The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Iron and Potassium
Posted by Debbie (Portland, Me) on 03/18/2013
★★★★★
Three weeks ago my naturopathic did a full blood work on me for vitamins and iron deficiencies. My ferritin count was a 2 which is extremely low she put me on 100 mg of iron a day (a combo of Floradix and Iron C) for 6 weeks and my rls has been gone since day one of the regiment. I have suffered with rls for years and this is the only thing I have done different. I give all the credit to the huge iron intake that my body so desperately needed. Ferritin count is so important and regular medical drs do not check it.
Baking Soda
Posted by Tom (Fort Worth, Texas) on 03/16/2013
★★★★★
Baking soda does work on restless leg syndrome. I actually apply the liquid to the knees where my problem most manifests. Take a half teaspoon of Baking soda and disolve in a half glass of water. I just take my fingers and wet them with the liquid and topically apply to knees. Do this application twice to each knee or the whole leg if the entire leg is bothering you.
Next: NO sugar after 3pm. There is a direct corrolation between this syndrom and sugar consumption. No cokes, sweets of any kind after mid afternoon. No 10pm ice cream cheating!
Finally, you'll find Calcium AEP will help the condition. Google Calcium AEP Nutrition Review and you will find a great article on the wonders of AEP.
Dr Hans Niepier did amazing work on AEP 40 years ago. And AEP is very inexpensive. Don't say, Oh I get calcium in pills I already take. No we're talking about a different nutrient. AEP is a special product.
Calcium AEP is a must for MS patients. In the book "Vita Nutrients" on the section on MS treatment Calcium AEP is the key to Dr Adkins treatment protocol. When the MS patient has a flair up with acking legs, the AEP taken (3 to 5) can bring blessed relief.
Between these three, restless leg can be a thing of the past. At least it has been for me.
Exercises
Posted by Runr (Weston, Kansas) on 02/28/2013
I'm going to try these tonight. I do have issues with lower back pain. Took a nap this afternoon and RLS started. Worth a try. Thank you.
A Bar of Soap
Posted by Jean (Palm Desert, California) on 02/14/2013
★★★★★
Two years ago I had quadruple bypass heart surgery and a defibrillator implant. Well recovered but in last six months my body, especially left side, throbs as soon as I get into bed. Became sleep deprived and would fall asleep during day. Went to Earth Clinic and saw that possibly what I was feeling was a form of RLS although I had been blaming my defibrillator. This is crazy but a week ago I put six leftover pieces of soap in a sock and placed it between the sheets. For a week now I no longer dread going to bed. The throbbibg has stopped. Thank you Earth Clinic and all the wonderful people who contribute. I am a health nut, take no meds and am 92 years old.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Cindy J (Thurgoona, Nsw Australia) on 02/06/2013
★★★★★BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I found Apple Cider Vinegar for Restless Legs does work really well for me. The pain is minimal. However I have inherited a weak bladder from my father so when I have the ACV before bed, I spend the next 3 hours going to the toilet at least 5-6 times before I got to sleep and 3 times during night. ACV gets rid of toxins and my urine is now clear. So I am still having trouble sleeping, and my sleep patterns are totally messed up. I tried the soap on its own - pain all night. If I rub ACV on my legs, I am concerned about absorbtion into the body and it may still make me got to the toilet endlessly. Can I have ACV in the middle of the day and have the same effect of constant urination at night? Will it stop the pain at night if I have ACV during the day? I am wondering if Baking Soda will make me urinate alot as well.
Magnesium
Posted by Marie (Burbank, Ca) on 01/28/2013
★★★★★
RLS is because of a deficiency of magnesium... Start drinking [an ionic magnesium powder]... You can find it in Whole Foods and other natural remedy stores... Drink it everyday... Especially before bedtime... It's bitter so cut it with some sweet tea...
