
Treating Restless Legs Slashes Risk of Parkinson's Disease
Dec 11, 2025
07:05
- Restless leg syndrome (RLS) isn't just a sleep problem — it's a neurological signal that your brain's dopamine and iron systems are under stress, and addressing it early helps protect long-term brain health
- A JAMA Network Open study found that people with RLS were significantly more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than those without it
- RLS patients who received treatment had four times fewer Parkinson's diagnoses than untreated individuals, suggesting that managing RLS symptoms supports neurological resilience
- Iron levels, poor sleep quality, and disrupted waste clearance in the brain all appear to link RLS and Parkinson's, underscoring the importance of restoring iron balance and improving sleep hygiene
- By optimizing dopamine naturally, maintaining healthy iron levels, getting quality sleep, and staying physically active during the day, you can calm restless legs now and strengthen your brain against degeneration later
