Is it just me ... I find some sofas, if with foam based cushions, bring on RLS. Also those grey stacking chairs you get at meetings. And a curious thing happened tonight ... I've taken to the spare bed now, and tonight the legs started up soon after turning in, and I always take a long time to sleep (if I do sleep before the legs start up). So my husband was still reading and I joined him in our bed with my book, and twitching legs. After about 10 minutes they abruptly stopped, much quicker than they normally would. So I thought 'Yippee' and since he wanted to sleep and always used to keep me awake with his whiffling and snoring, I returned to spare bed, thinking the twitching was over. Within less than 5 minutes, my legs were angry again. Does anybody out there find a difference depending on what mattress you sleep on ? Or what the sofa cushions are made of ? Any thoughts or tips ?
I also find eating chocolate at night brings on very angry legs, and quickly. I did mention this to Dr Lennox at John Radcliffe but he said there was nothing in it. But I know it happens to me
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Thanks for your post. Such a shame about the chocolate .....
I don't want to sound pompous, but I think this is probably what you might call the "Lowell" phenomenon.
Perceival Lowell was an astronomer and he claimed to have discovered canals on the surface of Mars. It sounded quite credible. However when the first probe reached Mars - no canals.
The human brain is a "pattern recognition" machine. Part of the reason we've survived as a species is because we are able to perceive patterns and relationships between things in the world. This is the basis of science.
It's also the basis of conspiracy theories and the perception of patterns, (Mars canals) when in fact there is no pattern OR the pattern we see is inaccurate, usually because it's based on too little information.
It may just be coincidental that your twitching stopped and started as it did. However, when my twitching started when in bed, it never stopped abruptly, it went on for hours. I don't disbelieve what you write but I suspect that it stopped because of some other factor, but wasn't actually stopped, just temporarily relieved. When you change beds and lie down again, it starts up again.
I do know that when sitting on hard chairs, especially with a sharp front edge, for a few minutes, my left leg goes numb and partially paralysed. A "dead leg". Once, it didn't come back again properly and I got "foot drop" in my left foot. This means it doesn't pull up fully and I kept tripping over things. I even saw a doctor about it. It wore off after a few days. It's happened again since.
I can't offer an alternative explanation for the sofa.
However, overall, I wouldn't recommend buying a new mattress or sofa!
RLS occurs when you stay still. If you're putting your feet up on a recliner, then you're staying still. If you lean forward, that's movement, which will relieve symptoms. Classic symptom.of RLS. Additionally, sittong up will increase muscle tone, i.e. you're not entirely relaxed.
I may be wrong, but it's possible that if you think it's your position that's affecting your RLS, this may not actually strictly be true.
I don't think this is anything to do with the chemical nature of the material that the chair or bed is made from. However, I think the shape properties can have an effect by creating pressure points inside the body which can trigger RLS. See my earlier posts about how some people are "wired" differently with respect to their nerves.
Yes, the angle at which I'm sitting definitely affects my RLS. I have a mild form of RLS, which only bothers me right before bed. However, my outside patio chair causes me problems within 15 minutes of sitting in it, even during the day. I never have problems during the day, ever, except when I sit in that chair. This has me believing that circulation has an effect on my RLS.
It’s funny about certain chairs. The worst are usually old dining room chairs and those cafe chairs found in all bars/tavernas all over Mediterranean. The ones with raffia seats. Killers for me.
It is interesting that you bring that up. I have a beautiful Select Comfort king-sized bed for 20 years. I have noticed as soon as I lay down in it, my legs and arms start up. I know I have some lower spinal stenosis. We have a queen-sized Select Comfort in the guest room that I seem to have less trouble with. The firmness is the same. I can not figure it out. I also have one recliner that is very comfortable; of course, it is the old beat up one. My new ones seem to bother my RLS . I am not sure why this is. The spinal stenosis may be aggravating my RLS. Perhaps the position of rest in one recliner is different than the other.
Weird about the beds. Er... they do say a mattress should be changed every few rears. Both out mattresses are 10 years old and I wondered if we should stump up. But which ones. Could be expensive mistake as you cannot try in advance. Worst ones are very very hard, often found in Italy, but curiously in Sicily I found the hard floor easier to sleep on than hard bed. !!
I most definitely find a difference depending on the chair. For me it seems the softer the chair the more my rls acts up. I also find when I'm reclining, like manerva said more relaxed and still, my rls is worse. When I sit on a harder chair and sit upright my rls improves. Mattresses I haven't noticed a difference.
Don't forget chocolate contains theobromine, which is another alkaloid, as well as caffeine. Usually more of the former. No idea if this is relevant but it is all knowledge and might help.
I'm wondering if a rocking chair might help RLS, I don't have one but if anyone does it's worth a try ....pressing the feet to the ground to rock back and forth might work... I'll buy one if anyone on here says it works!
I find having a high placed mattress helps so you can hang your leg over and swing it, it doesn’t take it away but it makes it less irritating , just a thought!
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Is it RLS or something else? 
Alcohol is a main RLS trigger for me
Antihistamines and a trigger for RLS
Does this sound like RLS?
Anyone find they get intense itching as a precursor to RLS?
