Restless Legs

Restless leg syndrome affects one in 10 people and can make night-times a misery. Symptoms come on at night or if you're sitting cramped up and usually affect both legs. It may be hereditary. Here are some ideas that may help relieve the symptoms.

• Cooling your legs down can both prevent and relieve symptoms. Try a 5 to 10 minute soak in cold water before bed.
• Try cutting out caffeine and alcohol, especially in the evenings. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, some cola drinks, and chocolate.
• Check wether medicines are causing the problem. A number of tablets, ranging from antihistamines and anti-depressants to blood pressure treatments can cause restless legs.
• Other possible causes are conditions such as iron deficiency or kidney problems. See your GP if symptoms persist.
• Up to one in five women get restless legs in pregnancy. The symptoms usually go away after the birth of the baby.

[Good Housekeeping July 2013]