RLS.

Symptoms of RLS can vary from person to person.  While some people might describe the symptoms as if it were a burning, tingling, or prickling sensation, others describe it as bugs crawling up their legs or a deep bone ache.  Some people describe not just aggregating sensations but outright pain in the legs.  Because of this variability symptoms run the gamut from the mildly annoying to the disabling.  It could be that if you are fortunate you only have symptoms of RLS on an occasional basis, perhaps when you’re feeling stressed out.  On the other hand, you could be one of the unfortunate ones who must struggle with this disorder night after night and day after day.

Unlike many other disorders that ease up when you try to relax, restless leg syndrome symptoms tend to become worse when you are trying to rest or just sitting and relaxing.  For most people symptoms of RLS fire up as the evening comes on and particularly at night.  Often the symptoms are present not only during times of trying to sleep and lay down but also at any time your stationary, such as sitting at the desk for a long meeting, a long car ride or a flight.  Many people with RLS often feel sleepy and fatigued throughout the day, finding it difficult to concentrate.

Children who have restless legs often appear hyperactive and will complain that their legs hurt, a complaint that would frequently be dismissed as “growing pains.” They might also do poorly in school as their grades suffer due to problems concentrating and paying attention.

To get more helpful information get my free guide to sleep disorders.  You can also find information on restless leg syndrome home remedies.