If you’ve got restless leg syndrome (RLS), you already know it can flip your life upside down.
The uncontrollable urge to move your legs can disrupt your social life… your exercise routine… and even your sleep.
Now, a new study shows that having RLS can increase your risk of another dangerous condition.
And this one can wreck your brain.
Previous research has linked RLS with poor sleep, anxiety, depression, poor diet, and obesity.
Now, it looks like having restless legs can put you on the fast track for dementia, too.
In a new study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy, scientists tracked the dementia outcomes and RLS status of more than 12,000 seniors over ten years. At the end, they found that participants with RLS were 46 percent more likely to develop dementia than those without the leg condition!
Can you imagine?! This means your sleepless nights can evolve into memory loss.
Overlooked Risk Factor For Early Dementia
Scientists now believe that RLS could be a very early risk factor for dementia, possibly before you even begin to notice any issues with forgetfulness and lapses in memory.
If confirmed by future research, “regular check-ups for cognitive decline in older patients with RLS may facilitate earlier detection and intervention for those with dementia risk,” investigators led by Eosu Kim, MD, PhD, with Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea, wrote in the paper.
What’s the connection between RLS and dementia? It could be what happens at night…
Sleep Issues Wreck Your Brain
Sleep disturbances – like sleep apnea and insomnia – are linked to higher risk of dementia in several studies. In fact, other research shows that bad sleep can wreck your brain.
In one study, Harvard researchers analyzed the sleep habits and health outcomes of more than 2,800 seniors participating in the National Health and Aging Trends Study for five years. At the end they found that folks who slept fewer than five hours per night were twice as likely to develop dementia, and twice as likely to die!1 Yikes! That’s DOUBLE your risk for dementia and death simply because you’re not getting enough sleep!
And there’s more bad news…
Another study of almost 8,000 participants showed that consistently sleeping fewer than six hours nightly in your senior years was linked to a 30 percent increase in dementia risk.2
Ease Your Restless Legs Today!
If you have RLS, chances are you’ve tried just about everything to ease it, including prescription drugs. But your mainstream doctor may not even know the best way to help you.
You see, one of the most overlooked causes of RLS is iron deficiency, especially in the brain.
So, if you’re experiencing RLS, ask your doctor to run a blood iron test. This will give him or her a starting point for treating your restless legs. If you’re deficient, they may elect to start you on iron supplements or infusions.
If you don’t have restless legs, but have difficulty sleeping, it’s probably time to talk to your doctor, too. Ask for a sleep study to see what may be keeping you up all night. Don’t let your medical team chalk it up to age or hormones. While each of these things can affect your sleep quality, there may also be other issues at play.
If you’re looking for a natural supplement to help you with your sleep, Green Valley Natural Solutions, formulated My Sleep Miracle. This breakthrough nutritional solution can ward off the main sleep-stealing triggers which include high levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and out of balance neurotransmitters to help you drift off to dreamland and ensure you’re rested and ready the next day. You can learn more about it here.
Best Regards,
The Awakening From Alzheimer’s Team
