Hello everyone,
In the previous post, I mentioned that sleep disorders can
be caused by chemical imbalances. In this post, I will talk about a
physiological reason behind sleep disorders.
As well already know, physiological reasons are what cause
sleep apnea. Abnormalities in other parts of the body may also cause
sleeplessness. Research suggests that restless legs may be keeping people from
getting proper sleep at night.
In the 1990s, there was not much known about restless leg
syndrome (RLS). The doctors did not know what to do when their patients
complained of staying up at night due to uncomfortable twitching and a prickly
sensation in the legs. Now that we have become more familiar with RLS, it is
easier to diagnose.
There are many things that can cause RLS:
- It is believed to be hereditary, which means it runs in families and is passed on from generation to generation.
- It can be caused by peripheral neuropathy, or damage to the nerves in the legs.
- Anemia, or a deficiency of red blood cells, can cause RLS.
- Many pregnant women suffer from RLS, probably due to the pressure on nerves and blood vessels resulting in a restricted blood flow to the legs. RLS usually clears up after giving birth.
- An iron deficiency can also cause RLS.
Many of the patients that have RLS also experience a
condition called periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). This can affect people
during the day as well as the night, making this such a serious condition. In
later posts, I will talk about PLMD in more detail. Stay tuned!
Hey Shubhangi! It looks like you are really enjoying your internship and research. I used to have trouble falling asleep due to the exact symptoms you mention from RLS. I am a vegetarian, so do you think it could be from an iron deficiency?
ReplyDeleteHi Alek! That's a great question. RLS is actually really complicated and many things can cause it. Yes, iron deficiency could have caused those symptoms. Iron deficiency impairs dopamine function and this in turn, causes RLS.
DeleteI had no idea that restless leg syndrome can effect your sleep. I was just wondering how do they actually treat RLS? I know that it can't be cured, but treatments may help.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that there is no cure for RLS, but there are many treatment options that can relieve some of the symptoms associated with RLS. One of the first steps is to avoid things that might worsen the condition, including caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine.
DeleteThen, daily medications are taken to help symptoms. This is the case especially if the symptoms of RLS show up at night multiple times during a week. Medications include dopamine agonists, which mimic dopamine in the brain, and dopaminergic agents, which increase the amount of dopamine in the brain.
Additionally, patients may use therapy and other activities to help make the symptoms better. Great question!