Dr Bernadette offers health advice for people with restless legs

Q. I am a woman in my early 40s and recently I have had an uncomfortable feeling in my legs, particularly when I go to bed. I have to keep moving my legs and my sleep pattern is affected.

I am a woman in my early 40s and recently I have had an uncomfortable feeling in my legs, particularly when I go to bed. I have to keep moving my legs and my sleep pattern is affected. I’ve read about a condition associated with restless legs, could this be what I am suffering from?

A. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition where because of unpleasant feeling in your legs (feet, calves, and thighs) you have an urge move them. Some people may experience this in their arms. The feeling has been described variously as a crawling or creeping sensation, though some people experience pain or tingling. The symptoms tend to occur when you are resting become more pronounced in the evening or at night, as you have experienced, this typically happens in bed. This can lead to difficulties in trying to get to sleep and interfere with sleep. The severity and frequency of the symptoms varies — it can be some evenings/nights or every evening/night. It is estimated that one in 10 people will experience RLS at some point in their lives with women affected more than men.