Restless Legs Syndrome: The Mind-Body Root Cause You Haven’t Been Told
Quick Overview: In this article, I’ll share my own restless legs story, what I uncovered about the spiritual meaning of restless leg syndrome, and how addressing what it taught me brought me relief.
Who Am I?
I’m Steve.
For the past 6 years, I have been honored to guide healing that helps people feel alive and well in body, mind, and spirit — after experiencing my own health crisis (swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, chronic pain, and burnout)…and discovering how to heal.
Walking with individuals as a teammate, helping them move into partnership with their bodies and experience deeper connection within, brings me great joy — and reminds me that healing is always possible and worthwhile. Honestly, there’s nothing I would rather be doing than helping people heal in a way that stabilizes them in their own power.
I understand that you probably want your symptoms gone. (I did!) AND, the approach to that makes all the difference. Discover what I mean, 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, like I was in the most painful compression bands.
Then, buzzing sensations started 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.
I 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...)
I was the epitome of restless that night. There I was...fidgety, on edge, agitated...and debating whether I would ever sleep soundly again.
Later that morning when my legs calmed down, I decided to investigate the root cause of restless legs syndrome.
As someone who guides healing work, this new phenomenon intrigued me.
The Spiritual Meaning of Restless Legs
If you landed here by searching for restless leg syndrome spiritual meaning, you’re not alone. I asked the same question when my own legs wouldn’t sit still.
Here’s what I’ve discovered:
Your spirit is also known as your psyche.
Your psyche is where your mind, emotions, beliefs, and consciousness intersect.
When something gets stuck there, your body will amplify it through symptoms. In my experience, every illness is inherently spiritual because it’s rooted in the psyche (spirit).
Think about phrases we use all the time:
“Her spirit is broken.”
“My job is soul-crushing.”
“He’s in low spirits.”
We instinctively know the psyche and body are connected. Yet most approaches only focus on the surface—medications, stretches, supplements. Sure, they might help temporarily — but for me, they didn’t touch the deeper source of the restlessness. What I’ve seen again and again is that the psyche/spiritual layer holds the key.
Restless legs are an indication that something is stuck.
We THINK that it’s a bodily malfunction. But in reality, your body is responding to your unconscious “stuckness” that’s saying, “Don’t stop. Keep moving.”
When we can work with the symptoms as a message, we can get to the source.
A Metaphor For Simplicity
I find it beneficial to distill something complex like this into energy.
Energetically, restlessness is turbulence.
Turbulence is described as a bumpy ride during a flight and in metaphorical situations, such as political or social unrest.
In summary, turbulence signifies a state of disorder or irregular motion, or, in broader contexts, chaos and confusion.
Is something inside you feeling turbulent? What would you say is the source of that turbulence?
The key to healing restlessness — whether legs, arms, body, or mental — is addressing the source of the turbulence.
Energetically, we can do that! The body-mind points to the places where that turbulence is active or stuck in the body, and when we give it attention and release, the turbulence is calmed.
I’ve experienced this in myself and in helping others heal their restless symptoms.
If you’re interested, learn more here.
My Personal Example
When my restless legs first flared, I was also going through a tough time with a family member. We didn’t see eye to eye, and during one charged conversation, they began harshly criticizing someone else’s perspective… a perspective that I actually shared.
The room grew heavy. My body felt fidgety, agitated, restless. I wanted to walk away, but I felt stuck in the moment.
I was at a loss for words. Later that day, I remember beating myself up: “Why couldn’t I just say something? I’m kicking myself for staying quiet.” Even playing out scenarios in my mind where I said exactly what I wished I could have.
That’s exactly what my body was mirroring: turbulence with no outlet. Restlessness that couldn’t truly resolve.
And it showed up that night—buzzing, burning, keeping me awake.
What I Discovered About Healing Restless Legs
Here’s what I’ve noticed: whenever we suppress our emotions, hold ourselves back, or silence our true feelings… the tension it creates doesn’t just vanish. It gets stored.
If that pattern continues, that energy compounds and builds, like a soda bottle shaken over and over.
And the body eventually speaks. (sometimes very loud)
For me, restless legs weren’t a random nerve glitch or just a mineral imbalance. They were my spirit’s way of saying: this tension has nowhere to go. It needs and outlet. It needs a new way that feels better.
Once I worked with that mind-body layer, my restless symptoms went away. This is what I now help others do too in my healing work.
The body-mind points to the places where the root of turbulence is active or stuck in the body, and when we give it attention and release, the turbulence is calmed.
I understand that you probably want your restless symptoms...gone.
AND, the approach to that makes all the difference.
I hope that this article sheds light and offers a beacon of hope in your healing journey.
Always rooting for you,
~Steve
Enjoyed this post? Pin it to Pinterest☟
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.
