Do you have a hard time falling asleep when it is time to go to bed? Are your legs always tingling and feeling weird? Do you find it hard to lay comfortably in bed for a long period?

If you have the symptoms described above, you might have restless leg syndrome or RLS. The main symptom of RLS is an odd feeling in your legs and other limbs. You may have symptoms that you can easily ignore or they may be so bad you can’t deal with them on your own.

With RLS, the symptoms appear to get more painful and apparent when you go to bed so that makes it hard to sleep. Often your doctor will have difficulty figuring out what is wrong with you if you have RLS. If your symptoms are mild enough that they don’t really bother you, you should still have them checked out by your doctor so the condition doesn’t get worse.

Issues with your legs are not always because of RLS. You may also have PLMD or periodic limb movement disorder. PLMD is characterized by constant movement of the legs at night. RLS makes it hard to get to sleep while PLMD, with the constant movement, makes it difficult to stay asleep.

In many cases, people have both PLMD and RLS. You are more likely to get PLMD by itself. RLS, on the other hand, is often accompanied by PLMD. The two conditions are very similar so you need to meet with a doctor who can help you determine what exactly is wrong with you.

RLS may sound like a minor inconvenience but it can actually cause serious health issues. People who do not get enough sleep have problems in many areas of their health. People with RLS can feel tired and cranky day after day but if they can get a good nights sleep, they will feel better. RLS can be treated with prescriptions or natural treatments.

If you’re exhibiting the symptoms of restless leg syndrome, see your doctor for a diagnosis. Your doctor can also help you decide on the right treatment for you.