[Chris_B]

I’m curious as to whether anyone else here deals with something like this, especially when exhausted from lack of sleep.  I’ve been attempting SR for the past several weeks after reading a few books on it.  Have not made significant progress and most nights are pretty much sleepless, lately.  I finally broke down the other day and took a couple of naps during the day to see what would happen (I was so tired and it felt like an opportunity to finally sleep).  I, of course, fell asleep quickly and into dreams, but only let myself stay there for a short time… desperate for some sort of relief, I’m afraid.  At night, sleep just doesn’t come except in, I guess, micro doses.  Anyway, back to topic..  While going through this process, I started to notice that my sleeplessness is often accompanied by a restlessness in my arms and sometimes legs.  Like… I start to relax and then a slight tickle begins to happen in my limbs… especially arms… and I must change position… until I am tossing and turning.  I’m wondering whether I have Restless Leg Syndrome or whether this sort of thing is normal in those who are very tired from insomnia.  Looking back, I think I’ve dealt with something like this since childhood.  So I’m not sure if CBT-I is going to work for me if I have untreated RLS.  To compound things, I did a sleep study for sleep apnea, in Nov 2018 and it was confirmed it was severe and I now have a CPAP that I haven’t used much lately due to the inability to sleep much.  I quit drinking alcohol, before the sleep study, and now realize that I was using it to mask these sleep problems.  I never knew that sleep was such an underlying issue for me until now.  I’m done for good with drinking and am now just trying to unravel this sleep challenge.  It really feels like a lot to take on, doesn’t it?  Sleep being such a basic component of our everyday vitality.  As an aside, I sprained my foot a couple of months ago, after a couple of months of sleep problems, and initially, when it was still inflamed, I found sleep came easily and I slept longer than normal without effort.  It seems my body knew I needed healing and took over or something.  Insomnia is miserable, but what can you do but try to deal with it in and educated manner and in the best spirits you can?!  I’ll keep smiling and keep at it until I’m past this.

[Martin Reed]

Hello Chris. The diagnostic criteria for restless legs syndrome (RLS) include:

1. An urge to move the legs, accompanied by uncomfortable sensations
2. The urge becomes worse when you are inactive
3. Moving relieves the urge temporarily
4. Symptoms are worse in the evening and night

If you had RLS at the time of your overnight sleep study this should have been picked up then (I’m assuming you underwent polysomnography?).

Are you taking medications? Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can cause or worsen RLS.

If you think you may have RLS, it’s best to seek medical advice.

I hope this helps!

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If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

[Chris_B]

Thanks Martin.  The RLS seems to be intermittent, and is worst when I haven’t been sleeping for awhile.  When I underwent the sleep study, I was not experiencing the “sensations”.  I’ve been looking into neurologists who specialize in RLS, as I now realize I’ve had it, in varying degree, since I was a child.  It doesn’t rule out CBT-I for me, necessarily, as it tends to flare up as the result of a bout of insomnia.  It’s hard to tell what causes what, but I’ll keep at this sleep mystery until I get a good result, as I can think of little in life worth more diligence, since sleep is the core of so much of our human experience.  Thanks for what you do and for curating this forum.  It’s very informative.

[Martin Reed]

How are you getting on, Chris?

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If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

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