Restless legs syndrome a common neurological condition

Actors and longtime Hollywood couple Corbin Bernsen and Amanda Pays are joining forces on an educational program to raise awareness of restless legs syndrome, a common yet misunderstood condition with which they've both been diagnosed.

RLS is characterized by a compelling urge to move the legs, usually accompanied or caused by uncomfortable and unpleasant leg sensations when sitting or at rest.

Bernsen and Pays, married for nearly 20 years, didn't realize that each of them was experiencing symptoms of RLS. Like many patients who live with RLS, they both made adjustments in their lives in order to cope with the difficulties they sometimes experienced.

"I was active and maintained a healthy lifestyle, so I just assumed that I was aging and could not do anything about it," said Bernsen, actor, director and producer. "I didn't realize that many people have symptoms similar to mine, including my wife. When Amanda and I learned that we both have RLS, it was such a relief to know that we were experiencing a fairly common and treatable medical condition."

"I would get a buzzing feeling in my legs at night, a zinging feeling like my legs couldn't go to sleep. The feeling prevented me from getting to sleep, and then I felt really tired and irritable the next day," Pays said. "Because I never knew which night I would experience symptoms, I worried about being able to get to sleep. Being a working mother with four boys, I need all the sleep I can get."

RLS, which ranges from mild to severe, is estimated to affect approximately one in 10 adults in the United States. RLS can affect people in many ways. The symptoms range in severity and duration from person to person and can result in sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep, and feelings of tiredness, trouble concentrating and difficulty with daily activities.

People with RLS may also struggle with activities that require sitting for long periods of time, such as meetings, long car rides, visits to the theater or airline flights.

Some people with RLS may experience depressive symptoms such as reduced sleep, loss of energy, work difficulties and irritability.

"While many people may suffer from a poor night's sleep on occasion due to common circumstances, such as a stressful day at work or too much caffeine, RLS symptoms are chronic and can be more problematic for patients than the occasional sleepless night," said Richard L. Gelula, chief executive officer of the National Sleep Foundation.

For more information about the condition, visit the website www.Restlesslegs.com.

This story is provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.