Restless Legs, a syndrome with many faces

  • More common than many people know

  • More differentiated than even many health care professionals know

 

Basic criteria in three steps:

  1. Restlessness when you try to rest
    You feel a strong and almost irresistible urge to move your limbs.

  2. Instant relief when you walk
    Your discomfort and restlessness does almost instantly disappear when you move.

  3. Instant return of restlessness
    Your discomfort and restlessness return almost instantly when you try to go back to rest.

 

Big individual differences

A minor problem for some. A severe problem for others; serious sleep disorders and problems sitting still in different situations. Pain can be associated. Both symptoms and mechanisms can be different.

Different patients react differently to different treatments. Lifestyle changes and some food supplements can be effective. Addition of iron can be helpful. When drugs are needed, dopamine agonists, gabapentinoids or/and opioids can be used, but risks and possible side effects must be considered.

 

European patient organizations focus for International RLS day September 23rd, 2026:

RLS is a syndrome with many faces: Treatment shall always be individual and continuously evaluated.

 

EARLS represented at the 1st Vienna CR2S Tri-Country Conference 2025

We are delighted that the European Alliance for Restless Legs Syndrome (EARLS) was present with an information stand at the first CR2S tri-national conference in Vienna!

The conference was organised in cooperation with the ChildRight2Sleep initiative and was a successful revival of the joint conferences of paediatric specialist groups from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The focus was on education, professional exchange and practical solutions - especially in the field of sleep and movement disorders in children. For EARLS, this was a valuable opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of RLS in children and to deepen the dialogue with professional colleagues.

World Sleep Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of healthy sleep and the prevalence of sleep disorders

People who suffer from RLS also suffer from disturbed sleep. The constant urge to move can be very distressing and lead to a reduction in quality of life. The sleep disturbances associated with RLS affect both performance and emotional well-being. People who are unable to fall asleep at night because of leg discomfort, or who have to get up repeatedly during the night to satisfy the urge to move, are tired and exhausted during the day and are at risk of other diseases in the long term.

EARLS aims to use World Sleep Day to highlight the prevalence of sleep disorders such as RLS and to raise awareness of the importance of healthy sleep. At the same time, EARLS wants to encourage people to seek help early if they have persistent sleep problems.

Click here to visit the World Sleep Day website with all the relevant background information https://worldsleepday.org/

RLS UK breakthrough as Royal College announce GPs to be trained in treating RLS

In recent weeks, EARLS member RLS-UK has achieved remarkable success in helping people with restless legs syndrome (RLS): Through persistent lobbying, RLS-UK has persuaded the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to include RLS management in its training programmes. This development ensures that GPs are better equipped to diagnose and treat RLS, improving patient care across the UK. Secondly, the campaign has led to updated National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines for RLS, highlighting the risks associated with dopamine agonists for the treatment of RLS. This update promotes safer prescribing practices and makes healthcare providers more aware of potential adverse effects.

https://www.rls-uk.org/post/bbc-article-brings-improvements-in-gp-practice

EARLS Participation in the European Restless Legs Study Group 2024

Representatives of EARLS attended the annual meeting of the European Restless Legs Study Group 2024 and contributed valuable perspectives to the discussions. EARLS President Katharina Glanz gave an impressive insight into the 15 year history and work of EARLS. Sören Berg from RLS-Förbundet informed the participants about the progress made in the question: "How far have we come in our efforts to inform general practitioners about the basic facts of RLS treatment?"

RLS researcher Julian Mollin receives German Children's Sleep Award 2024

At the congress of the German Society for Sleep Medicine (DGSM), Julian Mollin was awarded the Children's Sleep Prize 2024 for his outstanding work. He received the award for his published results and the overall project 'Frequency Analysis of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in Children and Adolescents'.

An important part of this project was the development of an algorithm for diagnosing RLS in children and adolescents. This algorithm, based on a sound combination of trial data, clinical experience and relevant literature, provides a structured approach that leads to a consistent and accurate diagnosis. At the same time, it helps to make informed treatment decisions that meet the individual needs of young RLS patients.

Mollin's research is helping to raise awareness of RLS in children and adolescents and to improve medical care for this patient group.

The study results (in German) can be found here: https://www.springermedizin.de/content/pdfId/27378714/10.1007/s11818-024-00471-6

EARLS at the Brain Innovation Days in Brussels

On 13-14 November 2024, EARLS President Katharina Glanz attended the Brain Innovation Days (BIDs2024) in Brussels. This was a great opportunity not only to participate in a number of exciting brain talks, panel discussions, poster and innovation presentations, but also for many inspiring discussions with partners such as EFNA and for networking. EARLS is committed to raising awareness of RLS and thus contributing to a better understanding of this invisible disease. Special thanks to the European Brain Council for making participation possible.

EARLS Advocates for RLS Awareness at MEP Interest Group Meeting

On 12 November 2024 EARLS Vice President Julian Spinks attended the Meeting of the MEP Interest Group on Brain Health & Neurological Conditions in Brussels. He spoke about the problems of patients with Restless Legs Syndrome, a common but ‘invisible’ neurological disorder. As we know, the invisibility of RLS symptoms contributes to the stigmatisation of the patients.
EARLS is committed to raising awareness of RLS and thus contributing to a better understanding of this invisible disease.

World RLS Day 2024: Interview with Julian Mollin

23 September is World RLS Day. This year we want to use our activities to raise awareness that children can also suffer from RLS/WED. RLS/WED is a neurological disorder with a genetic component and often runs in families. Like adults, children with RLS tend to relieve their symptoms by moving their legs. Parents or healthcare providers often mistakenly label the child's discomfort as "growing pains". In the classroom, attempts to relieve the discomfort of RLS may be interpreted as inattentiveness, hyperactivity or disruptive behaviour. How common is RLS in children, how is it diagnosed and how is it treated? Learn more in our new video with paediatrician Julian Mollin.

Today, July 22, is World Brain Day

Today is World Brain Day. EARLS would like to use this day to highlight the fact that Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS, WED) is one of the most common neurological conditions with a high burden of disease, yet is under-prioritised in healthcare and funding programmes.
Together, we have the power to make a difference and ensure that no one is left behind! 🧠💪

EARLS Scholarship presented to Angelica Montini at the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki

At the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki, EARLS Vice President Julian Spinks presented the EARLS Scholarship to Angelica Montini, a young Italian researcher, for her outstanding work in the field of Restless Legs Syndrome.

Angelica Montini, PhD student at the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy, has been awarded the pan-European patient-funded EARLS Scholarship for her research project "Biomarkers of Inflammation in Restless Legs Syndrome (iRLS)". The prize, awarded for the first time this year by the European Alliance for Restless Legs Syndrome (EARLS), is aimed at scientists who have made outstanding contributions to Restless Legs Syndrome research.