What's The Root Cause of RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome)? A Fascinating Perspective
Quick Overview: In this article, Stephen dives into the root cause of RLS (restless legs) according to the spiritual meaning and shares his own experience with resolving restless leg symptoms from a holistic approach.
Internal restlessness (whether chronic or not) signifies conflict within the emotional realm. When I was dealing with painful restless legs, I knew I needed to address my emotional side. When I did, the physical restlessness resolved completely.
Hello and welcome! My name is Steve, and I’m honored that you’ve found this space. If you are seeking a deeper answer to your pain, you are not alone! There is another way, and I hope that my experiences are illuminating for you.
My name is Stephen, and I facilitate somatic therapy and mind-body healing. I’ve been lucky enough to support clients around the world on their journeys of healing, growth, and creating lives that truly light them up.
I take a mind-body approach, which means I help people utilize the wisdom and connection between their body, mind, emotions, and spirit. When we learn to understand and embrace these connections it guides us toward lasting healing, expansion, and creating a life that we love.
I’m so glad you found your way here.
When My Restless Legs Showed Up
I remember that moment like it was yesterday. There I was...it was 11pm on a weeknight, and I couldn’t sleep a wink. Why? Because my legs were KILLING me.
It felt like the bones in my legs were expanding, but couldn’t expand because there was nowhere for them to expand to. So because of that, they felt restricted, like I had compression bands around my legs...and it was so so painful.
And then a new phenomenon began — what felt like buzzing sensations all through my legs from my ankles all the way up into my hips. I was in agony, rolling back and forth, flopping all over the bed trying different positions to find some sort of comfort all the while trying not to disturb Anne too much. But inevitably she was awake too from all the jostling and groaning.
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels
II watched the minutes and hours tick by...11:41, 12:32, 1:11… Finally at 3am, I decided to go out to the couch in our living room. Maybe a change of scenery and surface would do the trick? (I’m sure you know the answer to that already...a solid no.)
I was the epitome of restless that night. There I was...fidgety, on edge, agitated...and debating whether I would ever sleep soundly again.
I wouldn’t wish restless legs like that on my worst enemy...not that I really have enemies to my knowledge...but you get my drift.
Later that morning...yes morning...because I didn’t get to sleep until sometime in the 4 o’clock hour, I decided to investigate my resources to understand the root cause of restless leg syndrome.
As someone who guides healing work, this new phenomenon of restless legs intrigued me. What I have come to understand over years is that the root cause of health symptoms, like restless legs, is emotional.
The internal state of restlessness and physical pain that’s now coming out is mirroring the emotional pain sitting within. Imagine shaking a bottle of soda vigorously and then opening it...THAT is like what’s happening inside your body.
Why does it happen? To bring the inner pains to your attention. So they can be addressed. So you can benefit from them and feel better!
A Practice To Try Out
I created an audio-guided somatic practice for anyone who would like guidance through restless pain. Try it out and let me know how it goes for you.
Spiritual Meaning of Restless Legs
You probably arrived here through a search typing in ‘restless leg syndrome spiritual meaning,’ so let’s dive a bit deeper.
Humans have souls…we have spirits that can feel low or high. The spirit is critical to overall health. The spirit is defined as “the nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character.”
Emotions are expressions of the spirit,. Think about these statements: “He's in low spirits. Her spirit is broken. My job is soul-crushing.” If we are disconnected from our spirit, we experience pain…physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The spiritual reason for any illness is rooted in the emotional.
In my experience, the physical body responds to and expresses the pains/traumas within the emotional body.
People tend to run away from the pain or try to eliminate it, but unfortunately that doesn’t work. In fact, running away from the pain can manifest as restless legs.
The spiritual cause of restlessness is an issue of feeling stuck, trapped, or not being able to escape a place or an uncomfortable situation. Oftentimes, it's tied to emotional expression or suppression.
So how could this look? Well, let’s take me for example.
When I experienced the restless legs symptoms that I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I was going through a tough time with one of my family members where we didn’t see eye-to-eye on things. (I’m pretty sure just about everyone has been there before, right?)
