Rest and Restless Legs

Today I am grateful for take and bake pizza, and for safe travels for loved ones. I am also grateful for the job I return to today after a nice break from it.

I have written plenty about RESTLESS heart and mind, and will continue, but RESTLESS legs are my focus today. I have random times where I am bothered by restless legs, both at night and during the day. Thankfully, it is not a chronic condition. I hope it doesn't become one, and I sympathize with those for whom it is.

I am often on the move in my waking hours, so during the day if my legs are restless it is most noticeable when I am driving. I have a 30-minute commute and sometimes I will have some pain and that urge to move my legs. It becomes a test when you are the one driving the vehicle down the freeway. A little movement and some deep breathing help.

I more often experience the restless legs at night in bed. It might be after a long run. It might be hormonal/menopausal. It might be just because. I think it is a combination of factors. It can be maddening when it happens. If you have experienced restless legs, you know what I mean.

That strange sensation and need to move my legs, but that doesn't bring relief. So I toss and turn some. Getting up and walking a little can help. Breathing/meditation practice or reading to take my mind off my legs can help. Usually, I am able to fall back to sleep, but disrupted sleep is not quality sleep.

Again, I appreciate that this is not chronic for me. I also tune in to what I have eaten or drank that day, and look for patterns that might tell me what to avoid.  It's never a bad idea to tune into and care for our physical bodies, especially when they are acting in ways we wish they wouldn't.

Restless legs may disturb my sleep, but they are still less disturbing to me than a restless mind tends to be for me.  To be less restless, be more quiet. That may help both my legs and my mind.


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