I see there are a few posts relating these two conditions. A few days ago, I came across this article:
It strongly suggests, to my mind, that mental stress, possibly acting on those with a genetic predisposition, causes the damage leading to RLS.
I particularly note, that besides saying three-quarters of Vietnamese veterans with severe PTSD, also have RLS, it also says: "Doctors do not understand how PTSD, RLS, and PLMD are connected".
Interesting. It certainly makes sense. Thanks for sharing.
It's all to do with glutamate receptors.
Any more than that, they don't know.
Plenty of theories - 😅
Yes, dopamine is trying to sort of dismiss the glutamate impulse, is it not.
To stop RLS we need either lower the glutamate pulse (opiates, gabapentin, magnesium) or increase the dopamine action (DAs).
Al though, isn't dopamine involved in drug addiction, and don't we get RLS worse when we try to fantasize.
The latter is often explained by greater brain activity, or we're supposed to go after what we fantasize about? [Opiates are a bit complicated, and I haven't looked at their action in detail.]
Yes, there was an Iranian study of military veterans with PTSD which showed all of them had various stress related sleep disorders, including 25% or so with OSA and RLS.
dx.doi.org/10.4172/2167-122...
"Insomnia, nightmares, sleep related movement and daytime sleepiness are frequently reported symptoms by PTSD veterans. In our study, while all of subjects had a complaint of sleep disturbances and depressive and anxiety symptoms, there was statistically significant association between RLS scores and anxiety severity representing by Beck Anxiety Inventory. RLS score was not related with other parameters."
In PTSD, the amygdala chronically overpowers the prefrontal cortex, according to a talk I just listened to, and medical papers seem to support.
Haven't yet fitted that into RKS neurology.
I saw the tag line and thought to myself "Yes, I have some PTSD from my untreated years of RLS." Oops. Switcheroo.
My laugh for the day!😀
my laugh too 🤣
wow I was unaware of the connection. I have CPTSD and have had it since childhood. I also have RLS since my 30s and I’ve just turned to 59. My mom also had RLS but drank excessively during her life to deal with any mental stress I guess.
I have often wondered about the connections mentioned in the article and it makes sense. The side effects of PTSD including hyper vigilance and hypersomnia certainly mess with one’s ability to rest. Thank you for sharing this.
I would agree based on my personal experience. I lived in a country that erupted into chaos, violence and anarchy. A member of our family was murdered, neighbours attacked etc. I had so much fear and anxiety for my wife and children. I remember the day my anxiety levels were so high that I felt I was losing control of the fear - that night I could not sleep, every time I dosed off I jolted awake. That began months of sleeping only 1.5hrs per night. I now understand that PTSD is triggered when, in a time of acute fear, you cannot take action. Definitely what happened to me. A few months later, rls began. My Dad has it so I am genetically predisposed but it took PTSD to trigger it. I still struggle with a pounding heart, generalised anxiety and rls 24 years later.
That's terrible! I am so sorry you had to go through that.
Thanks Sue. It actually made us better and stronger. Sometimes trouble is the making of us - provided we respond the right way to it. Have a great day.
I don't have any experience with this, but it could have an impact on anyone with PTSD. It is a therapy called Havening (also a technique called self-havening). The video is very compelling...
This is very interesting to see as a result of actual research - I have long known that stress and trauma triggers my rls and it was the perfect storm of living with a catalogue of extreme stressors that led my body to be in a permanent fight or flight situation during the pandemic and this moved my intermittent rls to a constant and chronic condition (which it still is).
I also have a history of childhood trauma which has predisposed my amygdala to overreact and looking back has caused me to have historically been prone to fight, flight and freeze reactions.
Add this to my lack of iron in my first pregnancy and first experience of severe rls … I feel these are all pieces of the puzzle leading to my current condition which I am currently trying to unravel.
Living in a neurological fight or flight condition uses up all the bodies resources and causes burn out, chronic fatigue and many other things… presumably the dopamine receptors are also fried / worn out ? Or we loose our ability to connect with them maybe? The basics of polyvagal theory which explains how the human body developed historically and has moved from the reptilian response of fight or flight to the mammalian response of connecting with others - would suggest that we need to learn how to connect our nervous systems to the latter and move away from the former.
Thank you for sharing - this very helpful and informative
that's interesting! I heard about before. Since some 1 year ago I started (still adjusting dose ) lamotrigine (my only medication currently) trying to sort out PSTD and see what happens with the RLS.
My sleep disorder breathing already resolved with a bilevel cpap since 2018.
all the best
Very interesting, thank you. I can believe that chronic stress has had something to do with my problems. But such a miserable end to the article though, as usual. The typical treatment being ‘just do some CBT’ :(.
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