Can’t Stop Bouncing Your Leg? It Could Be Restless Legs Syndrome

A constantly moving leg may look like simple nervousness or a harmless habit. But when the urge to move appears mainly during periods of rest and becomes worse at night, there may be another explanation.

“I was sitting next to my son while he was helping me with a few computer and internet-related things, and he was bouncing his leg nonstop. I asked him if he was nervous. He said no. I wondered... so why keep bouncing his leg like that?” dietitian Dr. Maya Rozman shared on her health program on 103FM radio.

After looking into the subject, she explained that in some cases, the behavior may be related to a condition known as Restless Legs Syndrome, or RLS.

“First, let’s reassure everyone: this is a very common phenomenon,” she said.

What Is Restless Legs Syndrome?

Dr. Rozman emphasized that RLS is not simply a person bouncing their leg out of habit or nervousness. Rather, it involves a strong urge to move the legs, sometimes accompanied by unpleasant sensations such as tingling, pulling, crawling, or general discomfort.

The symptoms typically appear or become more noticeable during periods of rest, such as lying in bed or sitting for a long time. They also tend to worsen in the evening or at night. One of the characteristic features of RLS is that moving, walking, or stretching the legs can provide at least temporary relief.

Because symptoms often become worse at night, RLS can also make it more difficult to fall asleep and may interfere with sleep quality.

But what causes it?

Dr. Rozman stressed that the answer is not always nutrition. In some cases, no nutritional deficiency is found at all. There can also be a family or genetic tendency, and RLS is associated with processes in the nervous system involving dopamine and iron. This means that a person may experience RLS even when routine blood tests appear normal.

Certain habits may also aggravate symptoms. According to Dr. Rozman, caffeine and alcohol can make RLS worse for some people. It may therefore be worth paying attention to whether coffee later in the day or alcohol consumption seems to correspond with more noticeable symptoms in the evening.

Coffee itself is not necessarily the cause of RLS, she explained, but for some people, it may make existing symptoms more pronounced.

What Does Iron Have to Do With It?

Of the nutritional factors associated with RLS, Dr. Rozman highlighted iron as having one of the strongest established connections.

Iron deficiency or low iron stores may be associated with the development or worsening of RLS symptoms. Importantly, a person does not necessarily need to have anemia for iron status to be relevant.

In other words, normal hemoglobin does not automatically mean that the body’s iron stores are optimal in the context of RLS.

So if you regularly experience an uncomfortable urge to move your legs while resting, particularly at night, it may be worth discussing the symptoms with a healthcare professional rather than assuming they are simply caused by stress or habit. A doctor can determine whether the symptoms fit RLS and whether further evaluation, including appropriate blood tests, is needed.