Brief overview
- Causes: e.g. too much caffeine, alcohol or nicotine, general psychovegetative disorders, hypoglycemia, low blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, functional (non-organic) heart problems, menopause, pulmonary embolism, depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia, drugs, medication.
- You can do this yourself: e.g. relaxation exercises, use of medicinal plants (for example as a ready-made preparation or tea), regular exercise, pressure point massage, home remedies (such as buttermilk), possibly homeopathy.
- When to see a doctor? If the inner restlessness does not disappear through your own measures, persists for a longer period of time and/or is accompanied by other physical or psychological complaints.
- What does the doctor do? Diagnosis with taking the medical history, physical examination, imaging procedures such as ultrasound or computer tomography (CT), scintigraphy if necessary, psychological tests and questionnaires. Treatment depending on the cause.
Inner restlessness: Causes
Often the causes of Inner Restlessness are harmless. Typically, for example, before exams (test anxiety) or an important performance (stage fright), one is inwardly restless and nervous. Too much caffeine or stress can also cause inner restlessness. Sometimes, however, serious illnesses are behind inner restlessness.
Important triggers for restlessness and nervousness at a glance
- Psychovegetative general disorders (vegetative dystonia): These are non-specific complaints for which no organic cause can be found. Typical symptoms are exhaustion, sleep disturbances, inner restlessness, nervousness, headaches and heartaches, dizziness, low blood pressure, complaints in the area of tendon insertions and muscles, and depressive moods.
- Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia can cause cravings, sweating, rapid heartbeat, tremors, restlessness, loss of consciousness, seizures, and other symptoms.
- Low blood pressure: Inner restlessness can also occur with low blood pressure (hypotension). Other possible symptoms include lack of performance, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), palpitations, depressed mood, sleep disturbances, cold hands and feet, and dizziness.
- Hyperthyroidism: Hyperthyroidism is characterized by, among other things, inner restlessness, insomnia, palpitations, arrhythmias, high blood pressure, increased sweating, finger tremors, weight loss, and diarrhea.
- Menopause (climacteric): Inner restlessness, nervousness and irritability are also among the typical menopausal symptoms.
- Pulmonary embolism: In this case, a blood clot, air, fat or a foreign body that has become lodged in the lungs blocks a pulmonary artery. Symptoms include shortness of breath, acute and often respiratory pain in the chest, palpitations, coughing, anxiety, inner restlessness, cold sweat and – in the case of large emboli – shock. Call the emergency physician immediately!
- Depression: Inner restlessness can also indicate depression. This is especially true if other symptoms include depressed mood, a sense of meaninglessness and hopelessness, a feeling of pressure in the chest and abdomen, sleep disturbances, lack of interest and joy, and lack of drive.
- Personality disorders: The leading symptoms of a personality disorder include inner turmoil, depression, addiction (nicotine, alcohol, and/or other drugs), anxiety, and exhaustion.
- Schizophrenia: A schizophrenic first illness can announce itself among other things by inner restlessness, nervousness, tension, sleeplessness, lack of concentration, irritability, dejection, sensitivity to noise and light as well as social withdrawal.
- Side effect or withdrawal symptom of medication: Several medications can cause restlessness as a side effect, such as certain antidepressants (bupropion, SSRIs), amantadine (for influenza and Parkinson’s disease), and theophylline (for asthma). In addition, Inner Restlessness can occur as a withdrawal symptom in drug addiction (such as to sleeping pills and tranquilizers from the benzodiazepine group).
Inner restlessness: What you can do yourself
There are a number of things you can do yourself to counteract inner restlessness and the stressful symptoms such as sleep problems, concentration problems and nervousness. Those affected often rely on the following tips, for example:
Relaxation exercises
Stress and tension are often the triggers of inner restlessness and nervousness. Relaxation techniques can help. For example, autogenic training and Jacobson’s progressive muscle relaxation have proven effective against restlessness and nervousness.
Treatment with medicinal plants (phytotherapy)
Phytotherapy also offers help for nervousness, stress and restlessness. They have a calming and relaxing effect:
Medicinal plant preparations from the pharmacy.
In the pharmacy you can find various medicines based on such medicinal plants, for example as capsules, dragées or drops. They have a controlled content of active ingredients and are officially approved as medicines.
If you are taking other medications, discuss the use of herbal preparations with your doctor or pharmacist. He or she can advise you on choosing an appropriate preparation and assess possible interactions between your medications.
Medicinal plants as tea
You can also use the healing power of plants in tea form. At the pharmacy, you can obtain medicinal teas with a guaranteed minimum content of active ingredient as tea bags or in loose form.
It makes sense to combine different soothing, relaxing medicinal plants. Here is an example of a home-made blend:
- Mix 60 g of passionflower herb with 20 g each of valerian root and peppermint leaves.
