Understanding Anxious Legs and Anxiety
I get lots of messages about restless leg syndrome, and I'm often asked if this is linked to anxiety. The answer is yes, RLS can be related to anxiety.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) or anxious leg may be impacting you if you struggle to fall asleep because your legs won’t stay still. Or maybe you feel a creeping sensation, tingling or throbbing in your legs? Perhaps you feel a desperate urge to move your legs the moment you lie down?
If this sounds like a familiar sensation, you’re not alone. Many people describe this frustrating experience as restless legs or anxious legs, especially when it shows up during moments of stress, overwhelm, or exhaustion.
In this article, we are going to understand more about restless legs, and we will explore:
- What restless legs or anxious legs at night actually are
- The connection between anxiety and restless legs
- How it feels and why it gets worse at night
- Practical, science-backed solutions to soothe your body
- When to seek additional support
If you’ve ever found yourself pacing your bedroom or stretching your legs in the middle of the night, desperately trying to calm that crawling, agitated feeling, then this is for you. There is a path to peace, and it starts with understanding what your body is trying to tell you.
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What Are “Anxious Legs”?
The term “anxious legs” is not a formal medical diagnosis. Still, it’s a phrase many of our clients at Better Your Life use to describe the uncomfortable sensations that often accompany night time anxiety, and I struggled myself with this for years. These sensations closely resemble the symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), a recognised condition acknowledged by the NHS and other global health organisations.
Common symptoms include:
- A twitching, crawling, tingling or itching sensation in the legs
- An uncontrollable urge to move them, especially when resting
- Relief that only comes with movement
- Worsening symptoms in the evening or during the night
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Anxiety often plays a significant role in making symptoms worse, especially at night, when the brain and body are supposed to be winding down.
The Link Between Anxiety and Anxious Legs
It’s no coincidence that anxious and restless legs tend to strike when we’re trying to rest. One of the key triggers for the symptoms is emotional distress, particularly stress, overwhelm and persistent anxiety.
Stress and persistent or chronic anxiety can lead to:
- An overactive nervous system: When we’re anxious, our fight-or-flight response kicks in. This keeps our muscles tense and our nervous system alert, making it difficult for our body to truly relax
- Elevated cortisol: Anxiety raises levels of cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones keep us stimulated even when we’re physically still, contributing to that jittery, crawling sensation in our legs.
- Hypervigilance: At night, without daytime distractions, we become more aware of bodily sensations. This can intensify feelings of discomfort or agitation in the limbs, as we become hyperfocused on the feeling
Mount Sinai Hospital, one of the largest and most respected hospitals in America, reports that as many as 40% of individuals with RLS also experience an anxiety disorder, thus recognising the strong correlation between the two.
Night-Time Anxiety: Why It Shows Up in Your Legs
Anxiety has many symptoms and they can show up differently for all of us. Anxiety doesn’t always show up as racing thoughts or a pounding heart. Sometimes it gets trapped in the body.
So you may be thinking why does anxiety show up in my legs??
- Your legs carry tension: If you’ve been holding stress in all day, your body stores it somewhere. For many of us, that place is the legs.
- We’re conditioned to move: Movement relieves discomfort, so your brain pushes you to get up and walk even if rest is what you actually need.
- Anxiety thrives in stillness: When we finally stop moving at night, the anxious mind has nowhere to go but inward. The result? Restlessness.
The NHS suggests that restless leg symptoms often worsen in the evening, possibly due to the circadian rhythm’s effect on dopamine levels, a key brain chemical involved in movement and mood.
When We Can't Lie Still Long Enough to Sleep
I recall back when, each evening, I felt like I was having a battle with my own legs. After a stressful day juggling work, caring for my daughter and maintaining a happy home, I’d try to get to sleep. Even though I was totally exhausted, I would find my legs buzzing and twitching uncontrollably. It was extremely frustrating. The more I craved sleep, the worse my legs would be.
Anxious legs aren't actually painful, but they did feel annoying, a bit like an itch I couldn’t scratch. I’d get out of bed to stretch and walk, but the constant feeling wouldn’t go away. My twitching legs were a regular nightly disturbance for both myself and my partner.
Back then, my body was constantly in the fight and flight "go, go, go” mode, even though I desperately wanted sleep. I thought it was just a part of who I was, and at the time, I didn't realise it was even possible to overcome my anxiety.