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Sailorsue (Wny, Ny) on 01/18/2013
I have been taking magnesium supplements both in am and pm and do not have them anymore; it's been just over 2 years now.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by James (Portsmouth, Hampshire ) on 01/14/2013
Restless legs syndrome... put legs up on a wall for 10 to 20 minutes a day or more. You will find this will alleviate the symptoms if you can try this.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Denise (Skowhegan, Maine) on 01/14/2013
★★★★★
Here I am at 2 weeks now_? 8 oz. of doing the apple cider drink twice a day, Tonic water twice a day, then 2 regular water any other time. Bar of soap in the bed, 1 magnesium tablet per doc's recommendation, along with 1 calcium and Vit. E.
Hubby rubs my legs down with muscle ointment, Vicks or Castor Oil on the soles of the feet, and a couple times a day Hylands Homepathic tabs under the tongue. 1 banana a day. I drink my last liquid one hr before bed. Soak my feet or take a bath in Epsom salts when I remember to. The RLS is almost non-existent, just a few small twitching daily now-and upon waking not noticing any twitching. I have a prescription for sleeping but absolutely refuse to use it unless all else fails. I do believe most people can get this under control if they are diligent, consistent and mean business. I am now sleeping 7-8 hrs a night now. Haven't done that for 3 yrs. For the people that nothing has worked to alleviate this, its time for a "Ferritin" test to rule that out if you haven't had one.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Lucio (Lages, Santa Catarina / Brazil) on 01/13/2013
★★★★★
If you suffer with RLS [restless leg syndrome] don't drink any kind of liquid at least 4 hours before bed nor eat any food with sodium.
I use to put frozen pulp fruits and honey in a blender and eat or drink 5 hours before bed. It works for me.
Liquid reflux and sodium are like poison for RLS suffers.
Avoid Sugar
Posted by Kathleen (Pitt Meadows, B.c. Canada) on 11/26/2012
★★★★★
RLS - I find I get this awful sensation in my legs within 1 hour of consuming anything with sugar if I'm not active. Usually it hits in the evening while I'm sitting around and then in the night.
Even one candy is enough to trigger it so try to find something else to snack on in the evening and see if it helps.
Bach Flower Remedies
Posted by Tweetylynn (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 11/20/2012
★★★★★
Bach's Rescue Remedy works like a charm. Two sprays in the mouth at night and I'm asleep before my horrible restless legs start up. Five nights in a row so far and no RLS.
A Bar of Soap
Posted by Ris (Dubois, Pa) on 10/12/2012
★★★★★
For everyone who tried the bar of soap (for one night). Give it some time. I was on med. for my RLS. I heard about the soap and put two bars (1 ivory and 1 dial) under my sheets, I kept taking my meds for a week before going off of them. no problems, unless I kick the bar of soap out of the bed- I don't put them under the sheets- and don't retrieve them the next night. don't keep the wrapper on the soap and don't put it in a sock. go ohh natural.
Eliminate Coffee
Posted by David (Greenville, Sc) on 10/04/2012
Try this; worked for me. My leg agitation would drive me crazy at night and I realized that there was a corrolation between intake of sugar after six oclock or so, and the irritable leg issue.
Two solutions: First I cut way back on night time consumption of sugar products. Especially damaging is sugar late at night. That almost always caused RLS.
But, if I break down and do have the ice cream etc. And know that the irritation is likely, in fact, I usually can feel it coming on even before I am ready to sleep, I use a solution of baking soda in water; a half teaspoon in a half cup of water and apply on my knee caps... Which is where the irritation centers in on me. Then I drink the remainder of the soda/water. That combo alkalizes the body. The sugar is a terrible cause of acidic body condition, probably produced over a lifetime of too much sugar consumption and the inability to metabolize it efficently gives a side effect of acidic condition which perhaps along with insulin issues causes the RLS.
This formula really works. No sugar at night but if you do and the RLS starts take the baking soda in water topically and drink the rest to create an alkaline condition.
