Sleep is essential for your overall health. It supports your memory, helps regulate your mood, enhances immune function, and maintains your energy levels. When you are unable to fall asleep or stay asleep, it can disrupt your daily life. This can decrease your productivity, make it difficult to concentrate, and impact your mood. Consistently poor sleep can have serious health consequences. Restless legs syndrome is a condition that can impact your sleep. What is restless legs syndrome?
What Is Restless Legs Syndrome?
Restless legs syndrome is a neurological condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs. This is often accompanied by tingling, itching, or pulling sensations. Restless legs syndrome often occurs when someone is resting, specifically in the evening or at night. This can make it extremely difficult to fall asleep. Movement can temporarily reduce discomfort. However, constant motion is necessary. This is why the condition can have a serious impact on your sleep.
The condition can impact anyone at any age. If you have restless leg syndrome, it can worsen over time. It can be hereditary, so if you have a close family member with the condition, you are at a higher risk of having it. Genetic restless legs syndrome often happens before age 40. Certain factors can exacerbate symptoms. This includes pregnancy and hormonal changes.
Consequences of Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome is not a life-threatening medical condition. However, it can have serious consequences on your sleep quality. In turn, this impacts your overall mental and physical health. There are several negative impacts it can have on your daily life.
Impact on Sleep
Restless legs syndrome can have a profound impact on sleep. This includes the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. The uncontrollable urge to move the legs occurs most often at night. This makes falling asleep very difficult, as movement is one of the only ways to reduce the urge. However, the condition can also cause frequent nighttime awakenings. Fragmented sleep is extremely harmful, even if you log enough hours of sleep throughout the night. Over time, the impact on sleep can lead to several unwanted problems. Health issues, mood swings, and productivity are common impacts of a poor night’s sleep.
Daytime Impact
Poor sleep has a negative impact on daily life. People with restless legs syndrome often report persistent fatigue and energy issues. Low energy can lead to moodiness, reduced productivity, and cognitive issues. This can impact your work performance, social interactions, and self-confidence. You may often feel like a person who is always tired and lacks energy. This can lead to dietary issues as people often rely on food and caffeine to overcompensate for poor sleep. When you are tired, it is much easier to grab fast food and processed products. You may also skip your regular workouts if you have no energy.
Long-Term Health Issues
Chronic sleep issues increase the risk for long-term health conditions. People with restless leg syndrome often experience anxiety and depression. Both conditions impact your daily life and cognitive function. If you currently have any health issues, restless legs syndrome can exacerbate those conditions. When you constantly feel tired and it impacts work or school, it can be detrimental. Poor work or school performance can result in lost wages and missed work. To avoid these serious consequences, it is important to get treatment from a sleep specialist. They can create a treatment plan to address your unique sleep issues.
Restless Legs Syndrome Treatment
Treatment for restless legs syndrome involves a multifaceted approach. Effective treatment can significantly improve symptoms. This can have a positive impact on your overall quality of life. A sleep specialist can create a customized treatment plan based on your unique needs. Below are some of the most effective treatment options for restless leg syndrome.
Medication
In some cases, medications are necessary to address the symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Moderate to severe cases may benefit from the following medications.
Dopamine-Enhancing Drugs
Dopamine-enhancing drugs regulate movements. They also reduce the uncomfortable sensations that trigger the urge to move. These are often the first line of treatment. They alleviate symptoms quickly and are effective for the majority of patients.
Calcium Channel Medications
Calcium channel medications can help alleviate tingling or crawling sensations in the legs. For patients who cannot take dopamine-based drugs, this is an effective alternative.
Muscle Relaxers and Sleep Aids
Muscle relaxers and sleep aids help you get a good night’s sleep and reduce nighttime leg activity. They provide patients with the ability to get deep, uninterrupted sleep. This is achieved by relaxing the body and reducing nighttime movement.
A skilled sleep specialist can assess your symptoms and determine what, if any, medications are beneficial for you.
Lifestyle Changes
Making changes to your lifestyle is an easy way to reduce symptoms. Consider implementing the following into your routine.
Baths and Massages
Warm baths and gentle massages can help relax your muscles. This can soothe discomfort and reduce nighttime restlessness. Try to incorporate these steps into your nighttime wind-down routine.
Moderate Exercise
Moderate to regular exercise can improve circulation. This can lessen symptom intensity. If you are new to exercising, implement light walks and stretching into your daily routine. It can improve your overall health and manage the symptoms of restless legs syndrome.
Warm and Cold Compresses
If you experience itching or tingling sensations, applying warm and cold compresses can help alleviate the discomfort. Alternate between warm and cold packs to alleviate overstimulated nerves. Add this into your evening routine each night for the best results.
Work Closely with a Sleep Specialist
In addition to medication and lifestyle changes, work closely with a sleep specialist. They can assess your progress and determine the right course of action for treatment. To improve your treatment plan, keep a diary of your symptoms and sleep patterns. This can help the sleep specialist customize your treatment plan. Regular follow-ups are necessary to ensure its success.
Best Sleep Specialist
If you are struggling with sleep, contact the team at Sleep MD today to schedule an appointment!
