Navigating Life with Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless leg syndrome (RLS), a neurological condition that causes an uncontrollable movement of one’s legs (or occasionally, arms, back, or more) is not consistently taken seriously by doctors. Yet it is a serious condition that can be extremely painful and disturb a person’s sleep to the point where they cannot function well the next day. The constant motion can also disturb the sleep of a person’s partner. RLS affects up to 15 percent of the American population and particularly women. The condition becomes increasingly common with age, although about a quarter of pregnant people develop it, usually just during pregnancy. Spector, (neurology, Duke Univ. Sch. of Medicine), who runs the school’s Sleep Medicine Fellowship, notes the serious repercussions of RLS and provides a clear and accessible guide to RLS, covering its definition, causes, possible consequences, and treatments, from nonprescription drugs to sleep medications to opioids. Case study vignettes help readers understand the extent of the problem and its treatments.