Restless Legs Syndrome

About 10% of people experience the discomfort of restless legs syndrome (RLS) at some time in their life. The discomfort from RLS is most bothersome when you lie down to rest, with a creepy crawling sensation in the legs, and relief comes from stretching or moving the legs.

The RLS can cause insomnia in some patients. Most often the cause of the RLS is unknown, but it can be secondary to other problems such as kidney failure, pregnancy, anemia (particularly from iron deficiency) and medications (such as certain antihistamines and antidepressant medications)

Treatment is available.  Some of the medications used for Parkinson’s disease can be effective in very low dosages.  Supplemental iron is given to those with low stores of iron in the body. 

For further information, these web sites are recommended:

American Academy of Sleep Medicine – http://sleepeducation.org/

National Sleep Foundation – https://www.sleepfoundation.org/

RLS Foundation – https://www.rls.org/