Studies have shown that people who have Restless Legs Syndrome are more likely to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder than those who don’t have Restless Legs Syndrome.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a sleep disorder that occurs when people feel sensations of pain, tingling, burning, or other discomfort in their legs when they are sleeping or inactive. The discomfort in their legs is often relieved by moving the legs by walking or by stimulating them via massaging. Restless Leg Syndrome can cause patients to wake up frequently in the night and result in fatigue during the day.
The exact cause of RLS is not known, but there are a number of contributing factors, including nerve damage in the legs, a pinched nerve in the lower back, chemical imbalances, or hereditary factors.
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder.), is a fairly common disorder among school-aged children and affects up to 5% of school-aged children. It is not only a disorder that affects children, though; many adults have ADHD as well. Up to 5% of adults in the United States are estimated to have the disorder as well. ADHD occurs most often among males, who are up to three times more likely to develop it than are females. Approximately 2 million children in the United States have ADD/ADHD, and 60% of these children will carry that condition into adulthood. ADHD affects a person’s ability to pay attention, focus, sit still, and control his or her impulses.
The exact cause of ADHD is not yet known, but most doctors believe it results from chemical imbalances in the brain. Research has suggested that low levels of dopamine within the brain can contribute to ADHD. Dopamine is a chemical that carries messages from one part of the brain to the other, and increased levels of dopamine help to stimulate the attention centers in the brain. Many ADHD medications work by increasing dopamine levels.
In patients with Restless Legs Syndrome, an estimated 39% also had ADHD or many symptoms of ADHD as well. There are a number of theories in regards to the connection between the two. One such theory is that both Restless Legs Syndrome and ADHD have been linked to low levels of dopamine in the brain. Patients with RLS often feel relief from their symptoms when given drugs that increase dopamine levels in the brain, as do those with ADHD.
Another theory is that the discomfort and sleep disruption that goes along with Restless Legs Syndrome can lead to symptoms that are similar in patients with ADHD, such as hyperactivity and interrupted sleep. However, this does not mean that Restless Legs Syndrome causes ADHD, or vice versa.
In addition, as with other coexisting conditions (or conditions that occur at the same time as another, such as ADHD), ADHD itself does not cause restless legs syndrome; they are separate disorders that must be treated separately. For this reason, doctors and specialists recommend that people who already have Restless Legs Syndrome should be tested for ADHD. People with ADHD who experience discomfort in their legs or any of the other symptoms that go along with Restless Legs Syndrome should also be tested for the disorder. That way, a more effective treatment plan that can alleviate the symptoms of both disorders can be developed.