Difficulty falling asleep due to numbness in the legs, involuntarily shaking legs before going to bed… If you are often troubled by the above, you may need to be alert to a neurological disease – restless legs syndrome.
REST Legs Syndrome Can Cause Insomnia, Depression
Ms. Lee, 60, retired with a well-organized life. However, recently, Ms. Li always felt uncomfortable in her legs before going to bed every night. Her legs shook and kicked involuntarily. She felt better when she stood up, and her discomfort symptoms improved after walking on the ground. But when I lay down to sleep, my legs felt itchy and I couldn’t relieve it. After going to the hospital, it was diagnosed as restless legs syndrome.
In response, Ma Qinying, deputy director of the Neurological Function Examination and Treatment Center of the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, said that restless legs syndrome is a common neurological disease that affects women over the age of 45. Medium-high incidence, mainly manifested as a strong, irresistible desire to move the legs. Not only that, but there will be numbness, pain, itching, or indescribable abnormal sensations in both lower limbs, making it impossible to sleep. According to Ma Qinying, severe restless legs syndrome can affect the quality of life of patients, especially insomnia, depression and anxiety.
What are the symptoms of restless legs syndrome?
According to Ma Qinying, the symptoms of restless legs syndrome are prominent in the calf, but not limited to the calf, and may also involve the thigh and other parts of the body, such as the upper limbs, head, abdomen , and are usually symmetrical. Its clinical symptoms have a characteristic circadian variation pattern, which mostly occurs in the evening or at night, and the symptoms are relatively mild during the day. Sleep disturbances are mostly present, including difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, and periodic limb movements during sleep or wakefulness, often resulting in daytime fatigue, drowsiness, depression, and anxiety.
Ma Qinying said that restless legs syndrome is mainly divided into primary restless legs syndrome and secondary restless legs syndrome. Among them, patients with primary restless legs syndrome have unknown etiology and often have a family history. In the clinic, more restless legs syndrome is primary. Treatment methods mainly include drug therapy and non-drug therapy. Ma Qinying reminded that in addition to genetic factors, restless legs syndrome in children is mainly related to iron deficiency and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Regular sleep, balanced diet
When it comes to relieving restless legs syndrome, Ma Qinying first recommends moderate exercise. Especially activities that exercise the lower body, such as walking before bed, using fitness equipment to exercise, but pay attention to avoid overwork during the day, because overwork can easily aggravate symptoms.
At the same time, pay attention to regular sleep. Keep your sleeping environment quiet and comfortable, and go to bed and wake up on time. Ma Qinying suggested that you can soak your feet in hot water or take a hot bath before going to bed, and raise your feet and calves during sleep to promote blood circulation and relieve symptoms. At the same time, pay attention to adjusting your lifestyle and eating a balanced diet.
Ma Qinying reminded that because restless legs syndrome affects sleep at night and mental state during the day, patients are more prone to anxiety, irritability and other emotions. These emotions in turn affect symptoms, leading to a vicious cycle. So, it’s important to stay in a good mood. Psychological counseling can be sought when necessary, especially for patients who have already experienced obvious emotional reactions.
(Yandurong Media reporter Tan Yanan)