Have you ever felt your leg shaking while sleeping? It isn't only uncomfortable, but it can disrupt your sleep, which results in you feeling groggy and without as much energy as you want throughout the day! But why do your legs shake while sleeping and how can you remedy that?
Read on and I'll be talking about why your leg shakes while you sleep and how to remedy the issue.
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Why Your Leg Shakes While Sleeping
There are common causes as to why you shake your leg while sleeping, and it can be related to certain conditions and sleeping disorders, such as:
Restless Leg Syndrome
This syndrome would case uncomfortable sensations in the legs, which makes you want to move them. The sensation to move would usually happen during the late afternoon or evening, and it becomes more severe at night while you are trying to lay still and sleep. Because of the discomfort, it makes it difficult to sleep or return to sleep after waking up from the symptoms. Sometimes, other sleep disorders such as insomnia or sleep apnea aggravates the symptoms of RLS.
Think of it as if you NEED to move your leg while is idle because you feel the twitching, burning, or itching sensation that only leg shaking would help reduce the discomfort. It will only happen if you stay in one position for an extended period, without moving your leg. Sometimes it can be irritating, other times it can be painful.
This condition would cause exhaustion and daytime sleepiness, which would affect your mood and concentration. There is no primary cause for RLS, though it has a genetic component. Some evidence shows that those who have low levels of iron in the brains are more susceptible to RLS, or from nerve damage.
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder has the similar symptoms to RLS, which is mainly the tingling sensation while lying down or resting. But take note that those who have PLMD don't have RLS, though most people who suffer from the latter have this disorder.
It would be the bed partner who is more aware of the movements rather than the one who has the disorder, as they are sometimes not fully awake as they move. But it would sometimes disrupt their sleep as well.
The movements would usually happen during the first stage of one's sleep cycle, before the REM or "dream" cycle. Too many disruptions (from leg shaking) can keep you from attaining the REM sleep, which results in you feeling unrested in the morning.
There is no exact cause as to why this disorder happens, though there are scientists who relate it to the central nervous system. But there have been no studies that prove that yet.
Remedies For Leg Shaking While Sleeping
Now that you're familiar with the reasons behind leg shaking while sleeping, what are ways on how to remedy it? Try these methods out:
- Change Of Lifestyle
- Iron
- Medication
It's time to start changing your lifestyle to lessen the sensation when your legs are idle through avoiding any vices such as caffeine or alcohol. You should also maintain a regular sleep pattern, (especially important to sleep better and avoid the sensation from happening if it takes too long for you to sleep), keep up good exercise, and continue to stretch and move around. You may also take a warm bath, massage your legs, or to use a heat or ice pack to lessen the discomfort.
Something you might need: How to Stop Moving While Sleeping
In A Nutshell
It can be quite frustrating having to wake up from your leg shaking while sleeping. Fortunately, there are ways on how to stop it from happening again, as long as you find out the cause and how to solve it.
I hope that this article helps you become more knowledgeable on leg shaking while sleeping. So if you suffer from this, then don't wait any longer to have it treated for a good night's rest.
If you have any questions or would like to share your tips and experiences on how to get rid of leg shaking while sleeping, then comment down below. I would love to hear what you have to think
My name is Layla Parker, the founder of ASleepyWolf.com. At this site, our team is going to bring you a lot of reliable and useful information about sleeping and everything related to it such as the therapies that improve your sleep, the ways of sleeping you should try, all the products you use every day that affects directly to your sleep, your health, and your life.
Thank you! My girlfriend has rls and we are trying everything. Getting iron supplements today too.
I move around so much thru the night and I even wear a sleep apnea mask and wake up feeling like I’ve been hit with a truck. does anyonehave any suggestions?
Have had those debilitating RLS since I had knee replacements in both knees. Have tried everything from lyrica to Hydrocodone. Hydrocodone simply doesn’t work. Latest is I sleep in a different bed than my dear Wife who put up with it for 15 years. Quit alcohol, but It’s difficult not to drink my Tea.
I shake my legs when falling asleep, but it actually helps me to get to sleep. Its been like that for several years untill my S/O commented about it. It prevents them from falling asleep but not me. It’s like the endorphin “high” I feel helps me get to sleep, while at the same time the shaking prevents my S/O from sleeping. A bit different from RLS but related…?