Baking Soda
Posted by Dq (Lore City, Ohio) on 10/03/2012
★★★★★
I was on the hunt to see what I had on hand and what worked... Good news, the baking soda mix worked little before the 20 mins (17mins), as of right now 26 mins I still feel the ease of the pains going away. Thank you all for sharing.
This helps alot for the RLS (ressless legs syndrome)
1. glass of water (warm) 8oz.
2. 1/4 tsb baking soda (sodium bicarbonate 100%)
3. Stir it for 30 seconds
4. Drink it all down
5. write the start time down and wait for ease of pains to go away (feeling easement at 17mins)
Thank you everyone.
A Bar of Soap
Posted by Barbara (Denver, Co) on 09/26/2012
★★★★★
Wow! A big yea for the bar of soap! I have had restless leg for years, and just suffered through, banging my foot on the floor incessantly (which helps not at all :) Since beginning medication for hypertension it has gotten worse, and keeps me from sleeping at times. Last night I came to this site, not really thinking I'd find anything but hoping...
The bar soap idea seemed pretty strange, but the whole alkaline thing suggested by a contributor appealed to me, so I gave it a try. I use coconut soap and didn't think that would work, but my daughter had a little scrap of a bar of Dove which she prefers. Since it was pretty small, I gently rubbed it over my legs for a few minutes - not making much contact at all. Then I just let it sit atop my legs. Seriously, that was the last time I felt the effect of RLS! I slept the night with that little scrap on the sheet under my legs, and that was all it took. I slept soundly through the night, not waking once (which is notable in that I'm taking a diuretic in my drug coctail!
Fantastic! I love this website and all the wonderful people who contribute. Thank you!!!
Magnesium
Posted by Cate (Melbourne, Australia) on 09/21/2012
★★★★★
When I was pregnant with my first son I was still exercising like a maniac in the pool. My legs were so restless I was up 3/4 of the night stretching them out beside the bed. My husband couldn't stand the interruptions and even slept next door. At the time I took a synthetic supplement of magnesium, postassium, sodium and one other, forgotten which. It had heaps of sweetness so was of negligible use.
Three or four years later I'm on a 'primal' (aka paleo/ancestral/caveman) diet which has been a MASSIVE boon to my whole body and mind, the legs are fine, no problem there at all now.
I do also have a pretty serious magnesium (and vitamin C) bath every week. I look forward to it after a full-on week because I sleep like a baby, my body is so thoroughly relaxed.
I use organic vege, meats, fruit and coconut oil/good fats. I soak my nuts and seeds in brine till they start to ferment, and the magnesium is mag. Chloride, 450grams, and very pure. I've also used cheaper epsom salts which are fine too.
Power to ya. : )
Avoid MSG
Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 09/19/2012
★★★★★
Not eating MSG stopped my leg jerks. When I eat MSG, the twitching starts again. I have been avoiding it for several weeks now and my legs have been quiet.
Eliminate Benadryl
Posted by Rsw (Uniontown, Oh) on 09/18/2012
★★★★★
I have found this to be true, also. NyQuil always was a problem and kept my up all night, but as I have gotten older, Benedryl and other such OTC drugs that you mention, now cause me to be drowsy but completely unable to sleep with increased RLS symptoms.
Eliminate Benadryl
Posted by Little Wing (Marshfield, Ma) on 09/17/2012
★★★★★
I find benadryl makes my restless legs MUCH worse, as does anything like this or any of the PM medicines (Excedrin PM, Advil PM, etc.).
Cotton Sheets
Posted by Kate (Raleigh, Nc, United States) on 09/16/2012 6 posts
This is a very interesting post about cotton sheets for restless legs. I don't have restless legs, but I do have trouble sleeping. Although my quilt is made of a combination of cotton and linen, my sheets have polyester in them and so does my mattress cover. I'm going to start shopping for cotton sheets and a cotton mattress cover. Sleep is so important for our happiness and well-being. I believe we should make sleep our number one priority (well, actually, in addition to nutrition). Thank you, Makayla, for sharing your experience with us!
