i WebMD'd myself.

For about the last 10-12 years, people have often joked with me that they think I have RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome.) I shake my legs a lot. I always just shrugged it off as a nervous habit...a side effect of my anxiety...something I did because I was bored. It really bothers some people (especially my husband), and I apparently do it quite often...although I don't always realize it.

Ty often will nudge me while watching tv or reading a book to "stop shaking so hard!" And I'll stop...only to start doing it again seconds later, sending my poor husband into a fit of motion-sickness (just kidding on that last part...or am I?)

I actually caught myself doing it the other night...so I stopped. Then my legs started really bothering me. Like I literally couldn't NOT move them. I don't know how to describe the sensation, other than I could feel my legs more than the rest of my body. And then I realized that my legs had been bothering me in the evenings for quite some time. Then I remembered all the jokes about RLS, and though, "maybe they were right." So I hopped onto the trusty WebMD.

The following symptoms for Restless Leg Syndrome were listed on their site:

• Strange sensations occurring deep in the legs. YES
• Symptoms occur about 15 minutes after sitting or lying down to rest. YES
• A compelling urge to move your legs to relieve the sensations. YES, definitely.
• Restlessness, tossing and turning in bed, rubbing your legs. YES, although not necessarily tossing and turning...not often at least. I do find myself rubbing or softly hitting my legs to try to relieve the sensations.
• Symptoms occur only when lying or sitting. YES
• Sleep disturbance or daytime sleepiness. NO. Once I fall asleep, my legs don't bother me anymore.
• Involuntary, periodic jerking movements that occur while asleep or while awake but at rest. YES...this doesn't happen too terribly often, but I'll notice my legs jerk while relaxing or while trying to fall asleep.

Now I'm not a doctor...but I'm pretty sure that 6 out of 7 symptoms seems to indicate that I have this condition. It's not severe enough to bring it to a doctor's attention, and I don't need medicine for it at this point. But I have been noticing this feeling in my legs a lot more in the last year or so...especially when I'm told to stop moving my legs...it's often unbearable until I move them again (I'm currently bouncing my leg up and down as I type this.) I'm learning that instead of shaking or bouncing though, that stretching them helps too...or getting up and walking.

Who knew that those people back in middle school were onto something when they joked that I had RLS! Long live the shaking...sorry husband!

xoxo, wife.