Vibration Plate

Restless legs can be related to reduced blood flow. The exact cause of RLS is unknown. It may be related to a lack of dopamine. No drug has been found to cure RLS yet. You can make an effort though to ease the symptoms.

Last summer I therefore tried a vibration plate for a few months. In that period I had just stopped taking the supplements magnesium and iron. I wanted to give my body the opportunity to “reset”. I have noticed that the supplements have more effect after such a period. The disadvantage is that my problems with RLS intensified during those months.

That was therefore also a good time to test something new. I think people with RLS will recognize this. If sleeping goes fairly well, for whatever reason, you are less likely to try things out. You do not want to jeopardize that balance – however temporary. Now that I was already sleeping badly, I was extra motivated to try this device.

By the way, I got the vibration plate for my birthday. The giver wants to stimulate me in this way to keep looking at means that improve my situation. Who am I to argue with that. I therefore started on a new adventure, in this case the vibration plate.

In the daytime

After reading the instructions I gathered courage and took the plunge. I started with a 10 minute sessions. You switch on the device by means of a remote control. There are different programs, each of which works with vibrating and massaging the soles of the feet.

Some programs are more intense than others. I found some programs downright painful and could not endure for long. What I also noticed was that I needed a piece of fabric between the skin of my foot and the vibration plate. In cooler weather I kept my socks on, otherwise I put a towel in between.

Other programs had the right intensity for me. As can be with me: I got the hang of it. A few days after my first 10 minutes I already did longer sessions. Sometimes I did the same program a few times in a row or else a mix of different programs. I thought it was a pleasant experience. The vibrations of the vibration plate gave me the impression that my legs were activated in a good way.

Soon I used the vibration plate every day. I did the first session sometime in the middle of the afternoon and often another at the end of the afternoon or early evening. This made sense to me. I get up very early in the morning and am active until the first part of the afternoon. After that I sit longer in a row and my legs do much less. So they can use a little stimulus.

The last session of the day was usually the one at the beginning of the evening. Because of getting up early, I also go to bed quite early in the evening. After the vibration plate I did the stretching exercises, which I have been doing every evening for a long time. The exercises help against restless legs and also to relax.

At night

During these months I got up extra often at night. As said, not taking supplements unfortunately caused increased complaints. I therefore needed more time out of bed to be able to fall asleep again. It was as if my body had to “charge” the legs every time. That was achieved by sitting up straight, with my feet on the floor. I found myself coming a long way with half an hour at a time. Back in bed I could usually sleep for a while. Until I woke up again from my restless legs.

I didn’t think it was a bad idea to try out the vibration plate at night as well. Of course I hoped it would help and that I could add something more to my self-help arsenal. I sat down for at least half an hour each time and often a few times a night. In the meantime I usually watched a series or part of a documentary. I did this for a few months in a row. I felt it had a beneficial effect.

Sometimes the vibrating felt like too much stimulation. When I went back to bed, the leg misery started all too quickly. I had also read about this with fellow sufferers. Devices that stimulate blood circulation can also be too much and in that case they backfire.

The same actually applies to movement. It is good to exercise regularly. That reduces the symptoms of RLS. However, moving too intensively or for too long leads to more complaints. It seems that everyone has to figure out for themselves what is too much for him or her. You will undoubtedly go wrong with this every now and then. However, I believe that trying things out will take you further. Hopefully you will get to know your body a little better.

Conclusion

All in all, I found testing the vibrator to be a positive experience. The massage of the soles of my feet was pleasant. The vibration of the device also clearly stimulated the flow in both legs.

The question is of course whether the vibration plate really helps against restless legs. I cannot give a definitive answer to that. It probably also differs per person how much you benefit from it.

For me personally, I suspect that the vibration plate may not help much more than just sitting with my feet on the floor for half an hour. Because when I stopped the vibration sessions for a while in the fall, I was able to fall asleep almost as well after sitting up for about 30 minutes.

If you were to ask me for advice, I would say try it out if you think it might help you. After all, every possible improvement of your situation at night is worth investigating.

Share your experiences below in the comment section!