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Restless Legs, Broken Sleep, and What Gabapentin is Really Telling Us

  • Writer: Gary Moller
    Gary Moller
  • Oct 14
  • 5 min read
Tabby cat sleeping on a mustard-yellow couch, background matching the color of the couch. Peaceful and cozy mood.

"Hi Gary,I have been increasingly bad these past months not getting more than 2 hours sleep at a time and getting up nightly 4 or 5 times to jump around or go on the vibration plate.

Last 2 nights I have taken gabapentin prescribed when I was diagnosed with CRPS after breaking my arm, but never took. 2 nights, full heavenly sleep, no restless legs. I’ll keep doing it for a week, then drop the dose to minimal, and then stop and see if my over-reactive NS is switched back to normal."

This is a very familiar story. Months of poor sleep, nightly interruptions, desperate measures like pacing or vibration plates, and then — out of the blue — a complete reversal with gabapentin. For the first time in months, "full heavenly sleep."


Let's figure out what is going on here.



What gabapentin is and what it does

Gabapentin was designed in the 1970s as a synthetic analogue of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), the brain’s main calming neurotransmitter. However, it turned out not to act on GABA receptors at all. Instead, its true action is on the alpha-2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels in neurons.


  • Calcium channels are essential for neurotransmitter release.

  • Too much calcium entry means excessive firing and excessive release of excitatory neurotransmitters such as glutamate, noradrenaline, and substance P.

  • By binding to these subunits, gabapentin reduces calcium influx.

  • The result: less glutamate-driven excitation, less nerve hyperactivity, and more stability across pain and sensory pathways.


Why does this matter in restless legs? Because RLS is essentially a condition of spinal cord hyper-excitability combined with dopamine dysregulation. Overactive glutamate pathways in the spinal cord cause the sensations of crawling, twitching, pulling in the legs — the "urge to move." At night, this disrupts sleep.

Gabapentin turns the "gain" down on this overactivity. That's why, within two nights, she experiences consolidated deep sleep and complete relief from restless legs.



The clinical clue

The dramatic relief is the clue. Gabapentin is telling us:


  • The nervous system is over-excited.

  • The problem is too much excitatory signalling (calcium + glutamate).

  • The solution lies in restoring the balance between excitation and inhibition.


This is gold because it points us straight to nutrient and lifestyle interventions that mimic this effect naturally.



Why gabapentin is not the long-term solution

Gabapentin is useful as a short-term rescue, but it is not a cure. Here’s why:


  • Side effects: sedation, dizziness, balance loss, blurred vision, swelling, weight gain, brain fog.

  • Tolerance: over time, the same dose does less. People need more for the same effect.

  • Dependence: if used daily, the nervous system adapts. Stopping suddenly can trigger rebound symptoms — worse insomnia, anxiety, sweating, agitation, sometimes seizures.

  • Incomplete action: gabapentin only modifies signalling; it does not correct low brain iron, magnesium depletion, B6 deficiency, mitochondrial dysfunction, circadian disruption, or chronic inflammation.


So while it can give a “miraculous” few nights of relief, it is not a sustainable answer on its own.


Nutrient strategies – calming the hyper-excitable nervous system

The gabapentin clue points us to specific nutrients that naturally regulate calcium entry, glutamate signalling, and GABA tone.


1. Magnesium

2. Taurine

  • An amino acid that stabilises cell membranes.

  • Enhances GABA activity, reduces glutamate toxicity.

  • Directly calms excitatory circuits.

3. Glycine

  • Both a neurotransmitter and a building block for collagen and glutathione.

  • Promotes slow-wave sleep and spinal inhibition.

  • Very helpful when taken at bedtime.

4. L-theanine

  • Found in green tea.

  • Promotes alpha brainwaves (calm but alert).

  • Increases GABA and dopamine, lowers glutamate.

5. Vitamin B6

6. Zinc

7. Iron

8. Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA)

9. Vitamin D


Note: Some of the ingredients, like taurine, glycine, and more, like creatine, that are helpful but not listed here are in my Super Smoothie. However, you may need more of some of these and additional things like zinc and magnesium. I have all you need, so just email me with your inquiry, or use the links provided.



Lifestyle strategies

Medications and supplements are only half the story. Daily habits either fuel hyper-excitability or calm it.

  • Circadian rhythm support: Morning daylight anchors your body clock; dark evenings support melatonin.

  • Evening relaxation: Gentle stretching, warm bath, massage, and slow diaphragmatic breathing reduce sympathetic drive.

  • Stable blood sugar: Evening sugar spikes or alcohol worsen RLS. Aim for protein + natural fat in the evening.

  • Red Light Therapy: Supports mitochondria, calms inflammation, stabilises cell energy. Contact me for details of a supplier who can help you choose the best machine and for a discount.

  • Daily movement: Walking, cycling, resistance training. Avoid high-intensity training late at night.

  • Medication review: Antidepressants, antihistamines, and antipsychotics can worsen RLS.



Emergency strategies

Sometimes, despite everything, symptoms flare. When that happens, there’s a simple thing to do:

Get out of bed and do a short burst of intense exercise plus stretching.


Examples:

  • 30–60 seconds of squats, star jumps, or running on the spot

  • Vigorous stretching of the calves and hamstrings

  • Followed by slow nasal breathing


Why it works:

  1. Neuromuscular reset: Intense muscle contractions drain the nervous system’s built-up excitatory activity.

  2. Dopamine release: Short bursts of intense movement trigger dopamine release, directly reducing RLS symptoms.

  3. Improved circulation: Exercise increases blood flow, reducing abnormal leg sensations.

  4. Sensory override: Strong sensory signals from muscles override the faulty “restless” signals.


This is not a cure, but it often allows the person to get back into bed and fall asleep.



Step-by-step pathway

  1. Short-term relief:

    • Gabapentin may be used briefly, as prescribed, to break the cycle.

  2. Build the foundations:

    • Magnesium, taurine, glycine, zinc, B6.

    • Check and correct ferritin, vitamin D, omega-3.

  3. Stabilise lifestyle:

    • Circadian hygiene, blood sugar stability, daily movement, relaxation routines.

  4. Emergency toolkit:

    • Use exercise bursts and stretching for flare-ups.

  5. Taper the drug:

    • Once supports are in place, taper gabapentin under supervision.



Conclusion

Gabapentin provides powerful short-term relief because it calms an over-excited nervous system. But it does not correct the underlying drivers. The real solution lies in recognising the clinical clue gabapentin gives us, then acting on it with nutrients, lifestyle strategies, and emergency tools.


This way, you can move from a fragile reliance on a drug to a stable, resilient nervous system that supports deep sleep and quiet legs for the long term.


Sleep well, my friends!


Medical disclaimer

This lecture is for education. It does not replace personalised medical advice. The prescribing doctor must supervise all medication changes.

2 Comments

dtk
Oct 15

Thanks Gary, again, an excellent article. One point to consider is the role of wi-fi & cell phones. These cause dysregulation of the voltage gated calcium channels. Dr Pall showed this in his studies. See the following - https://www.cryptogon.com/?p=52282

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Gary Moller
Gary Moller
Oct 16
Replying to

Thank you, as always, for your insights and additions, including this one.

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