fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #4035 ]

[ SECRET POST #4035 ]

⌈ Secret Post #4035 ⌋

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Ever since I started working out 3 months ago, my legs jerk at night and it keeps me awake.

Basically, I'll be tired and ready to fall asleep, but when I lay down and start to relax into sleep, my legs jerk and it wakes me up. When that happens, for some reason, my heart thumps in my chest, I start overheating, and I'm suddenly completely awake. It takes me ages to start feeling tired again, and as soon as I do, my legs jerk and the whole thing starts all over again.

This even happens the second night after I've hit the gym (so, like, a full day and a half later).

I always stretch after working out. I've tried using one of those foam rollers. I've been taking magnesium and potassium supplements for several weeks now. None of it has helped.

I'm so frustrated and demoralized. I finally managed to start working out regularly for the first time in my life, and instead of making me feel healthier and helping me sleep better, I feel like shit from barely sleeping. I don't know what to do.

This sounds like restless leg syndrome and I recommend seeing a medial professional instead of asking anons who probably can't even name all of your internal organs.

Nah, those are hypnic jerks.

This only furthers my case.

How so? Because I know the difference between RLS (itchy/pins and needle feeling in legs that compels people to move their legs) and hypnic jerks (the sensation of being jerked awake when falling asleep).

Also, if anon doesn't have insurance they may want to try home remedies instead of wasting money for a doctor to tell them to relax more or workout earlier.

You're right! I just read up on hypnic jerks and that's definitely what I'm experiencing. I'd googled my symptoms pretty early on. But no matter what I googled, I just kept getting more and more links that were talking about Restless Leg Syndrome, which is kind of like what I'm experiencing, but also not. So I wasn't sure what to think.

I actually did go to a doctor about a month ago, described my symptoms, and she kind of dismissively said it sounded like RLS, but that I should stretch more and workout earlier and come back in a while if it continued to be a problem.

Unfortunately, none of the "treatments" for hypnic jerks seem likely to help me, since I'm 99.9% sure it's the exercise that's causing my jerks (I almost never had them before I started working out, and if I go a third night between workouts, I don't get the jerks on the third night). Still, at least now I feel like I probably know what I'm actually dealing with, which is a bit comforting. Thanks for your help, anon.

This might help! https://www.thesleepjudge.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-hypnic-jerk/

It did help! Thank you anon!

Unfortunately, it seems pretty unlikely that any of the "treatments" they suggest are going to help me much, since I'm 99% sure my hypnic jerks are being caused by my workouts. And working out earlier in the day isn't going to help me, since I still get jerks a full 40 hours after a workout. But I feel a little better knowing what I'm actually dealing with, so thank you.

Hmmm. Sounds kind of like this, but more severe?

https://www.webmd.com/brain/restless-legs-syndrome/restless-legs-syndrome-rls#1

Honestly, it's time to talk to a doctor. Not because this is so dangerous (because I have no idea) but because it's negatively affecting your sleep and your life.

Having gone through this thread, I'm now pretty sure it's actually hypnic jerks, but I still appreciate the advice. :)

I probably will go back and see my doctor (if only because it's covered), but unless there's a medication to treat it...I just don't know. I never had hypnic jerks before I started working out, and I don't have them on the third night after a workout, so it seems pretty clear it's the workouts that are causing the jerks. Stopping my workouts might be the only way to stop the jerks. Which just seems absurdly unfair on the part of the universe, honestly. *grumble*

Sounds like you started to hard. Maybe dial it back and build up.

I don't think so? I do 25 min of elliptical, 40 min of weights, and 20 min of stretching every 2 - 3 days. (I was very slim and reasonably healthy to begin with.) I know I'm making some progress, because I've increased the weight I'm lifting, but otherwise I'd almost think I wasn't pushing hard enough as I'm basically never sore the next day or the second day after.

I push pretty hard with my cardio, but I don't think the cardio is what's causing my hypnic jerks, as I've done cardio in the past without suffering from jerks, and I also tried doing only cardio for one of my workouts and didn't have any jerks afterwards. So it seems to be the weights that are causing it.

tldr: I just don't know. None of it makes any sense.

da

That's actually a lot to do in one stretch, if that was your starting point. AYRT may be right that you need to dial things back and build up to let your body acclimate - soreness isn't the only indicator that you're pushing harder than you should be, muscle spasms are also a huge one.

Sounds rather like periodic limb movement disorder, which is to restless legs syndrome what a bolt of lightning is to a mild electric current. People kick themselves out of bed with it.

I was diagnosed with PLMD after a sleep test, which brought to light a couple of other sleep disorders as well. There are various drugs which deal with it, and which are more or less effective. I went through two or three before finding one which works properly - a very old epilepsy drug, a low dose of which is remarkably effective.

Good luck, anon - if you can get your GP to order a sleep test, it's your best bet to crack this nut. Poor sleep is miserable, so I hope you get it sorted!

Thank you for bringing PLMB to my awareness! I will definitely look into it. And talk to my GP about a sleep test.

I'm glad you found a treatment that works for you. It's horrible to hear people talk about how they've had to live with these sorts of sleep disturbances for years and years. I'm not panicking for myself, yet, because I'm pretty sure if nothing else, I can stop exercising and it'll go away. But I'd rather it not come to that.

Thanks again for your suggestions. :)

If you're pretty sure that it's the exercise that's causing it, maybe vary the type of exercise and see if that helps. It might be that a specific type of movement is over-stimulating something. A deficiency in magnesium can sometimes cause muscle twitches. And you can lose magnesium from exertion and most people don't get enough anyway. So maybe eat a banana or some almonds.

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