[Medical Q&A] I always feel like my legs have nowhere to put when I sleep at night. What’s going on?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Tian Jinzhou, Chief Physician, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Then you may be suffering from a disease called "restless legs syndrome". Restless legs syndrome, also known as "restless legs syndrome", is a sensory motor disorder of the nervous system. Its main manifestation is extreme discomfort in the lower limbs when falling asleep or being in a quiet state at night, and a strong and almost irresistible desire to move the legs, which improves after movement. The disease can occur at any age, and the incidence rate increases with age, so it is more common in middle-aged and elderly people, and more common in women than in men.

The diagnosis of restless legs syndrome is not difficult. It can be confirmed as long as the following four characteristics are met: ① Indescribable discomfort in the limbs, leading to a strong desire to move the limbs, mainly the lower limbs. These sensory abnormalities often occur deep in the limbs, rather than on the surface of the limbs. ② The patient cannot fall asleep and needs to move his limbs constantly to relieve the sensory abnormalities, which are mainly manifested by walking back and forth, shaking or flexing and stretching the lower limbs, and tossing and turning in bed. ③ The symptoms worsen during rest and can be temporarily relieved by activity. ④ The symptoms worsen at night and reach a peak late at night. When the above symptoms occur, patients need to seek medical attention and undergo relevant examinations in time. Early treatment can effectively alleviate the condition.