Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : January 29, 2026 9:54 AM IST
42% of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients In India Struggle With Restless Legs Syndrome, Raising Depression Risk
One of the recent studies has highlighted that patients dealing with chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially those who are undergoing dialysis, are at an extremely high and alarming risk of developing Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).
The research has stated that symptoms of RLS are getting prevalent in the current times as they are linked to other alarming situations like iron deficiency, which is one of the most common conditions seen in CKD because of the chronic inflammation, bad choices of food intake, and blood loss that occurs due to various reasons. In one of the analyses, it was discovered that almost one in four CKD patients are bound to experience RLS, with a higher risk among those who are on hemodialysis.
Further, studies about the brain have also stated that the poor iron concentrations in certain areas in RLS patients indicate that iron deficiency is likely to be linked to the development of the symptoms. It has been seen that in CKD, the imbalance of the blood often worsens because of dialysis, which causes a loss of blood.
The study has further revealed that the CKD patients who had RLS had below-average levels of serum
ferritin, transferrin saturation, and serum iron, along with an increased TIBC, point to both absolute and functional iron deficiency.
These findings have underlined the importance of a quick detection and diagnosis along with iron-oriented therapy to help manage the RLS symptoms and improve the overall quality of life in CKD patients.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a serious condition that is also known as Willis-Ekbom disease. This is considered to be a neurological condition which ends up causing an irresistible urge in a human to move the legs, and this situation is often accompanied by many uncomfortable sensations and uneasiness.
The sensations that occur are typically linked to feelings of aching, throbbing, pulling, or crawling, and are known to be relieved by movement in the legs. RLS is also considered to be a sleep disorder, as many of the symptoms are often triggered or worsen when resting, especially at night, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
The symptoms of RLS are known to range from mild to severe and vary from person to person. A lot of people report discomfort in sleeping or resting, which is one of the most common symptoms. This symptom can show up when you're sitting or lying down for long periods, like a long drive or sitting in a classroom or at your office. This symptom is often relieved by making movements like stretching, pacing, or simple leg movement. However, it must be noted that these symptoms can get worse at night, as many people may experience trouble falling or staying asleep. This is also connected to another condition called periodic limb movement of sleep, where it is noted that the legs of the patient end up twitching and kicking while they are asleep.
In many of the cases, this condition is also known to be linked to mood swings and depression, as the lack of sleep and such movements may make one restless and uneasy.
There is no particular reason that is known yet that causes the restless leg syndrome but there are some indications that make certain things to be the factors that prompt the situation like the role of genes, other can be medical links to an iron deficiency in the body, especially low levels of iron in the brain. Apart from this, it is also common in people with chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
In the present times, there is no particular treatment or cure for RLS that is known to mankind, but the intensity of it can be managed by managing the symptoms through several ways, like the right medical treatment and also by making changes in the lifestyle patterns.
One of the most effective steps that you can take to manage the issue is to address the other problems that are linked to it, like iron deficiency, diabetes, or sleep apnea. Also, if you have RLS, then you should limit your caffeine intake. Other ways, like having a sleep routine, eliminating stress and doing yoga, can help through creating a balance of mind.
