Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Please share your experiences, successes, and failures in using non-drug therapies for RLS/WED (methods of relief that don't involve swallowing or injecting anything), including compression, heat, light, stretches, acupuncture, etc. Also under this heading, medical interventions that don't involve the administration of a medicine to the body (eg. varicose-vein operations, deep-brain stimulation). [This forum contains Topics started prior to 2009 that deal with Non-prescription Medicines, Supplements, & Diet.]
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Stainless
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:30 pm

Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by Stainless »

I did set up a Trail Camera and observed my RLS the last four nights. It is designed to come on at the first indication of movement record for a preset time and turn off. First two nights I had my wife's Fitbit on monitoring sleep but had to figure out best camera setup. They were terrible nights, I got little sleep (4 & 2 hours) if you believe Fitbit and I was still learning the camera. Next two nights I got good video, did not have Fitbit on and slept rather well so not as much to observe. Huge difference between bad & good nights. I think I would qualify for PLMS in a sleep study on a bad night.

I found to get good video I had to place camera at furthest corner, at ceiling level, viewing down to fit just the bed on screen. I also set camera down from 30 to 20 second record time so not to fill memory before dawn. This was all just to satisfy my curiosity but only cost $60 + $10 memory card + batteries. Only two nights from eight AA's.

We're refurbishing the bedroom so I'm shut down for a week, but I'll try again. With both the camera and Fitbit you can see where REM sleep, deep sleep, etc. are and compare that to observations.

stjohnh
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by stjohnh »

Stainless,

I spent quite a bit of time researching sleep cycles and their evaluation. I tried a bunch of devices. You might look here:
http://bb.rls.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=9715#p85880 for more info.

Bottom line, I could not find a reliable way to measure deep sleep that correlated with my sense of tiredness the next day.
Blessings,
Holland

Yankiwi
Posts: 548
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 7:20 am
Location: West Coast, South Island, New Zealand

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by Yankiwi »

I don't even try to monitor deep sleep. I'm up and out of bed every one to two hours and measure my sleep hours and and out of bed hours on notes in my phone. In the morning I add up the sleep hours and write in sleep hours out of total hours from when I first went to bed. Usually sleep is about two thirds of total hours but can be half.

Rustsmith
Moderator
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Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by Rustsmith »

I don't even try to monitor deep sleep.


I was placed on a CPAP machine when I was first diagnosed with RLS because I also have a form of sleep apnea called UARS. CPAP isn't recognized as a treatment for UARS, but then nothing else is. But one of the advantages of the CPAP is that it records the time that I am on the machine. If I get up, I take it off so it records that time. The one thing that it cannot do is tell if I am really asleep or just lying there trying to will myself to sleep.
Steve

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Stainless
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:30 pm

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by Stainless »

I just invested in a Fitbit watch to try to gain more insight into sleep. I should have just borrowed my wife's a few more times. Both hers and mine only record 2 or 3 hours of sleep. 20 some minutes of REM. I go to bed at 9 and it does not think I sleep until 3. I wake at 6, I'm not tired during the day and almost never nap (sets off RLS). I have a hard time getting to sleep but I get more sleep than that. At least I hope I do. I don't think the watch can deal with the RLS.

stjohnh
Posts: 1284
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:13 pm
Location: Palo Alto, California

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by stjohnh »

Likely you also have PLMS (most people with RLS do). That is what is confusing the Fitbit.
Blessings,
Holland

Oozz
Posts: 217
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:09 pm

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by Oozz »

I’m currently using the Oura Ring to track my sleep. It’s incredible, tracking all stages of sleep very accurately. You can learn about it at https://ouraring.com.

Stainless
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 9:30 pm

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by Stainless »

I've been wearing the Fitbit over a month now and have yet to have a night it says I slept over 3 hours. I don't ever register any sleep until after 2 or 3 in the morning after I've been in bed for 4 or 5 hours (thinking I was sleeping). I assume it is PLMS but I always (if I get a reading at all) get at least 30 minutes to an hour of deep sleep, usually about 4 am. So do I all of the sudden reach a point where I go still? I finished our bedroom project so I'm going to set the trail camera back up and try to corelate what I observe to what the watch says.

Looks like the Oura Ring works in a similar fashion, accelerometer and led pulse monitor. Maybe it's temperature measurement is an improvement but they sure are proud of them at $300 - $1000. I paid $100 for a Fitbit Versa.

Oozz
Posts: 217
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:09 pm

Re: Using Trail Camera to observe RLS

Post by Oozz »

Depends on which Fitbit you are using. The Fitbit charge seems to do the best for the Fitbit brand; however, Oura products are seem to be much more accurate. Just read the reviews, it’s hands-down the best for sleep tracking.

I’ve been tracking my sleep meticulously for almost 7 mos. now. These devices have allowed me to determine what variables impact my sleep and how effective the meds are working. Ive been able to prevent augmentation this way. I highly recommend using a device.

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