Eventually, as I got to understand more about anxiety and the impact it has on our nervous system, and I learnt the tools and strategies to cope and overcome the overwhelm, I was able to calm my anxious legs and reclaim some much-needed sleep.
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How to Soothe Anxious Legs and Calm Anxiety
Here are 6 practical steps you can take tonight to calm your legs and your mind:
1. Activate Your Parasympathetic Nervous System
This is your rest and digest mode, and the opposite of the fight and flight mode. Try:
- 4-7-8 breathing (my personal favourite)
- Gentle yoga poses or place your legs up against the wall
- A warm magnesium bath, with Epsom Salts
2. Get Out of Bed (Briefly)
If your legs won’t settle after 15 or so minutes, get up and do a low-stimulation activity in dim light. Avoid your phone, TV and bright lights. Try walking around and then sit quietly:
- Reading something calming
- Sipping herbal tea
- Journaling your anxious thoughts
3. Stretch and Massage Your Legs
Movement can help, however, it's essential to make sure it’s gentle. Try:
- Foam rolling your calves
- Doing seated leg stretches
- Massaging your legs with magnesium oil
4. Create a Night-Time Routine
A lack of sleep can lead to anxiety, and anxiety can lead to a lack of sleep. Therefore, it is beneficial to introduce a bedtime routine that calms your mind, ready for sleep.
Include:
- A short “brain dump” journaling practice
- Switching off screens at least an hour before bed
- A consistent wind-down schedule, such as reading a book or taking a bath before bed
- A calming gratitude practice, noticing the 3 things you are most grateful for that day
5. Talk to an Anxiety Specialist
Anxiety can have an impact on all areas of our lives, so if you are struggling with anxious legs, an anxiety specialist can give you the tools and resources to calm your nervous system and get to the root cause of your anxiety.
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When to Seek Help
Let’s Take the First Step Together. If anxiety is affecting your legs, your mood or your sleep, it’s time to take it seriously.
At Better Your Life, we’ve helped thousands of clients reclaim calm from anxiety. And we’re here for you, too, either online or in person.
Many traditional approaches treat anxiety in isolation. But your body is constantly communicating with your mind. Working with someone who understands anxiety and the nervous system can help you heal in a more lasting way.
You don't have to face any type of anxiety alone. Many people find themselves trapped in cycles of worry, panic and exhaustion that seem impossible to break free from.
Working with an anxiety specialist isn't just about talking through your challenges. It's also about discovering the specific triggers that send your nervous system into overdrive, learning proven techniques to restore calm, and gaining fundamental tools to reshape both your mind and body.
Now is the right time to take back control of your life and free yourself from those anxious thoughts and physical pains.
Click the button below to arrange a free, no obligation consultation call.
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At Better Your Life, we don’t just treat symptoms, we work with you to understand what’s behind them. Anxious legs are your body’s way of asking for attention. Not punishment. Not frustration. Just understanding.
Download your free guide of "Journaling Questions to Reduce Anxiety by clicking here.
Additional Resources to Ease Anxiety
Read What Causes Anxiety?
Read What Are The Different Types of Anxiety?
Read Can Mindfulness Help with Anxiety
Watch How to Feel Less Anxious
Watch How To Reduce Anxiety Immediately
Watch Breathing Techniques for Anxiety
Download Circle of Control and Influence worksheet
Download Cognitive Distortions worksheet
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FAQs About Anxious Legs and Anxiety
1. Are Anxious Legs a Sign of Something Serious?
Not usually. They are often a symptom of nervous system dysregulation, especially when triggered by stress or anxiety. However, chronic or worsening symptoms should be discussed with your GP or healthcare provider.
2. Can Anxiety Cause Restless Legs Without Having RLS?
Yes. Anxiety can mimic the symptoms of RLS, even in people who don’t have the condition. The symptoms often ease once anxiety is managed.
3. Why Do My Legs Feel Jittery Only at Night?
At night, the brain quiets down and your awareness of bodily sensations increases. Plus, your dopamine levels naturally dip in the evening, making movement disorders more noticeable.
4. Can Magnesium Help With Anxious Legs?
Magnesium supports muscle relaxation and nervous system health. Many people find relief with magnesium supplements, magnesium salts or magnesium oil, but speak to your GP or health professional before starting any new supplement.
5. Will This Go Away if I Fix My Anxiety?
In many cases, yes. Once the nervous system is soothed, the physical symptoms of anxious legs often improve significantly.
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