Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder in which a person experiences unpleasant sensations in the legs, which are described as:

• creeping
• crawling
• tingling
• pulling
• painful

These sensations usually occur in the calf area, but may be felt anywhere from the thigh to the ankle. One or both legs may be affected. For some people, the sensations are also felt in the arms. People with RLS have an irresistible urge to move the affected limb when the sensations occur.

Some patients, however, have no definite sensation, except for the need to move. Sleep problems are common with RLS because of the difficulty it causes in getting to sleep.