Anxiety and restless leg syndrome

[Chloekat84]

Hello I suffer from bad anxiety as well as getting bad restless legs at the same time. I know they are related but don't know how to control it. it gets soo bad sometimes that I need to use medication but that often doesn't work. im constantly shaking my legs and cant stop it till night time and im soo worn out physically and mentally. any suggestions on how to manage this. I already take magnesium supplements at night. can someone please help me 😞

[Sparkles183]

Hi ChloeKat

the restless legs is something you should speak to your DR about. Quite often the best way to treat restless leg is to find out the underlying cause and treat the underlying causes that is making you have the restless legs, sometimes anxiety may be related but there may be other reasons you have it as well. An example is I have just been diagnosed with low iron anaemia and upon doing some research I found out that can cause restless leg syndrome as well so even though I only get a little bit of restless legs syndrome I think once I treat my iron levels it will help the restless leg syndrome as well, I also know their is other conditions that may lead to restless leg syndrome as well but that is something best to talk to your GP about.

good luck, I hope things get better soon 

take care 

sparkles 

[Chloekat84]

hello sparkles183. Thanx for ur reply. Not too long ago I had my iron levels checked and they were normal but things could have changed since then im not sure. I also get very neaseus while this restlessness is happening s well and it isn't just my legs my whole body gets restless and I cant keep still. I often pace up and down the hallway all day until it subsides it can get soo bad.

[Neil_1]

Hi there ChloeKat

Along with getting along to your GP, I’d be perhaps looking into your diet – just a thought?   Oh, well, I guess you will be with the low iron thing, or perhaps there’s supplements you can take to assist with that.   But always if things can be corrected through proper eating, that’s always a huge benefit.

The other thing I was thinking of, was perhaps your fluid (or water) intake?   I’m not sure, but wondering if it could be due to a potential lack of water and a little dehydration?  Something I thought I’d raise, so you can try to cover more bases.

I do hope you can sort it out, cause I’ve had this only occasionally and wowee, it’s a frustrating as anything.

Neil

[Clarkm89]

Hi Ive also been dealing with anxiety, panic attacks and very recently what seems to be restless leg syndrome, I'm finding it nearly impossible to stay still and if I do I begin to panic, get sweaty and feel like jumping out of my skin, I'm considering medication of some sort to try calm it down. I'm just wondering if its to do with the anxiety or if it is to do with some sort of underlying medical condition I don't even know about 

[Tiger1263]

Hi. I'm no doctor but I have had GAD for most of my 51 years. Only found that out about 5 years ago. It's only been recent that restless leg syndrome has entered my story. I've managed a way to self fix that without medication.

I don't fight it for too long. I get up and outta bed. I go and do something for about five to ten minutes and then return to bed and I manage to get to sleep by deep breathing. I take my mind away from the problem and concentrate on breathing in deeply and exhaling slowly. That's the only place my mind is. I learned this breathing technique for anxiety many years ago and it's come back to be a cure to the restless leg syndrome. It's yet to fail me. Probably done it over 50 times now. 

Hope that helps a little 🙂

[Simona]

Is this similar to leg/feet cramps?  

Because they wake me up very early in the morning  and the pain factor is fierce 

[pipsy]

Hello there.  I was suffering with restless leg syndrome too.  With me it was the meds I was on.  Someone suggested something to me about a month or so ago.  During the day (when possible), try sitting with your legs in cold - yes cold water.  Possibly add ice, not too much.  If you have a bath, use it.  Sit there half an hour more or less.  This will cool the blood, which is what causes restless legs.  When you're watching t.v elevate your legs so they're level with your shoulders.  Restless legs apparently are caused because your blood flow is downhill.  You need to elevate your legs so the blood flows uphill.  Not many Dr's are aware of this, a pharmacist told me, she has the same problem.  During winter, it's not easy, maybe just elevating your legs during winter.  I know how painful they can be, I've tried the cold bath/elevation, it took a while to get used to it, but what have you got to lose.

Best of luck.  Natural meds after a while stop being effective because your system becomes immune to them.  Dehydration as previously mentioned is also a factor.  Sip on cold water during the day as well.