Restless Legs? Get Relief With These 10 Natural Remedies
Are your twitchy legs keeping you up at night? Get them to settle down with these 10 natural home remedies.
Can’t keep your legs still? Do you suffer from the constant urge to jiggle, twitch, and move your legs, to the point where it interrupts your sleep? You likely have Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), the most common sleep-related movement disorder, which affects one in ten adults in the U.S.
RLS, also known as Willis-Ekbom Disease, is a neurological sensorimotor disorder. The main symptom is an overwhelming desire to move the legs when they are at rest. This sensation typically occurs at night, during sleep. The feelings range from tingling, twitching, or a prickly sensation to a jerking feeling in one or both legs, prompting the need to move them for relief.
Although RLS does not lead to serious health issues, it could be an indication of an underlying or developing health condition. RLS is uncomfortable and disruptive. So, how can you find relief? These natural remedies may help.
10 Natural Remedies for Restless Legs
- Eat well! Ensure that you maintain a healthy and balanced diet, focusing on consuming whole foods that are rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. This will help you avoid deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, as well as prevent electrolyte imbalances that can trigger restless leg syndrome. Some highly beneficial food sources include dark green leafy vegetables, bananas, cherries, garlic, nuts, black beans, coconut, olive and avocado oils, wild-caught seafood, and grass-fed beef. If you frequently struggle with restless leg syndrome and its impact on your sleep, it may be helpful to have your iron and magnesium levels tested.
- Magnesium Supplements can be taken daily, 30 minutes prior to bedtime, to ensure adequate intake and promote restful sleep. It is advisable to consult your doctor to determine the right dosage for you. Additionally, you can try using magnesium oil, a popular natural home remedy for those prone to Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS). Applying magnesium oil to your leg muscles every night, either by rubbing or spraying, may also be helpful. Make your own magnesium oil instructions here.
- Alfalfa is a superb supplement that contains all three vital minerals: calcium, magnesium, and potassium in a balanced form, thus promoting proper absorption. Alfalfa helps maintain well-functioning nerves and muscles.
- Avoid white sugar, white flour products, high carb meals, fast foods, tobacco, and alcohol — all of which can make RLS symptoms worse. Limit caffeine intake as well.
- Hydrate. Try an electrolyte-replenishing drink, like coconut water or organic pickle juice without unhealthy additives. Or squeeze the juice from a fresh slice of any citrus fruit into an 8-ounce glass of quality, filtered water. Add a pinch of Himalayan sea salt. Stir and drink when symptoms strike.
- Try an Epsom salts bath. Add a cup of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) to a tub of warm water and soak your body for at least 15 minutes, to relax the leg muscles, before going to bed in the evenings.
- Don’t cross your legs. If you are prone to varicose veins, don’t sit with your legs crossed. Keep your feet flat on the floor when sitting, or cross your ankles.
- Avoid lying down for long stretches. Binge-watching TV or movies for hours before bedtime can exacerbate symptoms. If you are prone to wake up at night with leg discomfort, lie down only when ready to go to sleep.
- Exercise – Good circulation and exercise is vital to the health of your legs. Avoid sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time. Take a break: walk, jump on a rebounder, or do leg and calf stretches during the day to improve blood flow, relieve pressure and prevent varicose veins.
- Castor oil massage – While sitting, gently massage warm castor oil into your skin. Then, elevate your legs above your heart and relax for 10 to 15 minutes.
Be sure to talk with your doctor before starting any treatment.
Do you have a home remedy for RLS that works for you? Share it with us in the comments below.
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Deborah Tukua
Deborah Tukua is a natural living, healthy lifestyle writer and author of 7 non-fiction books, including Pearls of Garden Wisdom: Time-Saving Tips and Techniques from a Country Home, Pearls of Country Wisdom: Hints from a Small Town on Keeping Garden and Home, and Naturally Sweet Blender Treats. Tukua has been a writer for the Farmers' Almanac since 2004.
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Deborah Tukua#molongui-disabled-link
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Deborah Tukua#molongui-disabled-link
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Deborah Tukua#molongui-disabled-link
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Deborah Tukua#molongui-disabled-link
Are Restless Legs the same as leg Cramps? I used to get them before and was told to take Magnesium supplements.
Hi Sheela, no, they’re not the same although both can be quite a nuisance. People with restless legs can’t keep them still, like people who jiggle their legs when they’re sitting. Normally this isn’t a problem, and quite common, but it can be disruptive for sleep.
Tonic water and Tums. Chew 2 Tums and drink a small can of tonic water. The Tums supply the calcium and the tonic water the quinine. Usually works for me.
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My wife used to suffer greatly from RLS then we found a product called Restiffic foot wraps they absolutely work her symptoms have diminished by 95% they work because when wearing the Restiffic wraps they put pressure on the nerve just under the ball of your foot and that stops the signal that tells your mind that you need to move your legs, message me below for more info, thanks Paul Yeaman
I’ve tried alot of medicine and I’m just tired of taking them so thank you the many ideas and I hope some of this works for because my RLS is so bad I DNT sleep alot and my legs aren’t the only thing that jumps my arms and l ga and torso they all jump. Praying for some of this to work thank you. NDM
Hi Nikkie, those involuntary muscle jerks can be caused by a number of things, including any medications you’re taking. Talk with your doctor.
Please tell me what that is. How and where to get them. I suffer from RLS so bad. Thank you
The bar of any kind of soap under the fitted sheet does work.
What type of soap under the sheets?
Believe it or not , putting a bar of soap under your bed sheet by your legs can work as well.
I have found certain foods set it off. Horseradish, mustard, cinnamon, black pepper, chili powder spice, to name a few. I take low doses of Ropinirole (which does have some slight side effects) and Magnesium and Selenium supplements an hour before bedtime. A diet that promotes healthy liver functions seems to help. A low carb diet with lots of water and some green tea.
Interesting, thanks for sharing your thoughts, Sheri. Definitely stay away from those items that affect you negatively.
Yes, Sheri, I wish I had your entire list of problem foods. I would try and avoid the whole lot of them! RLS is that bad!
Mustard has been a huge help for me! Just a spoonful is all you need ☺
I rub Vicks on the part of my leg where I feel the sensation . Knee or the calf and most of the time it works.
I only get restless legs if I’m starting to fall asleep before having brushed my teeth. I get up, brush my teeth, and lie down again and it goes away every time. It is my body’s built-in mechanism to ensure I practice good dental hygiene!
When mine starts I rub my legs with a vibrating messager works great. Will not take prescriptions. Thanks for all the natural remedies.
I found 1-2 tsp. of Sunflower seeds relieves the urge within 5-10 min.
A very low dose {.5mg} of Ropinirole, an Rx medication which has no side effects, works 100% for me and others I know with this affliction.
Speak to your doctor and you will never be affected by this again.
I had it.
My dad had it.
I lost weight (about 100lbs) and now it only happens a little when I eat white sugary stuff.
White sugar is POISON!!!
BTW, by not eating white sugar, which is in processed foods, I lost the cravings and the weight without starving feelings.
I took about two weeks to purge the sugar from my system.
I can eat non-processed food and I feel full without binging.
The grocery bill is about 1/3 too!!!
Me happy with energy to enjoy life.
Best wishes! 🙂
I find that if I sleep on my stomach and hang my feet over the end of the bed, the sensations stop.