What's The Root Cause of RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome)? A Fascinating Perspective
Quick Overview: In this article, Steve 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 an energetic and spiritual healing approach.
Internal restlessness (whether chronic or not) signifies conflict within the emotional realm. When I was dealing with painful restless legs, I addressed the emotional tensions and trauma patterns held within, and the physical restlessness resolved completely.
Most of us are unaware that repressed emotional pains create physical symptoms. And because we operate off of beliefs and mental patterns rooted in these traumas, we cannot think our way out of it or take a pill to get rid of it. That’s the honest truth…and it’s the way forward into freedom.
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 (I also go by Steve). I guide somatic healing in partnership with your body & inner wisdom, to ignite freedom in your well-being. I am deeply spiritual AND I also believe we are meant to embrace, not bypass, our human experiences as part of our healing paths. We’re on this planet, in this body for a reason! My values honor the full integrity of our human + divine nature and the inherent intelligence of the body.
My health challenges were blessings in disguise, and when I realized that, it led to a whole new relationship with my body. My journey opened me to a profound discovery of the interplay between the body, mind, and spirit and the healing power that lies within. I cultivated a deep love and appreciation for myself, and my body…and it brought me back home to myself.
I’m happy you were lead here
When My Restless Legs Showed Up
Steve here. 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
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...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 a somatic healing guide, this new phenomenon of restless legs intrigued me. What I have come to understand over years of studying and applying the mind-body connection, spiritual connection, and emotional healing is that the root causes of health symptoms, like restless legs, stem from disconnections within the self.
These disconnections want to be reignited and liberated...they’re tired of being cooped up inside of you! The spiritual disconnection creates conflict within, which is contributing to the internal state of restlessness that’s now coming out. Imagine shaking a bottle of soda vigorously and then opening it...THAT is like what’s happening inside your body. It wants your attention to create lasting change together.
(Here’s an interesting example in helping a client with restless legs. A lot of resistance bubbled up for him because he doesn’t want to be taking medication for his restless legs…and yet another part of him does to find relief. Feel free to read how his mind tried to keep him “safe” from the change his spirit truly desires.)
Want something for relief?
If your looking for some relief from painful restlessness, I created this somatic meditation from my heart, as an approachable tool. Get the download →
Spiritual Meaning of Restless Legs
Now maybe you came here from a Google search where you typed in ‘restless leg syndrome spiritual meaning,’ and you’re thinking...so when is this guy going to get into the spiritual meaning of it all? And my answer to that is, I have been!
Most people hear ‘spiritual’ and associate it with religion, sage, or crystals. (Don’t get me wrong, I love me a good rock collection. :)
However, the spirit is defined as “the nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; the mind and ego.”
Emotions are expressions of the spirit, and the spirit is critical to overall health. 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 discord…physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Zooming out further, and getting even more spiritual with it, universal Spirit recognizes the inherent love and divinity within each individual’s heart and soul, and that we are all connected and of the same Source essence.
So what creates this disconnection? Mental conditioning is a major factor that jams it up.
Mental conditioning includes things we believe to be “true” about ourselves because of wounding, greater societal conditioning, and the stories and tone we use to talk to ourselves. Most of these energies run in the underground of your subconscious...and they directly impact your health and spirit. Events from the past that caused unexpected emotional shocks or trauma create deep wounds that lay heavy on the heart, and oftentimes shielding occurs to try and eliminate any more pain. But this doesn’t work.
The pain isn’t going anywhere. If you keep trying to eliminate or go around it, the spiritual lesson is not learned and integrated, and it will just keep manifesting as greater pain or pop up in other areas of life to deliver it to you. The pain is asking you to step into it.
Trying to go around the perceived “problem” is trying to go around a part of yourself, which is a form of self-rejection and avoidance. Your body wants to help you change that dynamic.
I want to be very clear that this is not an opportunity to play the victim here. Instead, it’s an opportunity to see if from a different vantage point. That it’s in your power to choose to face the pain for transformation.
Doing the same thing, avoiding what’s calling to be addressed, and holding onto what’s no longer working is like grasping onto something that’s decaying. And the refusal to let go of something that is decaying and ready to transform into something new is what creates the deepest pain and suffering.
Take heart..you’re here and there’s a reason. I invite you to trust that and find a bit a peace within yourself in this moment.
Root Cause of RLS
According to mind-body research, one of the causes of internal restlessness is an issue of scattered or unfocused energy associated with emotions that need to be acknowledged and dealt with by expressing and communicating your feelings to the appropriate party (which could be yourself or someone else involved).
So how could this look? Well, let’s take me for example. Expressing my views and communicating my feelings can be very challenging for me in situations where I don’t feel comfortable or where I sense that it won’t be received well.
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!
So 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 was upset about it. I remember thinking to myself afterward, “I’m kicking myself for not telling him how I feel and how I see things.” Notice the words kicking myself. See how that correlates to the legs?
Do you see how it’s connecting? Again, one of the causes of internal restlessness is an issue of scattered or unfocused energy associated with emotions that need to be acknowledged and dealt with by expressing and communicating your feelings to the appropriate party (which could be yourself or someone else involved). Bingo!
And anytime you suppress your emotions, it creates a state of stress (and restlessness) inside the body. Just like shaking that bottle of soda vigorously and then opening it! Explosion and suds everywhere...
There are events that happened in your past where you didn’t feel safe. So your body and nervous system naturally did what they are supposed to…protect you in the situation. And anytime you are faced with a situation like that in the future...your body and nervous system will naturally take over to get you out of there or prepare to “fight” physically, emotionally, or metaphorically. (Remember how I wanted to walk away from that uncomfortable situation with my family member?)
Long-standing RLS indicates that a trauma pattern is active, creating emotional tensions within your body-mind.
Oftentimes, these trauma patterns are created during your childhood and remain active within your as an adult until addressed. It is your emotional safety mechanism! So if you are stuck in RLS, your body can’t complete the healing process due to the emotional tensions this pattern keeps reactivating within you.
All to keep you protected and safe. The body is doing it’s job.
So it begs the question. Are you willing to step into a new story?
Your body is inviting you to connect with your heart and transform the trauma patterns that are keeping you stuck, so you can move forward with peace in your life.
I understand that it’s scary and might even feel insurmountable. It takes a great deal of courage to choose to put your foot down and go within.
By nurturing a partnership with your body & inner wisdom, I will help you address the emotional tensions and trauma patterns that are manifesting as physical symptoms and restricting you. Together, we will renew your bodily connection and strengthen your self-relationship to set you up for a fruitful, unfiltered future.
So if you are feeling inspired after reading this to make some moves and get unstuck, but aren’t quite sure where to start, I am here to help you.
I’ve learned how to help myself and others feel confident, peaceful, and free in their bodies again.
What’s next for you?
Want something for relief?
If your looking for some relief from painful restlessness, I created this somatic meditation from my heart, as an approachable tool. Get the download →
Want to talk and start a new relationship with your body’s restlessness? Book a call →
Know that you are not alone in this journey. I am committed to helping you achieve the healing and growth you seek if you so desire.
Always rooting for you. ~Steve
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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.
