Sleep Health ·Nov 17, 2019

Restless Leg Sleep Relief

A reported 10 percent of the U.S. population suffers from Restless Leg Syndrome, a neurological sensory disorder characterized by the need to move your legs during rest. People with Restless Leg Syndrome, or RLS, experience most of their symptoms at night, while the body unwinds after daily activities. However, it is not unusual for those who spend the majority of their day sitting down to exhibit symptoms during the late morning and early afternoon.

In addition to the uncontrollable urge to move their legs, people diagnosed with RLS feel discomfort in their lower extremities, such as throbbing, itching, crawling or aching, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Symptoms subside when patients move their legs.

Because the pain surfaces mostly at night, those with RLS often have a difficult time falling asleep and staying asleep. However, there are a number of useful tips to help sleep with Restless Leg Syndrome, including steering clear of alcohol and tobacco and sticking to a sleep schedule. NINDS also recommends a regular exercise program, massaging the legs and using a heating pad to relieve your symptoms.

Using an ice pack will also help alleviate pain associated with RLS. But if you're looking for a long-term solution that will keep you comfortable throughout the night, consider propping your legs up with cooling pillows. Made with high-tech fabrics that help absorb body heat, cooling pillows assist in regulating your body temperature and work to soothe aches and pains, helping you sleep with Resting Leg Syndrome.

If you already have a favorite pillow to help with symptoms, try a cooling pillow case set or pillow cover. Just slip them over your pillow and relax while they help regulate your body's temperature and keep you comfortable throughout the night.