What kind of illness is restless legs syndrome?
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition that causes you to feel discomfort in the legs. When you get into bed at night and try to fall asleep, or when you are sitting on a plane, train, or in a movie theater, you feel discomfort in your legs, which eases when you move them.
A survey conducted in Japan estimated that 2% to 4% of the population, or 2.5 to 5 million people, suffer from RLS. It is thought that about 700,000 of these people need treatment.
Sources: omura T, et al : E mail-based epidemiological surveys on restless legs syndrome in Japan. Sleep Biol Rhythm 2008; 6 : 139-145.
Nomura T, et al : Prevalence of restlesslegs syndrome in a rural community in Japan. Mov Disord 2008; 23 : 2363-2369.
Mizuno S,et al : Prevalence of restlesslegs syndrome in non-institutionalized Japanese elderly. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2005; 59 : 461-465.
Male/female ratio
For every two men with RLS there are three women with the condition.
Sources: Allen, R.P. et al.: Arch Intern Med. 2005; 165(11): 1286-1292.
Age distribution (International Data)
Survey results in Europe and North America indicate that people are more likely to get RLS as they age.
- Insomnia: Unable to fall asleep at night
- Sciatica: Discomfort or pain in the legs
- Depression: To feel in a low mood with a loss of interest in everyday activities
- Skin disease: Unpleasant sensations of the skin