10 September 2015

Today's #Sleeptember FACT --- Your legs need to sleep too!

#SLEEPTEMBER

If you struggle to get to sleep because your legs just don't seem to want to settle down, you may be suffering from Restless Legs Syndrome (also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease).

Often the only way to achieve relief from your "jimmy legs" is to get up and walk around, have a massage or take a warm shower. But for people who are already sleepy, this added nightly ritual further cuts into their sleep schedule. What's worse, even if you do manage to fall asleep after a delay while you calm down your legs, they may still be active all night long after you've fallen asleep, which can lead to sleep fragmentation, nocturnal leg cramps and poor overall sleep quality. You may not notice it, but your sleep partner will.

Listen to your bed partner if they complain that your legs (or, less likely but still possibly, your arms) toss about all night long. Not only are your limbs keeping you from achieving quality deep sleep, they are also keeping your bed partner up. 

Fortunately, treating this common sleep disorder is simple. Learn more about what RLS/WEB in this great article in Psychology Today, "Restless Legs Syndrome: The most common disorder you have never heard of."