Saturday Soliloquy: A Rough Week

I’ve mentioned before that I have restless leg syndrome. The muscles in my right leg, in particular, are actually sore from clenching against the jitters. I’m losing sleep and waking up ornery as a bear poked out of hibernation.

Drastic measures are required. I’ve upped the amount of magnesium by adding a supplement to my regimen. That was four days ago, too soon to say if it’s helping or not. I also found a homeopathic product that is mostly magnesium. Little tablets that you dissolve under your tongue, and you can use them as often as necessary. So far, I’ve taken them in the middle of the night when a call of nature summons, and the leg kicks up when I go back to bed. The tablets seem to be helping a lot. I’ve had a couple of really good nights in a row, and am less likely to bite people in the ankle this morning.

“Can’t you get the magnesium you need by way of food?” you may ask. I could, if I were willing to eat, say, three avocados every day. That would blow my calorie allowance pretty quickly, so no, that’s not an option. Most magnesium-rich foods are also calorie-dense. It’s a bummer, but the supplements are inexpensive and easy to take.

Well, enough of that. Unless you share this malady with me, you’re probably tired of hearing about it. It may seem like a small thing, but when sleep is interrupted and physical discomfort is chronic, it becomes a really big issue.

I need my sleep. Always have. I don’t do well on only four or five hours a night, especially if it’s interrupted. Under such circumstances, I closely identify with Auntie Acid and Crabby Road.

Look them up. They’re hilarious 🙂