While high blood pressure (hypertension) doesn't directly cause Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), research shows a strong association, with RLS potentially increasing the risk of hypertension and abnormal blood pressure patterns (like non-dipping hypertension), and high BP medications or sleep loss from RLS may contribute to cardiovascular issues, indicating a complex link where RLS may affect BP regulation and cardiovascular health.
RLS can lead to hypertension because of its effect on sleep quality and duration or the coexisting PLMS. Alternatively hypertension can also cause RLS through vascular changes or secondary to effects of medications used to treat hypertension7.
In most cases, the cause of RLS is unknown. However, RLS often runs in families, and specific gene variants are associated with the condition. Low levels of iron in the brain also may be responsible for RLS. RLS also may be related to a dysfunction in the basal ganglia—a part of the brain that controls movement.
This condition is a medical emergency and can be life-threatening. Common symptoms include headache, restlessness, confusion and seizures. It can lead to coma. Contact 911 or your local emergency services number immediately if you notice symptoms.
“In particular, most people with RLS have as many as 200 to 300 periodic leg movements per night of sleep and these leg movements are associated with substantial acute increases in both blood pressure and heart rate, which may, over the long term, produce cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease.
However, the condition is underrecognized due to a lack of awareness and the fact that the patient does not describe symptoms easily associated with RLS. In clinical practice, the main misdiagnoses are the following: circulation problems, venous diseases, arthritis, back or spinal injury.
Lifestyle and home remedies
Symptoms
While RLS by itself isn't necessarily life-threatening, researchers have linked it with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and coronary artery disease. Other data link RLS with an increased risk of cardiovascular-related death.
difficulty falling or staying asleep. Although often considered a nighttime problem, some people with insomnia may be in a state of "hyperarousal" that also makes it hard for them to nod off during the day.
Visit a healthcare provider if you have symptoms of RLS that: Don't improve with at-home therapies. Get worse. Affect your ability to sleep.
There's no single "best" medication for Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS); effectiveness varies, but gabapentinoids (gabapentin, gabapentin enacarbil, pregabalin) are often first-line for moderate to severe cases, while dopamine agonists (ropinirole, pramipexole, rotigotine) are also highly effective but carry a risk of worsening symptoms (augmentation) over time, leading to their use being sometimes reserved for when other options fail. Mild cases might just need lifestyle changes or simple painkillers, while severe cases unresponsive to other treatments may use low-dose opioids, and iron infusions are crucial if low iron is a factor.
There's usually no clear cause for restless legs syndrome, but you're more likely to get it if someone in your family also has it. It can also be linked to other things, such as: pregnancy (symptoms usually go away after giving birth) iron deficiency anaemia.
People with nocturnal hypertension may experience some disruptions to sleep, which can include:
10 Common Triggers for Restless Leg Syndrome
Three early warning signs of heart failure include persistent fatigue/weakness, shortness of breath (especially with activity or lying down), and swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles, and feet, often accompanied by rapid weight gain from fluid buildup, all signaling your heart isn't pumping efficiently enough. Other key indicators are a chronic cough (sometimes with pink mucus) and heart palpitations.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is caused by a mix of factors, including iron deficiency (especially in the brain), issues with the brain's dopamine system, and genetics, but it can also be secondary to conditions like kidney failure, Parkinson's disease, peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes, with pregnancy, certain medications, and lifestyle triggers (caffeine, alcohol, smoking) exacerbating symptoms. The exact cause isn't fully understood, but it involves problems with nerve signals controlling leg movement.
Left untreated, the chronic lack of sleep can cause exhaustion and fatigue – significantly impacting daytime functioning (including work and personal relations) and quality of life. People with RLS are often unable to concentrate and have impaired memory. It also can make traveling difficult and can cause depression.
Mayo Clinic doctors trained in nervous system conditions (neurologists) and others study genetic and environmental factors that can lead to RLS . They also seek new treatments for the condition. Learn more on the neurology research and Center for Sleep Medicine websites.
High blood pressure (hypertension) often feels like nothing at all, which is why it's called the "silent killer"; it usually has no symptoms until it reaches severe, life-threatening levels, at which point you might experience severe headaches, shortness of breath, nosebleeds, dizziness, vision changes, or chest pain, requiring immediate medical attention. A sensation of pounding in the chest, neck, or ears, especially at rest, can sometimes occur.
"Stroke level" blood pressure is a hypertensive crisis, defined as a reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate help (call 911 or emergency services) as it significantly increases the risk of a stroke, heart attack, or other life-threatening conditions, especially if accompanied by symptoms like severe headache, shortness of breath, or vision changes.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, may not have clear signs but it can show itself through:
Low iron levels have been linked to RLS. This stems back to dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in your brain's control of muscle movement, among other things. When you're iron deficient, your dopamine levels can drop, limiting muscle control in your legs and contributing to RLS.
It quite literally distracts your brain from them. Make sure the sock is snug to do that but not so tight that it cuts off circulation.
Sanyinjiao (SP6): The Leg Tai Yin Spleen Meridian—the point is located on the inner side of the leg, three inches above the ankle and posterior to the medial crest of the tibia.