- Pour 250 ml of boiling water over two teaspoons of the mixture, let it steep for ten minutes and then strain.
- Drink two to three cups of it slowly in the morning and early afternoon (sweetened with honey if needed).
More practical are ready-made medicinal mixtures against nervousness and inner restlessness, as offered by pharmacies (in the form of tea bags or loose).
Relaxation bath
You can also use medicinal plants for a relaxing bath. For example, lavender, lemon balm, hops, hay flowers or valerian are suitable additives for the bath water for restlessness and insomnia.
Here is a recipe for a soothing and sleep-inducing lavender bath:
- Infuse the infusion for five minutes, then strain the parts of the plant.
- Add the infusion to the bath water (water temperature 37 to 38 degrees).
- Bathe in it for at least 20 minutes (children shorter).
If you have a full stomach or unstable circulation, warm full baths are taboo! Caution also with high blood pressure and heart diseases. To be on the safe side, ask your doctor beforehand!
Abdominal compress with chamomile
A hot and moist abdominal compress with chamomile not only relieves pain and cramps, but also has a relaxing effect. Therefore it can be helpful in case of inner restlessness:
- Pour half a liter of boiling water over one to two tablespoons of chamomile flowers.
- Let the decoction steep for a maximum of five minutes and then strain the plant parts.
- Place a rolled up inner cloth in a second cloth and roll the cloths into a poultice. Hang this in hot tea and let it steep for a few minutes.
- Wring out the poultice (be careful, it’s hot!).
- Then place the inner cloth around the abdomen without wrinkles and fix it with a dry cloth (e.g. a towel).
- After 20 to 30 minutes, remove the wrap.
- The treated person should rest for half an hour.
You can use the belly wrap twice a day.
Essential oils
- Back rub: Warm a few drops of the oil in your hands and gently rub it into the back in circular motions for several minutes. Do not apply too much pressure and avoid the sensitive spine (work to the right and left of the spine)!
- Foot rub: Rub the feet with the oil warmed in your hands. Start at the ankle and slowly work your way up to the toes. Again, do not apply too much pressure.
After the treatment you should lie down in bed and rest for half an hour. You can perform the rubbing once or twice a day (especially suitable before going to bed).
If your complaints persist for a long time despite treatment or even worsen, you should consult a doctor.
Regular exercise
Regular physical activity can relax and relieve psychological stress, so that inner restlessness and nervousness do not arise in the first place. Try jogging, walking, swimming or cycling, for example.
Pressure point massage
Stimulate the so-called pressure point (acupressure point) heart 7. To find it, bend the wrist slightly in the direction of the forearm. Directly on the flexor crease on the side of the little finger next to the easily palpable flexor tendon is Heart 7. Massage this point with one finger for about a minute.
Home remedy
- Calf compresses: They are supposed to have a relaxing and calming effect and thus help against inner restlessness. How to apply the wraps correctly, you will learn in the article calf wraps.
- Buttermilk: Some people rely on buttermilk for nervousness and tension – it is also considered a proven remedy for inner restlessness. It is best to drink a (large) glass of it.
Home remedies have their limits. If your symptoms persist over a longer period of time and do not improve or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Homeopathy
Some people swear by homeopathy. For example, the homeopathic remedy Kalium arsenicosum is said to help with Inner Restlessness with restless arms and legs. Other suitable remedies mentioned by experienced homeopaths include Chamomilla (for additional hypersensitivity and moodiness), Arsenicum album (with anxiety and weakness), and Nux vomica (Inner Restlessness due to occupational stress).
The effectiveness of homeopathy has not yet been scientifically proven.
Inner restlessness: when do you need to see a doctor?
You should see a doctor if:
- the inner restlessness lasts longer
- Self-help measures (calming tea, relaxation techniques, etc.) do not alleviate the inner restlessness.
- the inner restlessness is accompanied by other physical or mental complaints (for example, high blood pressure, depression)
The doctor will first ask you in detail about your medical history (anamnesis). It is important to know, for example, how long you have had the restlessness, whether you have any other complaints and what medication you are taking.
From this information, the doctor can often derive initial indications of the underlying cause. Various examinations can provide further important information, for example:
- Physical examination with blood pressure measurement
- Blood tests: They are helpful, for example, if hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism or a pulmonary embolism could be triggering the inner restlessness.
- Imaging tests: Computed tomography (CT) scans and X-rays can be informative, for example, if a pulmonary embolism is suspected as the cause of inner restlessness. An ultrasound examination (sonography) can help to clarify a possible hyperthyroidism.
- Scintigraphy: This nuclear medicine procedure can also be used to detect pulmonary embolism, but also hyperthyroidism. You can read more about this procedure here.
- Tests: Questionnaires and tests are used when doctors suspect psychological causes such as schizophrenia or depression as the cause of inner restlessness.
