Alcohol is a main RLS trigger for me

[Alex2308]

After many experiments with excluding different things from my diet I have to admit that the main trigger is an alcohol. Say, what's wrong with only 1 drink, especially if it's a red wine? Or a little bit a good brandy to fall asleep faster? Yeah, I always knew that alcohol does mess with your sleep, but you want just a little reward after a long day, right? You just sleep longer to compensate. The last 2 weeks being on a caloric restriction diet to lose some fat I finally found out that every time I drink even 1 drink or more of any alcohol my night becomes a struggle with RLS. When I don't - very little to nothing of RLS happens. I don't take any RLS related medication. I also recalled that previously any time I drank long before going to bed - I began to experience RLS symptoms after an hour or so. I guess it's because an alcohol does mess with your dopamine balance.

[Jmkut]

Me too

[Madlegs1]

I reckon it's the sulphates. Some alcohol drinks affect me , others are ok.

However, as with all things RLS, it's very much an individual matter.

Think-- yeasts, sulphates/sulphites, sugar , colourings and even alcohol 😜

Keep safe out there.

And wear a face covering, when out.

😎

[Alex2308 in reply to Madlegs1]

There are no yeasts, sulfates or sugar in my brandy. Only caramel colouring in some of them. No colourings in wine. But they trigger RLS for me all the same. So, alcohol it is.

[YodaDog]

Have you had your iron levels tested? If it's low, you may find that if you raise it you might be able to get away with a small amount of alcohol. Likewise do you take any meds for other conditions as some can cause RLS?

[Alex2308 in reply to YodaDog]

Thank you for the tip. Well, I hadn't my iron tested because I already know that the only solution is to supplement with iron a lot. So that's what I do anyways. I eat red meat every day as a readily bio available source, I take as much of the best iron supplements as my stomach can manage along with a lot of natural vitamin C to help the absorption of the non-hemo iron. I'm not ready for iron infusions anyways. And no, I don't take any other meds except 1 pill of Alimemazine before bed to treat my anxiety.

[Hidden]

Alcohol is a known aggravating factor for RLS. It is a central nervous system depressant. In small amounts and at first it depresses brain cells which are "inhibitory".

You will have noticed this effect.

Unfortunately RLS is due to a failure to inhibit motor nerves and hence they become hypersensitive leading to RLS symptoms.

Depressing these nerves even further will make RLS worse.

I'm afraid you'll have to find find something else that's rewarding for you. Anything (healthy) that's rewarding is good, as it boosts dopamine levels.

Also, as YodaDog suggests, you could have a blood test for "ferritin" and if it's below 100ug/L an oral iron supplement to raise it stands a 50% chance of reducing your symptoms.

In addition, (as he rightly says), there are many other aggravating factors besides alcohol. If you're taking any medications for anything these could be a factor. Your diet may be a factor.

You don't indicate how severe your RLS symptoms are when they happen, but the alternative is simply to put up with them if they have little impact on your quality of life and NOT having a brandy has.

I put up with "mild" RLS for many years without too much concern.

[Alex2308 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, I replied to YodaDog about my ferritin aproach. As for my diet now it's as healthy as you can get. The symptoms are not severe, no pain at least, I can easily bear them while I'm not trying to get some sleep. But they completely ruin my sleep. So I simply chose not to drink and it comes pretty easy for me. As old alcoholics say, it's easy not to drink but it's hard to understand why would you do that lol

[Hidden in reply to Alex2308]

I hope your issue with alcohol isn't the same I used to have with smoking.

I used to say "it's easy to give up smoking, I've done it lots of times".

Incidentally Alimemazine is a sedating antihistamine, these are known to make RLS worse.

[Alex2308 in reply to Hidden]

Well, alcohol is all about reward for me. Now the reward of a restfull night without RLS is much better for me. I never touched a cigarette and I suspect it's much harder to give up than alcohol

[Tanker1]

Yes, alcohol is a bad one for RLS. Very sad because I love a drink after a hard day working or playing outside. I keep a journal and use a sleep app with an iphone 6. I've found that I get much more deep sleep (1.5-2 hrs vs 0-0.5 hrs) when I don't drink. I also have much less RLS/PLMD.