I know this isn’t my normal kind of blog post, but RLS really sucks and I wish I’d found more info on it earlier. Over the years I’ve developed many techniques to help combat it, and I figured I would share. I’m not a doctor by any means, I’ve just spent over a decade dealing with this particular ailment.

First off, What is restless leg syndrome?
RLS, quite simply, one of the most awful sensations a person can feel. I’ve never read any official description that is even close to what I feel. Some describe it as burning, itching or creeping feeling but all I know is that is it EXTREMELY uncomfortable and keeps me awake. Violently jerking my leg is the only way to get rid of the sensation. Mostly it’s isolated to the legs, but I’ve had it in my arms too. More info here

Here’s what’s worked for me. Will it work for you? I dunno! If it does, let me know in the comments.

1. No caffeine 6 hours before bedtime
Caffeine seems to be the most influential factor for me. If I consume something caffeinated after 6pm, I will definitely have problems. It doesn’t have to be a cup of coffee either– caffeine is in a lot more things than people realize. Coffee, tea and chocolate are the most common sources, but some medications have it too. Ironically, anything that says “decaf” probably has a little caffeine. Not as much as the regular version, but enough for your legs to know the difference.

2. Isolate the problem muscle
I have no idea what most people’s restless legs are like, but in my own experience it’s been one muscle group– the muscles just above my kneecap and up the anterior (front) portion of my right thigh– where the sensations originate. Once you know where it originates, you can massage and stretch accordingly.

3. Stretch it out
Stretching the problem muscle is a no-brainer, but if that doesn’t help then consider stretching the rest of your body. If I’m tense, the combined tension in other parts of my body will make my legs worse. Spend 10 minutes stretching out your legs, arms and back and see if that helps. Stay in each position for one to two minutes, or as long as you can if you can’t do a full minute.

4. Massage it out
One weird thing I discovered is how massaging my neck and scalp helps my leg. If you can get someone to rub your back, that should help too, as long as it’s a deep, tension-releasing massage. Effleurage alone is probably not going to do the trick.

5. Get adequate exercise
As much as I hate to admit this, getting an hour or so of walking in per day can really help you in about a billion ways, not to mention with RLS. I’ve read that “over-exercising” can aggravate RLS, but I don’t believe I have ever, ever had that issue.

6. Avoid antidepressants and other medications
Now, don’t quit your meds and then go kill yourself because if this stupid blog post, but if you’re taking fluoxetine (prozac) for mild depression and it’s robbing you of a good night’s sleep because of your restless legs, then it’s probably hurting your depression more than helping. I took a plethora of antidepressants for years and I never realized how much they aggravated my restless legs until I quit them. Getting more, better quality sleep has made more difference in my life than Welbutrin ever did. Some people think most anti-depressants are barely above placebo level of effectiveness anyway, but that’s for another blog post entirely. Ask your psychiatrist if your meds affect RLS, or, if you really want to be fancy, you can ask if they affect serotonergic or dopaminergic neurotransmission.

7. DO NOT take medication for RLS unless you absolutely have to
For me, Requip turned a really annoying condition into a complete nightmare. It’s effective at stopping RLS while the drug is in active, but it made my condition worse all the rest of the time. It got to the point where I had to take it every night, and sometimes during the day. If I was staying somewhere and forgot my Requip, I wouldn’t be able to sleep no matter what. Every time I got a little tired during the day my legs, and sometimes my arms, would drive me nuts. In less than two weeks I was turned into a friggin’ Requip junkie. It was awful. I would put 100 bars of soap in my bed before I tried Requip, if I were you.

Let me know if any of those tips are helpful, or if you have any tips to add. I slept with a bar of soap in my bed for a while, but I’m not convinced the effect of it was any more than psychological. I have noticed, though, that trying to get my mind off it by counting can sometimes help. Maybe kicking that bar around helps get you mind off the leg worms.