Restless Legs Keep Millions Awake

Imagine it’s the end of a long day, and you gratefully climb into bed, put your head down on the pillow, and relax. But just as you are drifting into dreamland, you’re awakened by a sudden violent motion of your legs.
If you’ve never experienced restless leg syndrome (RLS), it’s hard to understand the creepy-crawly feelings forcing your legs to move. But millions of people suffer from this condition which can rob them of needed sleep and leave them exhausted the next day.
Up to 8 percent of the population has RLS, which plagues people mostly when they are resting. Your restless legs may also keep your spouse awake as you kick and thrash all night long.
Restless leg syndrome may be a symptom of an underlying disorder, so it should be discussed with doctor. It is not uncommon during the last few months of pregnancy, but usually disappears once the baby is born. RLS may also be a sign of anemia.
We heard from one RLS sufferer: “Many years ago, I was having to run up and down stairs all night. I was simply exhausted and wondered if I was losing my mind.
“I worked at Baylor and one day came across the term Restless Leg Syndrome. I dashed to the medical library to look it up. The article I found had a footnote stating that it was sometimes related to low hemoglobin. That clicked, since I was a regular blood donor. I started taking iron immediately, and in about a week I was actually sleeping through the night!”
Some people find B vitamins especially helpful: “My husband suffers from RLS. His body would twitch every 3 to 15 seconds for hours on end. I know-I lay awake and counted as I listened to the clock chime every 15 minutes! I looked on the Internet and found an article that related RLS to a lack of folic acid. I suggested my husband take folic acid, which he has, and we have been sleeping soundly ever since.”
Other readers have also adopted dietary approaches. One man wrote: “I take a calcium-magnesium supplement, use a potassium chloride salt substitute on my food, and have eliminated all beverages that contain phosphoric acid (soda pop). This was simple and cheap. I actually saved money by eliminating diet cola.
“My RLS is completely gone and several of the other folks I have told about this have also reported elimination or reduction of symptoms, so it isn’t just a fluke. None of the doctors I saw even considered the possibility that my problem might be diet-related.”
For some people, medicines can be very useful: “For three years, I suffered torturous nights with RLS. None of my doctors knew anything about it, and they weren’t very interested. I finally found a wonderful doctor who decided to learn more. He prescribed Neurontin, and now it is a rare night when I’m troubled with symptoms.”
Another reader says, “I suffered with the ‘feeling’ for 30 years. My doctor prescribed quinine, which for me is a sure-fire solution. Even a couple glasses of tonic water helps.” As long as people are not sensitive to quinine this can be a helpful remedy.
It may take persistence to find the best approach to RLS, but it is possible for most people to overcome this devastating condition.