Restless legs syndrome: an unstoppable urge to move the legs that strikes at rest and in the evening, briefly relieved by moving - MedlinePlus's description matches the experience exactly.
The signature is timing: worst at night, quieted by movement. The fixable drivers: iron deficiency (a ferritin test is the check, and treating low iron helps), pregnancy, kidney disease, some antidepressants and sedating antihistamines, caffeine, and alcohol. First-line fixes: regular moderate exercise, consistent sleep, warm baths and stretching before bed. Legs wrecking sleep most nights: doctor visit - iron first, prescriptions if needed.
What to do
Common questions
Why do I get restless legs at night?
That is restless legs syndrome, and MedlinePlus describes it exactly as it feels: a nervous system problem causing an unstoppable urge to get up and pace or walk - uncomfortable unless you move, with moving stopping the feeling briefly. The diagnostic signature is timing and rest: symptoms strike in the evening and when lying or sitting still, fade with movement, and are worst at night - which is why it wrecks sleep onset. The drivers worth knowing: iron deficiency is a common and treatable cause (a ferritin blood test is the check, and supplementing low iron genuinely helps), plus pregnancy, kidney disease, some antidepressants and antihistamines (sedating antihistamines like diphenhydramine famously worsen it), caffeine, and alcohol. The first-line fixes: regular moderate exercise, consistent sleep, warm baths and leg stretching before bed, and cutting the triggers. When the legs are wrecking sleep most nights, it is a doctor visit - iron testing first, and there are prescription options when lifestyle is not enough. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you prep for the visit.