Hamburg - People who experience peculiar sensations in their legs at night often discover they have a condition called restless leg syndrome (RLS). "Prickling and tugging on the legs and the need to flex or stretch the muscles can greatly impact sleep," said Frank Bergmann of the German professional association of neurologists. The results reveal themselves the next day through chronic fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
About 20 per cent of all sleep disruption can be attributed to undetected RLS, according to the association.
Light exercises and walking can temporarily relieve the discomfort. But to be able to optimally treat the problem, Bergmann said it must first be determined whether the symptoms are being caused by another illness. Weak kidneys, thyroid dysfunction and a deficiency of iron are all problems that are associated with restless legs.
"Certain substances such as stomach acid blockers, lithium and caffeine can trigger the symptoms," said Bergmann.
RLS is not unusual during the last months of pregnancy and after the birth of a baby. When the symptoms cannot be attributed to another cause, the problem is treated as RLS. The medication, however, should be tailored to the individual problems, Bergmann added. Regular sleep, light exercise and a cold or warm shower can be beneficial.
