What is Restless Leg Syndrome?

Just like the name suggests, restless leg syndrome describes a condition when an individual an little to no control on the movement of the leg at certain times. Those who suffer from this very uncomfortable condition tend to experience a creepy feeling in the feet and legs. While the urge for movement can occur at any time of the day, researchers have revealed that it is usually worse at night when an individual is sleeping or resting. The “peak” time of this syndrome means the sleep patterns and quality of people are impacted as they increasingly find it difficult to sleep or stay asleep. This subsequently has an impact on their lifestyle as they become increasingly exhausted during the day.

Restless leg syndrome might not be as popular as some other conditions but it is more common than many people would like to think. In the United States for instance, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates that between 7% to 10% of people suffer from RLS (or Willis-Ekbom Disease). In addition to this, the syndrome has been discovered to be more common in women than men, and gets worse as people age.

Causes and Symptoms

Despite the level of researches and studies that has gone into RLS, the exact cause(s) are still unknown. However, health professionals have discovered its emergence in women during pregnancy, particular after entering the third trimester of their pregnancy. In addition to this, low dopamine levels have also been attributed to the rise of RLS in certain people. Dopamine is the chemical that helps with muscle movement in the body. Closely related to this is the existence of pre-existing conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes or iron deficiency. The most common cause of the syndrome has been linked to genetics because many people who have it tend to have family members with the same condition.

Is there a cure?

There is currently no cure for RLS, hence efforts have majorly been directed towards managing the syndrome. When the syndrome are not caused by underlying conditions has mentioned above, then simple lifestyle changes such as regular exercise can go a great way at reducing the occurrence. Restless leg syndrome linked to underlying medical condition may be well managed and severity reduced if that underlying condition is well managed. However, regardless of whether the syndrome is linked to an underlying condition, the use of weighted blankets have shown to be effective at managing the syndrome, especially at night when it usually gets worse.

What are weighted blankets?

Weighted blankets usually weigh between five to twenty five pounds or ten percent of an individual’s body weight. Due to their weight, there are able to make use of what is called deep pressure therapy, creating some sort of counter-weight that makes it more difficult to twitch and move during sleep. During this process, the nervous systems is more relaxed, making it easier to fall and stay asleep. In addition to this, these blankets can help produce serotonin and dopamine chemicals which helps the body to be calm.