Daily Health Headlines

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless leg syndrome (RLS, restless legs syndrome) is a common cause of painful legs. The leg pain of restless leg syndrome typically eases with motion of the legs and becomes more noticeable at rest. Restless leg syndrome also features worsening of symptoms and leg pain during the early evening or later at night.

Restless leg syndrome is often abbreviated RLS; it has also been termed shaking leg syndrome. Nighttime involuntary jerking of the legs during sleep are also known as periodic leg/limb movement disorder.

The cause of restless leg syndrome is unknown in most people. However, restless leg syndrome has been associated with

Some drugs and medications have been associated with restless leg syndrome including:

Occasionally, restless leg syndrome run in families. Recent studies have shown that restless leg syndrome appears to become more common as a person ages. Also, poor venous circulation of the legs (such as with varicose veins) can cause restless leg syndrome.

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MDMedical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD

No matter how much sleep you need, if you don't get enough, you will suffer the effects of sleep deprivation. Research has shown that in tests of driving ability and hand-eye coordination, people deprived of sleep perform as badly as, or even worse than, people who are intoxicated. It's no wonder that drowsiness is a major cause of traffic accidents and deaths.

Are you getting enough sleep? Ask yourself the following questions:

If you answered yes to either of these, you're likely to be sleep deprived or have a sleep disorder. There are many different types of sleep disorders. Examples include:

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