Sleep Tips For Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome is a concern that not only keeps you from getting to sleep but also prevents you from feeling refreshed after you wake up. This is an extremely disruptive condition that significantly diminished the efficacy of full night of rest. But that does not mean you have to struggle every night! You can use a few smart tips that will help provide a sense of comfort and aide your sleep time ritual.
Keep Your Legs Elevated
Start by looking at how your legs are positioned while you are asleep. You can keep your legs elevated to prevent the pains and discomfort that come with RLS from being a burden. You can use pillows along your legs to keep them elevated. An adjustable frame that you can position to keep your legs upward may help as well. Doing this helps promote proper blood circulation, which lessens the feeling of restlessness.
Get Enough Exercise
Your next tip is to get some exercise for your legs. About 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day can help increase blood flow and minor fatigue. Exercises like cycling, swimming, or even yoga and Pilates can help you move your legs and keep them from feeling active late at night. Exercising a few hours before getting to bed helps you restore your body’s natural functions while feeling a little more refreshed and restored. But be sure the exercises you perform are not too strenuous or tough. Anything that is too intense might cause your legs to feel tight and sore.
Use Temperature Therapy
Use heat and cold therapy to keep your legs relaxed. Apply warm packs onto your legs and then use cold packs after that. The treatment reduces pains in the legs and can keep your nerves from feeling too active. You can use this treatment plan about an hour before getting to bed. Replace the heat with cold or the other way around after about 10 to 15 minutes during your therapy session. Alternating the temperature keeps your legs from being hurt or irritated.
Massage to Promote Blood Flow
The massage process helps to soothe nerves and to keep the flow of blood around your legs from being too little or too intense. The massaging motions you use can go back and forth along your legs. You can massage them to where the blood flow will feel even and comfortable all the way through. But you must avoid anything that is too rough or hard for your body to manage.
RLS is tough for many to live with, but you can control the symptoms if you use the best possible sleep tips for the condition. Follow these tips for sleeping with restless leg syndrome so you can manage the uncomfortable feeling and make it bearable.