Restless Legs Syndrome: Relief and Hope for Sleepless Victims of a Hidden Epidemic

Within these pages is the promise of a long-awaited good night’s rest. For decades, millions of people have experienced the irresistible urge to move their legs without understanding why. These disagreeable leg sensations get worse with inactivity, making sitting still and sleep painful and sometimes impossible. If you hold this book, you or someone you love has most likely lived with this constant discomfort, this agitated inability to rest — restless legs syndrome. You are not alone. According to the American Medical Association, 10 to 15 percent of adult Americans have the neurological disorder known as restless legs syndrome. This underdiagnosed and treatable condition can completely overwhelm a person’s life, causing stress, sleep deprivation, career difficulties, and relationship strife. Author Robert Yoakum has suffered from restless legs syndrome all of his adult life. In Restless Legs Syndrome, he has compiled a comprehensive resource on this disease, giving those afflicted with it a voice and creating a community. In addition, many of the foremost medical specialists in the field have contributed their knowledge and experience to make this the most comprehensive and timely source of information on this disease. Restless Legs Syndrome provides invaluable information for victims, their friends and loved ones, and health-care providers. Yoakum informs and advises readers on:
Sleep management and alternative rest options
How to enlist help from others
Possible causes of restless legs syndrome
Criteria for diagnosis
Medical advice and treatment options
The relationship of stress, dopamine, and iron
Finding or creating a restless legs syndrome support group Yoakum combines empathy and understanding with practical, clear-cut information, and helpful stories from others who share their tales of relief and hope.