Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a nervous system and disorder that causes uncomfortable feelings in your legs, and other extremities, during the night. RLS usually causes enough discomfort to interfere with sleep, causing sleep deprivation. The primary problem with restless leg syndrome is RLS causes you to wake up and move your legs to ease the discomfort. The more sleep deprived you are, the worsen your symptoms are, causing a vicious cycle.
If symptoms are intermittent or mild, then that could lead to undiagnosed RLS, causing untreated sleep deprivation. Continue reading to learn more about RLS and what causes it.
The symptoms of RLS all have one thing in common: discomfort in the legs (usually, though it can occur in other extremities). This discomfort can be mild, uncomfortable, and even intolerable. RLS symptoms may come and go, can be chronic, and intermittent.
As long as RLS symptoms are not mild, it should be relatively easy to identify.
RLS may affect up to 10% of the U.S. population [WebMD]. The causes of restless leg syndrome are unknown - for many people it’s “just one of those things” - though science has illuminated some pertinent information and risk factors for developing RLS.
Some factors that influence the severity or onset of RLS are:
In some cases, like RLS onset during pregnancy or after sleep deprivation, RLS may go away naturally. In other cases, RLS may be a chronic problem without treatment.
There is no direct treatment for RLS. Some treatments used in mild to moderate cases of RLS are targeted at lifestyle changes such as:
Non-lifestyle treatment methods include:
In some cases drugs may be used, but the effects may relieve or worsen your RLS (results are sporadic) and the effectiveness may lessen over time.
If you live in Alaska and are concerned that you may be struggling with RLS, consult with us to learn more information about what you are dealing with.