Insomnia, acute or chronic, has many allies, contributing conditions that cause us to suffer greatly in the quest for proper rest. Caffeine, alcohol, artificially bright lights after 3pm, they are all culprits. An under-active pineal gland, due to any number of reasons, can cause a lack in the body's melatonin production - yet another very common culprit for a bout of insomnia.
Then comes the environmental causes. Babies crying, a loud neighbor or neighborhood, an unfamiliar surrounding - such as a hotel room, the cottage, or a friends couch. Even a ticking clock can become annoying enough to interrupt a good night's sleep to an insomniac.
The causes are great and many. But one that is seldom explored is a rare condition that can be hell for a person, or at least their spouse and/or sleeping partner.
Restless Leg SyndromeRLS, also known as Wittmaack-Ekbom's syndrome, is an irresistible and uncontrollable urge to twitch and move - sometimes violently - in order to stop uncomfortable or peculiar sensations. People who suffer this condition describe it as having the extremities feel itchy, and/or they feel a burning sensation which is temporarily relieved by sudden twitches and movement. Although it most commonly begins as middle age sets in (40 - 50 years of age) it has been documented in infants all the way up to young adults.
The condition of restless leg syndrome has been shown to be most common in people with an iron deficiency. Such a deficiency can account for 1/5th of certain clinically scrutinized RLS cases. There are other conditions that both exacerbate and co-relate with this problem, things like diabetes, thyroid disease, magnesium deficiency, poor vascular consistency, e.t.c... and as such, a proper diagnosis is required to rule out the many possible physiological causes.
If you suffer from this condition, you may gloss over it by making jokes, or maybe your partner has poked fun at how you "chase rabbits" in your sleep. Quite simply, it is no laughing matter, and not a small problem. Rare yes, small no. Firstly there are no known preventative measures. Secondly, once all other potential contributing causes are ruled out, RLS treatment is an expensive and long term proposal that - using drug therapy - has known,
serious side effects (like nausea, dizziness, hallucinations). In fact, drug therapy treatment should be only considered as a last ditch effort, and only if the condition is becoming violent and potentially dangerous to you or your sleeping partner.
If you believe you have RLS, or perhaps your partner has let you know that you've kicked or punched out in your sleep, my best advice is to immediately see a doctor and schedule a polysomnogram - as well as a full medical/blood work up. However, to combat the problem immediately you may try an additional iron supplement, or do your best to get more iron in your diet through your nutritional intake. Additionally you may need extra magnesium, available in supplement form or by eating foods rich in these vitamins and minerals.
One other thing you can try is to stretch, either just before bed time, or at the onset of an attack. If an onset of RLS wakes you, simply stand up and stretch by touching your toes. Complete a cycle of 5 stretches, held for 20 seconds each time. This has been known to significantly reduce the severity of RLS in some patients.
There Is HopeAccording to wikipedia... "a non-drug musculoskeletal approach has been developed by a small group of doctors working at the London College of Osteopathic Medicine, London, UK and appears to produce relief of symptoms in 80–90% of patients." So it is good to know someone, somewhere, is on the case. I can't comment on the approach yet - since this is ongoing research - but I have put in more than a few phone calls and emails. I will certainly report back with any new and pertinent info.
In the meantime, don't panic, restless leg syndrome is not going to kill you, (although your spouse may try to beat you senseless if you are kicking them in their sleep:)). In all seriousness, if you are showing any signs of RLS, be sure to act promptly and do not ignore it like one can ignore the occasional sleepless night. Here's some things you can do right away:
- Have a blood work up to see if you have proper iron and magnesium.
- Try iron and/or magnesium supplements if you can't change your diet or get to a doctor in a hurry.
- Make sure to limber up before you sleep by stretching and loosening up.
If these weapons don't work to combat your issue, it may be time to get a proper sleep study done (polysomnogram) wherein a doctor can assess the severity of your problem, and even potentially rule it out as nothing more than bad dreams.
One thing I cannot stress enough. Only in the worst and
most extreme cases should you seek out drug therapy for RLS, because of both the expense (100-150.00 per month, for life!), and the potential side effects. Regular readers know that I always try and preach a non pharmaceutical approach to
insomnia cures. In cases of non-RLS related insomnia, that is just my hope that you can help yourself and avoid certain dependency issues. However RLS drug therapy is an entirely different beast. There are far more serious side effects associated with RLS drugs. Just be aware, and be extra cautious.
Now, stretch your legs, relax with some valerian root tea, and get some sleep!!!