At that time, there was a world event going on, and this member of my family was telling me about how they didn’t agree with their friend’s, so-and-so’s, viewpoint on the situation. It got pretty charged energetically, (I am very sensitive to energy) and he was criticizing so-and-so saying things like, “How can a person be so stupid to think…” and “I just don’t understand at all how you can’t see it this way.” Well, as it turns out...I had a very similar viewpoint to so-and-so! *cue the awkward silence*
I was in this situation where I felt really uncomfortable...and in fact, I can remember feeling agitated, fidgety, and...you got it...restless. I just wanted to walk away, but I couldn’t...I felt trapped in that conversation, and in essence, I felt stuck!
Instead of voicing my thoughts and communicating how I felt hearing what they were saying about someone who had a similar viewpoint as me...I shut down. I didn’t feel safe expressing myself, and I beat myself up about it later. I remember thinking to myself afterward, “Why couldn’t I just say something! I’m kicking myself for not telling him how I feel and how I see things.” Notice the words kicking myself.
Anytime you suppress your emotional side, it creates a state of stress (and restlessness) inside the body. You feel it as deep tension (or RLS) because a whole part of yourself is being shut off! Which is the same thing as spiritual disconnection.
When I addressed these inner tensions, my painful restless symptoms disolved!
This is what I help people address in the body, mind, and nervous system. We allow the emotional energy to express, process, and release. In doing so, the pain and restlessness finally have an outlet. 👏
Our bodies have long been misunderstood and underestimated. For so long, we’ve been conditioned to control, fear, and even ignore the signals our bodies are sending.
What if it’s time to listen in a new way? What if your body’s wisdom is the key to everything you’ve been searching for?
Your symptoms aren’t roadblocks—they’re guides; that’s the magic. Each one reveals a pathway forward to the life you’re meant to lead, a path that is full of prosperous health, purpose, joy, and flow.
What I’ve shared here offers a peek into how powerful this approach can be. While it’s an invitation to start seeing your body and its wisdom in a new light, the true transformation happens when you explore this more deeply.
If you’re curious to dive into this connection, I’ve been lucky enough to help people all around the world, and I’d be honored to guide you through it too. Here’s a glimpse into how this approach has made a difference for others:
"Perhaps the greatest insight for me was seeing the link between 'restless energy symptoms' and my thoughts about being stuck and unable to do anything about my life circumstances. Another insight was the idea that maybe I don't need to live for the future, if I can learn to create my ideal reality in the now. I know many of my answers and solutions already, but I either haven’t fully been able to believe myself, or just needed confirmation or coaching. I’m pretty encouraged. I sense you (Steve) are pretty insightful and wise, so I’m happy about where this healing is going and what I’m learning. I've been rewriting my stories and have been finding my presence and grounding point. I felt relaxed and peaceful in my body. In my mind I didn't have much to say, sort of like my mind was cleared." –Patrick Y.
"I now understand on a deeper level how disconnected I had been from my physical body, which explains why so many therapies never worked or only worked temporarily. I also realize that my frustration and anger at myself for my symptoms were coming from a warped perception. It might sound ridiculous, but I see now that I can embrace something I’ve worked relentlessly to overcome since I was a child. I never would have dreamed I could make peace with that kind of energy. I discovered that my body really does have a lot to say when I sit and listen. I feel almost like a different person just from this understanding of that energy. I feel happier, more at ease, and very relieved, like a weight has been lifted. This is going to affect my life in so many ways beyond what I’m discussing now, for the better. I know this perception shift is a state of being—a much more relaxed state—and from that, things in my life will shift to reflect that more relaxed state. I feel more at peace and have a deeper understanding of many of my past issues. I’m actually more confident now that I can hear the internal chatter of my cells. It’s a great feeling because I didn’t believe I could do it before." –Sonja V.
Ready to see the amazing potential your body has in store for you?
I’d love to help! Let’s have a conversation with the incredible wisdom your body’s been waiting to share. On the call, we’ll explore what’s holding you back and direct you toward a clearer, more energizing path forward. This isn’t about solving everything right away—it’s about opening a doorway to new possibilities, clarity, and a deeper understanding of what your body is guiding you toward. This is a relaxed space to talk about what’s going on, explore whether this approach resonates with you, and see if working together feels like the right next step.
If this resonates with you, simply sign up for a time below. I’m excited to explore the potential within you! ↓
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Sources
Brill, Michael Richard. (2008). Numerology for Healing: Your Personal Numbers as the Key to a Healthier Life. Rochester, VT: Destiny Books.
Romero, Joman. (2016). Knowing Ourselves: What Does The Body Want To Tell Us With Diseases? CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
