By Jen Dugard: There are many pregnancy symptoms that contribute to a lack of sleep during pregnancy and one which is driving me particularly mad at the moment is Restless Legs Syndrome. For those of you lucky enough to have absolutely no idea what I am talking about let me explain; you have an uncontrollable urge to move your legs around when at rest, some people describe unpleasant feelings such as burning, creeping, tugging, and tingling or like insects crawling on the legs. For me I have to say it is pretty annoying and irritating but for others it can be more painful. Symptoms are increased during longer periods of rest; on a long car journey, watching a movie but the most frustrating being at night whilst trying to sleep. If your growing pregnant belly (making it almost impossible to find a comfortable position) isn’t enough, add to it legs that want to walk themselves right out of bed and you will soon be tearing your hair out.
So what causes restless legs? People with low iron levels or anemia may be prone to restless legs, a family history or predisposition is also a common cause along with some chronic diseases and certain medications. Caffeine, alcohol and tobacco may aggravate or trigger symptoms. And yes, you guessed it – pregnancy.
So, what can we do to help relieve or prevent symptoms? Many physicians suggest that reducing caffeine, alcohol and tobacco may provide some relief – hopefully these things have already been ruled out during this time so we can move on. Moderate exercise: I can’t agree enough with this recommendation – engaging in some form of exercise during pregnancy is beneficial in many aspects so reap the rewards in more ways than one. Walking around the house before bedtime and a gradual relaxation routine before bed can be beneficial: try a hot bath, massaging the legs, heat or ice pack. Gentle calf and hamstring stretches right before getting into bed works for some people too – everyone is different so it is worth trying lots of different options to see what works best for you.
So here's to trying to get a good night's sleep free from the uncontrollable urge to jump around the bed of an evening. Do let me know if you have any tried and tested relief therapies that you can share with the rest of us.
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