RESTLESS LEG

RESTLESS LEG

Here is the summery of the forum question that prompted this article:
I have restless legs syndrome, which makes it really hard to stay asleep! Plus my brain just keeps going and going , making it hard to get to sleep in the first place
I also do yoga before bed, which REALLY helps me wind down and relax too.
I'd really like to know what other people do to help them sleep! Reply to this topic and let me know!
I've tried lots in search of an herbal remedy, but alas only yoga, herbs and meds together seem to be able to deal with the severity of my problems. Still, I'm sleeping well and have been for six weeks, and that's the important thing!

The poster is the IT specialist for the website so I am going to make some computer processes be my illustrations.

Posture reflexes work much like background processes on a computer. The sensors in your body [called propreoceptors] constantly send signals to your central processor [called cerebellum] These are processed for any needed changes in how your muscles are working. That same central processor has to also handle the processing of other critical thinking that is going on in your conscious part of your brain [cerebrum].
Now I am one of those tat is always trying to get by with an older computer with less processing speed and memory than the current standard, therefore the internet throws more at my computer than it can handle and it stalls or even locks up. When I close the lid on my laptop it often takes a long time to clear the back log and go to sleep.

This same situation happens with the human body. A very small sprain strain or irritated join can demand a lot of extra processing power to maintain operation. The picture of the poster shows a strong physical body and he obviously has an intelligent mind which requires a lot of his central processor during the day which may have pushed a lot of posture reflex processing into a back log of background processes to be done.
Notice that Yoga before bed REALLY helps him to wind down and relax. Yoga is one way of concentrating on those physical processes that have been stored up during the day.

Now I can get to the specific activity that I have found that processes the posture reflexes for the low back and legs and prepares them for sleep.
The tool is called a body ball or some brand name exercise ball. It should be sized so that it holds your knees and thighs at right angles when laying on your back. Lay on your back on a mat or bed with the ball under your heels. Rock the ball from side to side. Think abut making the movement with the muscles on the inside of the legs to the spine; not with the outside of the legs and and from the hips to the ribs.

When that feels relaxed shift to rolling the ball up to the thighs then out to straight knees. From there you can make the ball go in circles. From time to time test the balance by lifting the buttocks up. You should be able to lift the the low back up first then the buttocks. The goal is to normalize the signals from the low back and legs to your brain and reduce the chronic tension that stresses the nerves and blocks the movment of lymph that removes wast products from the legs that can set off cramps. Often the restless movement of the legs is a reaction to the the build up being reported to your brain.

I hope this will help. For therapists I have more detail earlier on my blog.
To learn how to incorporate magnets http://magnet-therapy-how-why.com where you also may ask questions.