22 Reasons Why You Have Restless Leg Syndrome

21. Alcohol

Is it possible that drinking causes restless leg syndrome? Although no clear link between drinking before bedtime and RLS has been established, alcohol may increase the pins-and-needles sensation, itching, and other unpleasant symptoms of RLS, making a restful night’s sleep nearly difficult. RLS affects up to 10% of Americans at least multiple times a week, with women being more affected than men. The illness commonly manifests itself around middle age. RLS treatments alleviate symptoms using a variety of methods ranging from prescribed drugs to self-care solutions. RLS treatment also relies on understanding the factors that may induce the illness, which for some people may be alcohol consumption. RLS is yet to be identified by medical researchers. Indeed, the syndrome has been related to a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and kidney disease, as well as some drugs, including antihistamines and antidepressants. Because the ailment tends to run in families, there could be a genetic component as well. RLS is frequently attributed to a lack of iron and an imbalance in dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine, in particular, is vital in directing muscular activity, therefore a lack of it can lead to a breakdown in the activities of the basal ganglia, the brain area responsible for movement. This is why Parkinson’s disease, a basal ganglia ailment caused by aberrant dopamine levels, frequently coexists with severe RLS. Treating the underlying causes of RLS symptoms may help. However, because RLS often worsens at night when you’re attempting to sleep, what you do before bed could disrupt your sleep habits. Alcohol may be one of the causes that aggravates RLS. A good night’s sleep is dependent on having enough rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Alcohol disrupts this form of deep, restorative sleep, leaving you foggy and weary when you wake up. Although alcohol may cause you to fall asleep faster, this is quickly compensated by the interruption of the restorative sleep required to build your immune system. As a result, if you already have difficulty falling or staying asleep as a result of RLS, alcohol will not help you overcome the distressing symptoms that can be briefly addressed by waking up and moving your legs. When you have RLS, you want to get as much quality, restful sleep as possible, and alcohol cannot help you with that. Instead, you should look into different medical therapies for RLS. One of these could be for the treatment of your varicose veins. Many varicose vein symptoms — itching, discomfort, throbbing — are similar to those of RLS, which can also cause you to twist and turn at night. In one 1995 study, the vast majority of patients with RLS reported improvement after sclerotherapy, a standard, minimally invasive procedure for varicose veins. Similarly, a 2007 study revealed that RLS and chronic vein disease were frequently overlapping diseases, implying that RLS had a direct relationship with varicose veins. If you have RLS, your doctor can test you for iron deficiency, diabetes, kidney illness, and the other previously stated causes. Treating those illnesses with medication or other forms of therapy may be the answer to sleepless nights. However, if those criteria do not exist and you have varicose veins, you should see a vein specialist to explore treatment alternatives that may cure your RLS.