Why do my legs feel restless at night?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
An irresistible urge to move the legs, with crawling or fizzing sensations, worse at rest and at night, relieved by movement: that is restless legs syndrome, and it is common, real and treatable.
The most fixable cause is low iron stores; ferritin should be checked in everyone with it, and correcting low levels often calms the legs. Caffeine, alcohol, some antidepressants and antihistamines aggravate it; pregnancy invites it.
Beyond iron: evening stretching, massage, and for persistent cases effective prescription options exist. It ruins sleep quietly for years when nobody names it, so name it.
Go deeper, free
Only after a blood test
If a blood test shows low ferritin, iron tablets rebuild your stores over three to six months. Do not self-dose without the test: in men and women past menopause, low iron needs its cause found first, because it can signal hidden bleeding.
See iron supplementsAs an Amazon Associate, AskDoc earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.
Is this your situation right now?
General answers only go so far. A doctor can look at your numbers and history and give you a written answer about you.
People also ask
Health education, not personal medical advice. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service now.