Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

Before I was prescribed ropinerol my symptoms were a lot worse and more frequent (at least twice a night when I had to be up for at least an hour).

I had practised yoga before and found a video of an elaborate sun salutation on line. I won't say it's complicated, just that it is a lot more involved than a normal one and takes about ten minutes or so. I'm not trying to plug a practitioner or product but if you search for Yoga Norman then look at his blog and search for "sun sal" you'll get to his video. He seems a very kind and thoughtful yoga teacher and also has some good back stretches.

I did his sun salutation every night for two months, expecting it to stop helping but it continued to, most nights. This is part of what I wrote on his blog:

"Ever since you first posted your video demonstrating your version of a sun salutation I’ve been doing it in the night when my restless legs wake me up. The varied routine of the sun salutation breaks the connection between my brain and legs, and the stretching helps physically. After sitting quietly for a few minutes afterwards I am able to go back to bed and fall asleep.

"I still don’t like getting up in the middle of the night but I don’t fight it as much, I just get up and do a sun salutation in the dark, knowing it will help. When I am in a place of dubious cleanliness such as a motel room, I go as far as the eggbeater part. That is usually enough to bring relief."

I'd be really happy if this helped anyone.

Hope it keeps helping. Thanks for sharing.

Having looked this up it seems a wonderful stretch. It also looks very beautiful.
There is no way that I, with my 'knees, hips and lower back' could possibly attempt it but oh how I wish that I could

I'm sorry your joints are painful, it must make the WED/RLS worse.

I trust Yoga Norman, but as with anything found on the internet it pays to be a little skeptical until you have evidence that the information is genuine.

About a year ago, at a friend's house, I slept very well on a bad bed with a bad pillow (how is that possible?) then sat in a car for over six hours. For the next week I couldn't even turn my head so I found a series of neck stretches on Yoga Norman's website. They got rid of my pain and helped my neck mobility. A few months later my husband admitted he had chronic pain in his neck so he did the exercises too but the pain continued so he saw a physio we respect. She said physios no longer recommend the last neck exercise which was making full circles down to the front, side, back, side etc because it isn't a natural motion. I still like Norman but it pays to be wary.

Oh, I get how a bad pillow and a bad bed can do that! Our bodies are so strong and so frail at the same time.

Glad you found a way to resolve your pain.