Background: The primary symptoms of restless legs syndrome (RLS) are sleep onset insomnia and difficulty to maintain sleep. Previous studies have shown that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of developing RLS. However, the relationship between physical activity and sleep quality parameters in individuals suffering from RLS has not yet been investigated by applying accelerometry. Thus, the present study investigates the impact of physical activity (measuring both intensity levels and duration of physical activity) during the day (7–12 h, 12–18 h, 18–23 h) on sleep quality in patients suffering from idiopathic RLS by applying a real-time approach. Methods: In a sample of 47 participants suffering from idiopathic RLS, physical activity and sleep quality were measured over one week using accelerometers. For data analysis, physical activity levels and step counts during three periods of the day (morning, afternoon, evening) were correlated with sleep quality parameters of the subsequent night. Results: This observational study revealed that in most instances physical activity was not correlated with sleep parameters (two exceptions exist: steps taken in the morning were negatively correlated with periodic leg movements during sleep, and physical activity in..........
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