I couldn't get a proper reply page over on the pharmaceutical section to direct Kimberly or anyone else here, but I hope that she and others will stumble on it anyway.
I think that her suggestion about a thread devoted to sleep rituals is an excellent one, and although my RLS is mild compared to many here, it is frequent and persistent and I DO use sleep rituals to cope-- so I'll start, and hope that others with more apropos comments will take this from there. (My little oars in the water for a little momentum, to paraphrase Becat and Ruby and others.
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I've only had symptoms I KNOW were RLS for 20 years, though I suspect that some of my earlier childhood issues may well have been RLS, too. But more than 30 years ago I discovered (and thankfully, my parents were relatively understanding and supportive of this!) that laying in a dark room staring at the ceiling was NOT a good way for me to get to sleep.
When I was still in elementary school, I began the ritual of a set "bedtime" but unrestricted reading time once there. There was no "lights out" time imposed on me; I just read until the book fell out of my hand or smacked me in the face
... and often my Dad would come in before he went to bed to turn out my light for me. I've continued the ritual of reading before bed most of my life and to this day (39 years old.) As we were discussing in that other thread, it's by far the best (and probably only close to "fool-proof") way for me to turn off my brain from the events of the day or predictions about tomorrow... not to mention the agonies of worry about not getting to sleep.
I can also relate to Kimberly's comments about television. TV also tends to put me to sleep, but I can't have one in my bedroom, unless it has a sleep mode, because if I wake up in the night with the TV (or radio) left on, it jars my senses and seems to leave me in a more-awake and more-annoyed state than had I woken to darkness and silence. But one of our sons is EXACTLY like you, Kimberly. TV or radio all night is a very good way for him to "turn off his brain" and rest. He must have "inherited" that from my husband, who used to listen to the radio all night as a teenager, but broke the habit because generally he sleeps very well (good thing, because he's a fireman and often has his sleep interupted) and because as good as the radio was for him, it was 10 times as BAD for my sleep, which has always been a little more hit-and-miss.
In my teens and 20s, I'd often fall asleep by the TV on the couch, and then wake up only enough to head to bed and crash there. But as I've aged, my RLS has gotten much worse, and TV on the couch has gotten to be something I DON'T relish. The worst part of my day.
When, for a couple of years, we were living in our motorhome, and the TV was by the bed, I did sometimes leave that on "sleep" mode for myself and our son with okay results, but I was "in bed", which is an important (maybe ESSENTIAL when my RLS is bad) part of my sleep ritual. Can't recall if there are any other "regulars" here who are the same, but I know a couple other RLSers who aren't seeking medical treatment or support who are--- I get RLS if I sit, and sometimes if I stand, but it gets better almost always immediately if I go to bed. Not just stretch out a bit on the couch with my hubby, but physically get in bed and lie down for sleeping.
This is a TREMENDOUS BLESSING, I know, compared to what most here have as options. But I mention it for the stray guest who might still be at this stage of RLS, because it seems to be a not uncommon situation for milder RLS. These days I have RLS probably 3-5 nights a week, to some extent-- from late afternoon onset to late evening onset-- and occasional bouts of milder RLS 24/7.
Late afternoon or early evening onset, there's no choice but to keep moving, or if I can't do that, to just "tough it out". But if the symptoms get insistent anytime after about 8 pm, my best choice is an early bedtime. It's hard on my nightowl son and husband, but less painful for ALL of us than my soft-shoe-ing the whole evening in frustration and discomfort. I can't explain WHY, but I've always known that for whatever reason, RLS symptoms seem to be the "sign" that I'm "done for the day"-- or should be. The more tired I am, or if I get the flu, the more insistent my RLS is that I call it a day--- and the sooner I listen to those symptoms and give in to bedtime, the faster I get to sleep.
Careful eating in the evening seems to help SOME in KEEPING me asleep, though lately I think my early morning wake-ups are from morning RLS, which subsides once I get up and moving. I try to avoid sugary foods and simple carbohydrates in the evening, and I also like chemically-calming foods like milk and bananas if I do need an evening snack.
Been a long time since a hot bath or shower was an option nightly, but I THINK that that also used to help. Ruby and a guest of ours last month also spurred my thought process, so I now also include flannel sheets as a "bedtime helper". About 10 years ago I stopped buying, and overall stopped using, anything but flannel sheets, winter and summer. I never could seem to get comfortable in most percale sheets (and as I mentioned in that thread, I have to wonder if that's another part of why I never can get a decent sleep in a hotel or at someone else's house?)
I also have always needed a certain amount of weight in my bedclothes-- I NEVER sleep well in hot weather, because I can't sleep with just a sheet over me. I have a tendency to sleep "au naturelle" with as many blankets on top as possible. When I've lived in or visited hot climates, and one sheet was more than too much for the temperature, even sleeping in the buff, I've had miserable nights. I don't know if this is an RLS thing or not, but FWIW.
This has turned into quite a novel for the least-afflicted among us, so I'll try to shut up now..... Just two more comments on sleep...
I learned when I was a teenager and often awoke after 3-5 hours of sleep unable to get back to sleep (my evening food choices seem to have helped that quite a bit now), that WORRYING about going to sleep was a sure-fire way for me to be up until dawn. So I started to re-train my self-talk on that. (This won't work for those of you who really DON"T ever sleep, but might for some who have just "less-than-adequate" sleep amounts.) I figured that I had "functioned" on less-than-optimum sleep lots of times, and I could again if necessary. So I tried to phase out all self-condemnation and what-if worrying about getting "enough" sleep or not. (That's something reading really helped with, too.) I either will sleep or won't sleep, and I figure I'll deal with any consequences the next day.
Last (bet you thought I'd never quit!
)... for a number of years when I had roommates during college and when I was newlywed and afriad to disturb my husband, I was unable to turn a light on to read late or in the middle of the night. During those years I found that progressive deep relaxation did help quite a lot. I have a chronic anxiety condition as well as RLS, so I'm not sure which of the two (if not both) the progressive deep relaxation was helping, but it is something that occupies your mind while relaxing your body, and if I wasn't doing well with my current rituals, I might go back to it again. (I also wonder if I do that subconciously now, to some point, and that's WHY I have an easier time getting to sleep and falling back asleep if I waken, despite progressing RLS episodes?)
Okay, I'm done. Finally!
I hope that others will hop in here and share their comments and experiences. Thanks to Kimberly for suggesting this interesting subject!!!!
Take care, everybody!
Sara