Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a disorder of the part of the nervous system that affects movements of the legs. Because it usually interferes with sleep, it also is considered a sleep disorder. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a disorder that causes a strong urge to move your legs. This urge to move often occurs with strange and unpleasant feelings in your legs. Moving your legs relieves the urge and the unpleasant feelings. People who have RLS describe the unpleasant feelings as creeping, crawling, pulling, itching, tingling, burning, aching, or electric shocks. Sometimes, the feelings also occur in the arms. Causes of Restless Legs Syndrome Lack of Iron Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is mainly due to the faulty use or lack of iron in the brain. The brain uses iron to make the chemical dopamine and to control other brain activities. Dopamine works in the parts of the brain that control movement. People whose family members have RLS also are more likely to develop the disorder. This suggests that genetics may contribute to the faulty use or lack of iron in the brain that triggers RLS. Nerve damage in the legs or feet and sometimes in the arms or hands may cause or worsen RLS. Several conditions can cause such nerve damage, including diabetes. Primary RLS When all outside factors and other conditions have been ruled out as a cause for RLS symptoms, the condition can be classified as primary RLS. It is usually found in early onset cases, before the ages of 35 to 45, when there are no other identifiable causes. Secondary RLS Before you consider drug treatment for RLS, it's important to make sure your condition is not aggravated by something that can be cured or controlled on its own. Pregnancy sometimes causes temporary symptoms which usually disappear slightly before or after giving birth. Symptoms The symptoms of restless legs syndrome occur most often at night when you are sitting or lying down to rest. It is an uncomfortable feeling in the lower legs and sometimes in the arms. These feelings have been described as "creeping," "crawling," or "aching." Moving the legs or walking relieves these feelings. However, they quickly recur when leg motion stops. The symptoms can make it hard for a person to fall asleep and cause frequent awakenings during the night, after which it can be hard to return to sleep because of the discomfort in the legs. • Nighttime leg discomfort or movement of your arms or legs while sleeping • Excessive sleepiness or fatigue during the day • Difficulty sleeping, including trouble falling asleep, waking frequently during the night, waking too early, not being able to fall back asleep or waking unrefreshed Treatment Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a medical condition characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs, including burning, tugging, and tightening, and feels "like insects crawling inside the legs," according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).Although experts have known about RLS for years, a broader lack of awareness appears to have severely limited diagnosis of the condition. A survey conducted by the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation (RLSF) not only found that more than half of those who responded had never heard of RLS, but also found that many did not fully understand the impact that the condition can have on daily life. "RLS is sometimes described as 'the most common condition you've never heard of,'" says Georgianna Bell, executive director of the RLSF. The abnormal sensations (paresthesias) or unpleasant abnormal sensations (dysesthesias) often range from uncomfortable to irritating and painful. RLS can be treated. The goals of treatment are to: •Prevent or relieve symptoms •Increase the amount and improve the quality of your sleep •Treat or correct any underlying condition that may trigger or worsen RLS