Deal with RLS

I wrote earlier that restless legs are still an underestimated problem. GPs do not always know enough about it. In such a case, patients who ask for help sometimes end up empty-handed.

Downplaying complaints is never a good thing. It causes additional distress. The patient does not feel taken seriously and is not getting the help he or she needs. If this state of affairs stems from incapacity or a lack of knowledge, it is all the more distressing.

Talk about restless legs

I also noticed that you don’t hear much about RLS. That is actually strange, because the ailment is quite common. Between 5 and 10 percent of the population has to deal with restless legs, in a lighter or more severe form. Maybe people don’t talk about it that easily because they fear they will be seen as a whiner.

I myself do not easily tell about my restless legs. However, I think it would be better if I did. Everyone wants to be able to vent every now and then, especially about something as drastic for daily life as RLS. Sharing is a good thing.

In fact, it might be favourable to choose someone close to you to confide in. That person gets to know you better and immediately learns more about this annoying, yet relatively unknown condition. I would say a win-win situation.

In a way it is also understandable that people do not always want to let go of so much about RLS. You would rather not be seen as someone with whom something is wrong. A judgment is passed easily. People may start to treat you differently because of this or you may get problems at work. Your restless legs make you vulnerable and we prefer to show other people that everything is going well.

Stress

RLS is stressful. If you are kept awake at night time and again by that rotten feeling in your legs, it is only human that you have a hard time with it. Due to a lack of sleep you are also less resilient.

Stress manifests itself, among other things, physically. Your body becomes tense. Your heart rate will increase. Stress also causes you to worry. You worry whether you will ever have a normal night’s sleep again, for example. So mental stress. When worries like this run through your head at night, it becomes even more difficult to fall asleep.

At a certain point I myself started to really dread going to sleep. The part of the day where you should just relax had become quite complicated for me because of RLS. I often had to get up about five times a night because of restless legs. The feeling in my calves was just unbearable. These interruptions prevented me from getting to a really deep sleep.

Until a few years ago I was always able to sleep well. I loved to indulge in a good, extended night’s sleep. If you are used to this, you can hardly imagine what it is like when sleeping is no longer such a natural thing. Like many others, I had never really thought about that.

Anxiety and depression

Stress that becomes too intense or lasts for too long can turn into anxiety or depression. One will be more susceptible to this than the other. In the event that this happens, someone may benefit from therapy.

I recently read that secondary RLS in particular is often associated with psychological complaints. I did not know that, but it does not really surprise me. In secondary RLS, symptoms arise from something else: from another condition or from a deficiency. Managing restless legs in such patients needs to be focused on both physical and psychological symptoms. In other words, a multidisciplinary approach.

The longer a person has symptoms of restless legs, the more tired he or she becomes. The more tired a person becomes, the more vulnerable to develop mental complaints in addition to the RLS. It therefore seems wise to me not to wait too long to take action or ask for help.

Coping strategies

Restless leg syndrome is a chronic condition. This means that you will continue to suffer from it for a long time. RLS is also a progressive condition. That means that the symptoms get worse over time. Not a pleasant prospect.

However, I don’t think you are powerless. In a practical sense, there are absolutely things you can do or – in some cases – not do. In any case, that ensures that you do not make the suffering greater than it needs to be. Here I would especially like to emphasize what possibilities you have in the mental area.

It makes all the difference how you relate to your complaints. I’m convinced of that. For me, this means, among other things, that I always do my best to remain optimistic. I deal with my restless legs as well as possible. I don’t resist, but try to relax as much as I can within the situation. If I am extra tired on some days, I adjust my day accordingly. I will not claim that it is always easy.

Framing

I believe it is an art of living, not to be led by negative thoughts. If I already oppose something, it is against these. However, over the years I have noticed that, amongst other things, consistent positive framing makes my life a lot more livable. For me, framing does not mean closing myself off for what is difficult. I accept that I am facing difficulties and make the most of it.

You may not immediately be able to apply this yourself. There are of course possibilities to initiate this with a little help. You can talk to someone who understands mental processes. I am thinking of a psychologist or someone who offers coaching in this area. For your relaxation and to get to know body & mind better, you can consider doing yoga or relaxation exercises.

RLS is a condition that can last for many years. It is therefore worth investing time in how you can best deal with this. Do it on your own or seek help.

I am curious about your experiences.

1 thought on “Deal with RLS”

  1. Ik praat niet zo graag over RLS omdat het zo lastig is uit te leggen, vaak denken mensen dat je pijn aan je benen hebt, maar dat is het nou juist niet, het is het onrustige gevoel en dat wordt vaak niet begrepen, helaas.

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