RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) doesn’t sound all that bad … unless you have it. Your legs become ‘restless’. It feels like you have been sitting too long and have to move them. So whats the big deal, right? Just move your leg and get on with it. The problem is that this happens at night and the ache ends up keeping people from sleeping. Does not matter how simple the cause, anything that keeps you from getting a full nights sleep can be devastating to productivity, health, and happiness.
Here is the reason for this post, restless leg syndrome keeps people from sleeping, so what do they do? Most of them go to the drug store and get an over the counter sleep medication like Tylenol PM, Acetaminophen PM Extra Strength, Pain Relief PM Extra Strength, or Pain Reliever PM. A number of things can trigger restless leg syndrome including antidepressants, antipsychotics, antihistamines, and calcium channel blockers. Many people with restless leg syndrome know this list and suffer quietly for years and years with RLS affecting their sleep becuase they ‘know’ they are not taking any of the drugs in that list. The thing is, they are! Almost all over the counter sleep aides contain bendaryl which is an antihistamine which definitely triggers the restless leg syndrome. Who knows how many hundreds of thousands of people suffer every night with RLS and take a sleep medication thinking it will help them when it actually makes it far worse!
Please, if you have a friend or family member with restless leg syndrome, make sure they are not taking any over the counter sleep aides!