Restless legs Syndrome drastically affects your sleep quality, which leads to numerous side effects such as poor work performance, concentration issues, irritability, mood swings and a host of other concerns.
Getting to the bottom of RLS is a sure fire way to improving the quality of your life. We have been posting articles around this topic as its quite extensive. These articles are by no means to be taken as medical advice, as you should really consult your GP for professional assistance. However, there are a host of remedies and methods one should consider first before looking to pharmaceutical aid.
Restless legs Syndrome drastically affects your sleep quality, which leads to numerous side effects such as poor work performance, concentration issues, irritability, mood swings and a host of other concerns.
Getting to the bottom of RLS is a sure fire way to improving the quality of your life. We have been posting articles around this topic as its quite extensive. These articles are by no means to be taken as medical advice, as you should really consult your GP for professional assistance. However, there are a host of remedies and methods one should consider first before looking to pharmaceutical aid.
Our last article Restless Leg Syndrome Tips For Relief Part 2 touched on exercises you could do to ease the symptoms that prevent you from getting a good nights rest – exercises that focus on stretching and yoga.
In this article, we continue with methods to improve your sleep.
Try sleeping with a pillow between your legs – It may prevent nerves in your legs from compressing and result in fewer night-time RLS symptoms.
Stick to a regular sleep schedule – Support your body’s natural sleep rhythms by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day (yes this includes weekends if possible).
Optimize your bedroom for sleep – Make sure the room is dark (no lights from electronic devices), quiet, and cool.
Wind down with a relaxing bedtime routine – Try curling up in bed with a book, listening to calming music, or taking a hot bath (the heat has the added bonus of relieving restless legs).
Power down electronics 1-2 hours before bed – The blue light from screens (TVs, phones, tablets, computers) suppresses sleep-promoting hormones and stimulates your brain.
Avoid extended periods of inactivity – Sitting too long at the office or anywhere can lead to reduced blood circulation to the legs. If sitting for long periods is part of your job, you need to make a concerted effort to move around every hour at least.
Muscles in the glutes, hamstring and lower back areas become slack. They get used to that particular position and if not exercised and stretched every day, can lead to compressed nerves from slack muscles – ie sciatica for one.
To recap on instant relief:
1. Get up and walk around. Fighting the urge to move can make the feeling worse.
2. Distract yourself with a game or activity.
3. Apply hot or cold packs to your legs.
4. Try calf stretches, yoga poses, knee bends, or a simple ankle or foot rotation.
5. Relax your muscles with a massage or a hot bath.
6. Pressure can help relieve the discomfort of restless legs syndrome. Try wearing compression socks or stockings or wrap your legs in bandages (but not so tight you’ll cut off circulation).
One way to track whether or not your efforts are improving the situation is to keep a sleep diary. Sure, this is all beginning to sound like hard work, and popping a few pills prescribed by the good doctor may bring instant relief, or not.
Everything at this point is trial an error. We feel rather discover the best methods yourself than to rely solely on pharmaceutics – unless it’s absolutely necessary.