You are lying there in bed and all of a sudden, you can not suppress the need to move your legs. It makes it so hard to go to sleep. Or perhaps you lucked out and fell asleep early in the evening, but awaken because your legs or arms started jerking uncontrollably.

The interruption in quality sleep can be very frustrating if you have Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) or Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMB). Although RLS is something that you control, the need to move your limbs is so great you cannot even begin to consider sleeping.

Lets look at some of the facts about both disorders together with some beneficial info on the way to treat it if you think one of these could be the real cause of your sleep deprivation:


Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Leg Syndrome is a sleep disorder where your legs are so uncomfortable that you need to move them to make them feel better. Moving the legs makes the sensation go away temporarily, but it returns when you attempt to relax and go to sleep again.

You will know if you have Restless Leg Syndrome if you notice a sudden urge to move your legs because they feel jittery, like they are burning, or as if something’s crawling on them. It will happen when you are sitting or lying down. If you move your legs and it feels better, it’s a good indication you may have RLS.

Some people can simply stretch out or change positions in bed, while others have to get up and walk around. There is no known cause for RLS, but the disorder regularly runs in families. Scientists are honing in on the chemical dopamine, since it’s what manages your muscle movements.

Controlling RLS could be so simple as controlling your stress, which seems to worsen the symptoms. A doctor can diagnose RLS through a number of questions, but there is no easy test to confirm RLS.

To treat it, you will need to ensure you have your physician check to see if you are suffering from an iron deficiency, because many RLS sufferers have revealed that their symptoms vanished after their iron was brought back to normal levels.

Your doctor may prescribe a drug like what Parkinson’s or epilepsy patients receive. Or, he may endorse a simple muscle relaxant. Lifestyle changes will be necessary, like cutting down on stimulants like caffeine.

You can help lessen the urge to move your legs by trying hot and cold packs, pain relievers, or a warm bath. Meditation, Yoga, a relaxing environment,and exercise also make a contribution to getting rid of RLS symptoms.


Periodic Limb Movement Disorder

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (or Syndrome) is when your legs and/or arms move involuntarily while you are asleep. This will often wake you up, and if you have a sleeping partner such as a spouse, it can interrupt their sleep as well. Occasionally people with RLS can also be afflicted by PLMD.

PLMD happens occasionally and can strike any age group, even though it’s commoner in older adults. There are two types of Periodic Limb Movement disorders: primary and secondary.

Primary PLMD is when there is no known cause, while secondary PLMD is the results of another health problem, like diabetes, sleep apnea, anemia, and narcolepsy. Someone that suffers from PLMD may not even know it, since it happens while sleeping. It’s generally indicated by a sleeping partner or sleep study expert, who observes that the subject jerks their knees and legs, or trounces around while sleeping for a couple of seconds. Although the person may sleep through it, their deep sleep is disrupted, leading to daytime sleepiness.

There’s no way to cure PLMD, but many drugs work to suppress involuntary muscle movements. If you have secondary PLMD, then your symptoms may vanish for good once the underlying medical problem improves. If you are working with primary PLMD, then you can see symptoms return intermittently even after they are in hand. You may be in a position to obtain relief without medicating yourself by trying straightforward relaxation methods and improving your sleep environment. A mixture of treatments could help banish the restlessness in your limbs for good!

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