You’ve probably heard of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), but how much do you actually know about it? Between 7 and 10 percent of Americans suffer from this chronic condition and most of us could not recognize it if it was happening right in our front yards–or better yet, our bedrooms.
Diagnosis is critical for people with RLS because it is a disruptive sleep condition, meaning that it actively interrupts the body’s natural sleep cycle, making it difficult for patient’s to make it to their deepest sleep cycle, when their body gets its most rest. This can lead to daytime irritation and drowsiness, impaired decision making, mental health struggles, insomnia, and it can even trigger other medical conditions. Things like insulin creation and distribution and metabolic rate are all set in the thyroid which is extremely sensitive to poor sleep schedules.
If you notice that you are having trouble sleeping throughout the night and you have begun to gain or lose weight rapidly, you are feeling depressed or anxious than usual, or you are experiencing irregularities with your heart, it is time to see a doctor immediately. Less severe symptoms might be more difficult to spot, but they are just as much a sign that you may need to seek medical intervention.
But, to recognize RLS in yourself or others, you should probably understand what it is first. Here is our Comprehensive Guide To Everything You Need To Know About Restless Leg Syndrome!
What is Restless Leg Syndrome?
Restless Leg Syndrome is one of the most common and undiagnosed sleep disorders around. RLS that it is a chronic, life-long neurologic disorder. Our patients often come in citing a difficulty sleeping through the night and are shocked to find out they have RLS. RLS is a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs and feet. The sensations are resolved with movement (stretching, getting out of bed and walking, messaging) but come back after these activities. 80-90 % of persons with RLS will have limb movements in sleep.
RLS is very common and not something to worry about too much. If a patient is diagnosed and treated for RLS by a physician or certified sleep medicine specialist, it is easily manageable. Though there is not a cure for RLS, treatment and management of symptoms is fairly straightforward with the help of an experienced professional. Living with RLS does not have to stop you from enjoying a normal, regenerative sleep schedule and active daily life.
Symptoms
The most obvious and common symptom of Restless Leg Syndrome is leg movement during the night. If your partner or loved one is constantly kicking, twitching, or wiggling their legs throughout the night, there is a good chance that they are suffering from RLS.
Keep in mind that up to one in every ten people are fighting this ailment and many of them do not know about it. Your loved ones cannot monitor their own sleep behaviors, but your vigilance could help them sleep and feel better.
Though you might not be able to tell when your legs are moving around all night, if you notice a recurring pain or uncomfortable feeling in your legs, it is time to schedule yourself a sleep study with your local sleep medicine facility. You should also note your drowsiness levels throughout the day if you suspect you might have a sleep disorder like RLS. If you are regularly waking up in the mornings and still feeling tired, even after a full night’s sleep, this could be a sign that you are suffering from a sleep disorder. If you change your habits and night-time routine to better support healthy sleep habits but you are still feeling restless at night, it might be time to see a sleep medicine specialist.
Causes
Though RLS is a fairly common sleep disorder, doctors are still unsure of what exactly causes these uncomfortable feelings. More than likely, genetics play a larger role than anything else. A clear link has been found between patients suffering from RLS and close family members suffering from the same affliction. In fact, almost half of the people diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome can cite at least one family member with the same diagnosis.
Of course, this number could be skewed because of the awareness that people have of the condition when they know someone with it, versus the obliviousness that those who are not knowingly around people with RLS often might have. RLS might also be related to other medical conditions and medications taken.
Many sleep disorders are thought to be triggered by chronic illness, pregnancy, childbirth, mental illness, anemia, kidney failure, high blood pressure, and any number of other common medical conditions. The medication prescribed to treat these conditions may also have the unwanted side-effect of making it difficult to get and stay asleep. Prolonged exposure to these kinds of medications can do a lot of damage to a patient’s sleep-wake cycle if not handled properly.
Diagnosis
While there is no official “test” for Restless Leg Syndrome, it is one of the easiest conditions to positively identify. Restless Legs Syndrome is diagnosed by history of the symptoms. A physician may want to speak to your sleep partner, if possible, or they may even want to do a sleep study. Because RLS is such an easy sleep disorder to identify, this should not be a test that has to be performed multiple times like sleep studies done to detect other sleep disorders. There are a few very simple points that sleep specialists look for in patients to determine if they have RLS or not.
A patient must exhibit 4 signs to meet the diagnosing criteria for Restless Leg Syndrome:
- The overwhelming urge to move one’s legs for comfort- this is obviously not something that can be directly observed, but leg movement and facial expression is monitored closely.
- This urge intensifies throughout the night.
- The uncomfortable feeling goes away, at least temporarily, with movement- again, your sleep medicine specialist will monitor your expressions and even brain waves in some cases to see if your discomfort lessens after movement.
- A different medical condition, such as arthritis or muscle spasms, are not the root cause of your issue- your sleep specialist will check your medical chart for prior diagnoses and test you for other conditions if the symptoms seem to fit something else as well.
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is no cure or even direct treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome. There are, however, plenty of ways to treat the symptoms so that you can still live a normal life and achieve a consistent, healthy sleep schedule.
For mild or early cases of RLS, a doctor might recommend making a few strategic lifestyle changes to help control your muscular discomfort throughout the night. Regular exercise has been known to relieve RLS symptoms, as well as avoiding chemical stimulants such as caffeine or different medications. You can also try things like leg massages before bed, heating pads, or warm baths before bed. Relaxing the leg muscles before bed can help relieve discomfort as the night progresses.
For more severe cases, medical intervention might be necessary. There are several drugs prescribed for different medical conditions that have had great results in controlling muscle movement and discomfort. Medications that treat a variety of different conditions, from depression to seizures, can be prescribed to best treat your RLS symptoms.
These treatment plans should be discussed and planned out by a licensed sleep medicine specialist or physician. If you or a loved one continues to struggle with these issues after making the recommended changes, it is time to make a plan with your sleep specialist.
Gingras Sleep Medicine
Gingras Sleep Medicine is a state-of-the-art facility specializing in sleep disorders and related conditions for patients of all ages. Founder and Medical Director, Dr. Jeannine Gingras is a double board-certified sleep medicine specialist located in Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina. Her years of experience in both patient care and research in the field of sleep medicine has given her a special insight into what keeps her patients up at night. Along with her team of experienced professionals, Dr. Gingras will develop a plan to help you treat RLS or any other sleep disorder that could be keeping you awake at night.
Your sleep is important. It’s time to start treating it that way. If you have any questions regarding sleep disorders or how a sleep medicine specialist can help you live a healthier life, please call us at (704) 944-0562 or request an appointment online to get on the road to restful, restorative sleep.