Not to be confused with night-time leg cramps, RLS is an irritating condition that’s been described as ‘wanting to ride a bicycle under covers’. The inside of your legs may feel ‘creepy crawly’ or you may feel ‘darts of electricity’ in your calves.
RLS affects about five per cent of Australians and it’s a considered a movement disorder, because you need to move your limbs in order to get some relief. RLS impacts sleep and is often accompanied by Periodic Limb Movement in Sleep (PLMS) – involuntary twitches or jerks of the leg that happen every 15-40 seconds.
As the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in the US explains: “The most distinctive or unusual or distinctive aspect of the condition is that lying down and trying to relax activates the symptoms.”
Then there’s the accompanying frustration – to put things mildly. The Institute adds: “Many people with RLS report that their job, personal relations, and activities of daily living are strongly affected as a result of their sleep deprivation. They are also unable to concentrate, have impaired memory, or fail to accomplish daily tasks. It can also make travelling difficult and can cause depression.”
While there’s thought to be a genetic element as to why certain people get lumped with the condition, its causes are largely unknown. We do know, however, that women in their last trimester of pregnancy, people with some chronic diseases, and people on certain medications are more at risk.
What works to ease RLS
Lifestyle changes:
- Moving the limbs (temporary relief)
- Decreasing use of tobacco, alcohol and caffeine
- Making sure you get a moderate amount of exercise
- Massaging the legs
- Taking a hot bath
- Using a heat pack or ice
Natural medicines:
“Preliminary evidence suggests that symptoms of RLS may be relieved by supplementation with one of several minerals or vitamins, including magnesium, folate, iron and vitamin E,” says Dr Steven Bratman, author of Complementary and Alternative Medicine: the Scientific Verdict on What Really Works.
Please take note, however, that in this area the studies done so far have included small sample sizes and that the general advice is before supplementing, first check if you have a deficiency in these vitamins and minerals.
Magnesium
As Bratman says: “Preliminary studies suggest that supplemental magnesium may be helpful for RLS, even when magnesium levels are normal. An open study of 10 people with insomnia related to RLS or PLMS found that their sleep improved significantly when they took magnesium nightly for 4-6 weeks.” Note that this study did not include a placebo group.
Iron
One theory holds that mild iron deficiency may cause RLS by decreasing the amount of dopamine in the brain, Bratman says – a theory supported by findings that conventional drugs that increase dopamine activity may relieve RLS symptoms. The bottom line he says, is that “iron supplements might be useful for people with RLS who are deficient in iron.”
Vitamin E
As Bratman says: “In one report, seven out of nine people with RLS given 400-800 IU daily of vitamin E experienced virtually complete control of symptoms, while the other two had partial relief.”
Did you know?
Mounting evidence shows a link between RLS and the action in the brain, the neurotransmitter that’s needed to produce smooth, purposeful muscle movement. “Disruption of these [neural] pathways frequently results in involuntary movements,” reports the NINDS.
