Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

I just found this site. We are having a heat wave in the East and heat is what aggrevates my RLS. I am very sleep deprived at the moment. What relieves it best for me is to wrap my legs in damp towels. Makes it a little difficult to sleep but it cools my legs down. I usually don't have problems with RLS in the winter.

Hi Bperfetti,
Yes, I have to say that my RLS is worse in the heat than the cold. I like the fact that I can go outside during the winter and freeze my legs. Helps me.
And by the way, I LOVE NY! Nope, I'm in Texas, just love NY.
Welcome to the board.

Hi Becat, I checked out your website. Looks like you are as busy as I am during the Christmas season. My brother owns a Christmas tree farm and I am the "wreath lady" for it. I love creating different wreaths. So how cold does it get in Texas during the winter? You must have AC during the summer. I'm ready for bed right now, I gardened for 9 hours today but it's way to warm to try and sleep.

Hi Bperfetti.......
Yes, I love Christmas, but won't work during Nov. and Dec. that's my time off. LOL I love to garden as well. It does take a toll on me, but I have to play in the dirt.
The weather here is not like a real winter, but it's cold for us. No real deep freezing happening in Dallas. Certainly not like you. If it gets into the teens here during Dec., Jan, or Feb. we're lucky. Snowed once this last year. It's cold enough for me to freeze my legs for 3 months of the year.
We have family on Long Island and in Westchester Co., so your far more likely to know what winter should be.
Yes, we have AC (central), but it doesn't often cancel out the humidity around Dallas. We've already hit the 100 mark this summer and it doesn't cool off at night. I usually need a sweater when we're in NY.....yes, even in the summer. lol
I hope you got some sleep. Healing rest after a full day outside.

Hot weather makes your RLS worse? I'd never thought of it actually as I hardly went outside for the last 4-6 yrs(depression) and drank so much coffee my legs felt like I was hooked up to a 220v. transformer. But now that I'm caffeine free and know when my legs act up to think back to what I ate or did that day, I will start paying attention to stuff like that too. I love the heat, the hotter the better, as I find it takes the aches out of my legs and helped relieve some of my depression when I had it. But hey, whatever works for each of us right...

Peace

Ian

It does for me because I can't get all cozy in my blankets. I can hardly have a sheet on in the weather I'm in. Sleeping is more difficult in the summer anyway.
Jill in Yuma

I like to sleep with lots of blankets, too, and so hot weather is less comfortable because I can't have all the blankets. I don't notice hot weather specifically making my RLS worse, though.

Actually, I find that being cold is a problem, too, because if I shiver it seems to either trigger or exacerbate my RLS sensations, too.

I notice more that a CHANGE in the weather (barometric pressure) in any temperature direction is toughest on me.

Wonder why it is that some conditions seem to affect some of us differently.

Sara

Hey Tealsea

I know exactly how you feel. The weather here in Yuma is getting pretty warm, 103 today? I'm having the same problems with the covers. I was surprised to hear someone from Yuma! My RLS always gets worse in the summer. Swimming seems to help a lot. Nice talking to you, I thought I was the only person in Yuma with this stupid disease!

Joann

Yes, hot weather is bad for me, too. Well, anytime my legs are heated. I like being cozy in winter with blankets, but I have to keep my legs uncovered or else just lay on the bed without covers most of the time or even on the floor. Heat is definitely a catalyst for my RLS.

I just joined and felt I had to respond to this. Being warm is a HUGE trigger for me. During the summer, I always turn the AC lower when I go to bed - to about 68 degrees, otherwise I just know I'll be up all night jerking about. I hate being warm in general, makes me very uncomfortable and wrecks havoc w/the RLS.

Laurie

I find that if I'm cold and tired my RLS is terrible. Air conditioning is torture. I'd much rather be hot if I'm awake but tired. But when I'm asleep I have to be 'just right'. Being overheated in sleep does trigger RLS, but it's a lot easier to manage than being cold. I can't sleep at all if I'm cold. Living in the NorthWest makes for easier summer nights.

Interesting thing I noticed about the heat problem for me - whenever I have the laptop literally on my lap (if I'm lounging on the couch watching TV and surfing at the same time) it does begin to set off the RLS. But of course, this is only in the evening.

Laurie

Someday.........I will be able to lay peacfully under my comforter.......without my legs wanting to run 3 miles

Yes. my husband and I have come to the conclusion that hot weather is a trigger for my PLMS (RLS) in the evenings. We live 2000 ft above sea level about 1 hour west of Brisbane in sub tropical Queensland, with all our three children either in Brisbane or at the coast/beach. Why can't we move closer? Because the heat/humidity of summer in the past have caused my legs (and sometimes arms) to go all day!!!!!!! Maybe now that I think I have just worked out how to manage them best we could risk moving? Jill

Hi everyone I am new here.. I just found out earlier this week I have RLS. I am so releaved to know finally what this is. I have suffered a very long time with RLS and for many yrs I thought I was crazy.
Earlier this week I was an add on TV about RLS and it told about a web site to go to .. When I went there it felt like I had come home. It gave me answers I did not know I was even asking.

Almost the very next day on the radio I heard about a study that was going on if you were interested to call this number... I called... After an hour long interview I was told I would be accepted into the study if I wanted... It seems I can do a 8 week one or a 8 month one. I am choosing the 8 month one because I do not like to take drugs and this one offers a patch.

But I have to get off some over the counter things that was helping me to at least get some sleep sometimes. I must admit I am worried about that part of this but I am willing to try anything at this point. They say they are going to draw blood, do eegs, and even ekgs. I DO NOT like needles but if this will help then I am going to try.

After coming to this web site I did find that mabe cold would help. Well I tried it last night and to my surprise it did help. I got a great night sleep.

I want to be a part of this group to help us find a solution to our problem.