Effective Natural Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome Relief

Apple Cider Vinegar

Posted by Steve (Las Vegas, Nevada) on 07/12/2012
★★★★★

This Apple Cider vinegar and honey recipe cures RLS. The recipe for it is 2 qts. of water to 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/3 cup honey. Drink 8oz. 4x/day. The vinegar and water will stop restless legs in approx. 5 to 15 mins. Every time. Take as needed.

Many other benefits to drinking ACV as well:

1 tablespoon of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar mixed in 4 ounces of purified water after a meal has been used as a natural remedy for heartburn and as a replacement for toxic heartburn medications.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar may help improve bowel irregularity, thereby removing toxins from the body at a faster rate.
Helps clear up skin conditions and blemishes giving a smoother texture and complexion.
Raw Apple Cider vinegar may also help with joint pain and stiffness.
Apple Cider Vinegar helps to break down fats so that your body can use them rather than store them. For this reason, many diets include ACV in their regimen.
On a small scale, ACV was studied by researchers at Arizona State University. The preliminary study was published in the Diabetes Care journal. It reported that ACV helps reduce levels of glucose.

Cereal High in Iron

Posted by Bess (Calgary (home Of The Stampede!), Alberta, Canada) on 07/12/2012

Hi Carlos - Along with being checked for anemia as suggested by Blanche, have your thyroid checked too. Restless leg syndrome can be a problem for those suffering from hypothyroidism. Also, make sure you are not dehydrated (check out the water cure on the Internet - you add just a little bit of sea salt with your water). Although magnesium (CALM) really helped me with RLS, perhaps you need to apply magnesium oil transdermally on your legs/feet (I believe Bill's formula is 60% magnesium chloride and 40% distilled water). Good luck - I hope you find something that works! Bess

Aspirin

Posted by Zoe (Seattle, Wa) on 07/12/2012
★★★★★

Yup, aspirin works for me. I read somewhere that RLS is basically the brain mis-firing low-level pain signals. Aspirin works to block just enough of those signals that RLS goes away - other painkillers work, Tylenol is the safest to take long-term (some studies show elevated liver enzymes after a few weeks, but nothing to be alarmed about and no liver damage occurs). Aspirin has side-effects like blood-thinning if taken over the long-term. I just switch 'em off, but do talk to your doctor.

Cereal High in Iron

Posted by Blanche (Iberia Parish, Louisiana) on 07/11/2012

Are you by any chance anemic? That is one of the contributing factors.

Cereal High in Iron

Posted by Carlos (Dundas, Ontario, Canada) on 07/11/2012

Been taking cream of wheat for six months and it is doing nothing for my nightly restless legs. Tried the soap, no effect. Tried magnesium with and without calcium, tablets and powder (CALM), no effect. Would cutting out one or two cups of coffee in the morning really make a difference? The only sure thing which works is walking around for about two hours between 2 AM and 4 AM, plus some tylenol. Don't ask me why. Carlos.

Blackstrap Molasses

Posted by Lardiver (Abbotsford, Bc Canada) on 07/02/2012
★★★★★

Blackstrap Molasses for RLS

The problem of all the sugar in BSM was a concern to me. I found that by putting BSM into Kombucha tea then let it sit for about a week, the kombucha would eat all the sugar and leave me the minerals and every thing good about BSM, plus the goodness of the kombucha. I put in kombucha tea that has already been fermented, a scoby and the amount of BSM as I would normally use sugar. Next I will try kombucha coffee made with BSM, will probably make a strong tasting coffee kombucha.

Magnesium

Posted by Terri (Spooner, Wi) on 06/10/2012
★★★★★

Amazing! I have been soaking my feet in a 50/50 magnesium flake to water ratio for seven days. On the second night my legs got restless during the middle of the night, though not in the evening as they always had as well. I have had this for YEARS!! I can't believe that all I had to do was soak the bottoms of my feet for half an hour. (Magnesium supplements did not have this effect.)

Coconut Oil

Posted by Lardiver (Abbotsford, Bc Canada) on 05/24/2012

Just to ad an update. I also found that using Kombucha tea helps a lot with my RLS. I us both the coconut oil and kombucha and very seldom have any RLS problems. As for the disclaimer that you should get medical advice from a Doctor first, every time I have been to see a Doctor they try and give me a prescription. I rarelly ever waste my time with doctors any more since all they know is drugs, they have lost contact with real cures. I am far more healthy for it, and I fell 20-30 years younger. I have been curing all my health problems without the side effects of prescribed drugs. Thank you Earth clinic.

Niacin

Posted by Anne (Seattle, Wa) on 05/23/2012
★★★★★

I have used 500mg of Niacin twice a day for years to fight insomnia and RLS. When I ran out of Niacin for a week my insomnia and RLS returned with a vengence. I dug through my cupboards, found some and was asleep 30 minutes later.

Niacin deficiency is pinpointed as the culprit in many neurological issues by Dr Hoffer including ADHD There is rumors of a toxicity issue with long term high doses but many people have taken up to 3000mg daily long term.

Light Therapy

Posted by Jbrown82 (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 05/14/2012
★★★★★

I've been using light therapy to treat my RLS for 18 months now and it's been working great. I use it for 30 minutes a night every night and if I use it faithfully I never have a problem. There's been a few times I've gone on a trip for over a week and forgot to bring my device and my RLS came back but after I get back on it it works! I bought it from this company here in Canada called Tranquilmed. Has anybody else found success with using light to treat RLS?

Trigger Point Therapy

Posted by Trish (Tri Cities, Washington) on 05/06/2012
★★★★★

I've had RLS for quite awhile and have started using Trigger Point Therapy for the last couple of years. I sometimes have to work at it a little while, but I eventually find the trigger Point that is causing the symptoms in that particular leg. After I have massaged it the RLS symptoms slowly go away and my leg quits twitching. I know I have found the right spot because it will trigger the twitch in my leg untill it is massaged. I seem to mostly find the trigger points are in my hips and/or lower back. You can find the books and videos online that can show you how. Hope this helps it sure has me.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Doc (Youngstown, Florida) on 03/31/2012
★★★★★

I have never tried Ivory soap, but have found that Dial (gold) or Leaver Brothers 2000 (green) works really well. They were the ones recommended by my vascular physician. I unwrap the soap and place it in a clean, somewhat thin cotton sock. It is easy to smell the soap and know when it is time to change bars. Be very careful taking additional magnesium without also taking calcium. If the magnesium/calcium ratio becomes out of balance, the result may be jerking muscles in the shoulders, etc. which can make sleep difficult.

Magnesium

Posted by Mia B (Slough, Berkshire Uk) on 02/01/2012
★★★★★

Hi all, firstly... Terrific site! .... I have been suffering from painful feet for over 6 years, also from painful legs, especially painful after about 15 mins after getting into bed.. I originally thought that this was all the same ailment.... I must say that when I go on my low carb protein diet, the pains seem to subside within a few days... After many years, I have deducted that the joint pains in my feet, hands and knees are arthritic and are brought on by wheat.. I have yo-yo'd and proved this to myself... Within hours or days of eating wheat, my ankles and wrists swell with water retention and then my feet /joints start to ache... Negative for coeliac! ... The pain in my legs is quite separate I think and fits RLS exactly... I am glad I have found the cause... I thought I was going mad as it's very hard to describe to anyone... I have to take a co-codamol every night just to be able to sleep.

Anyway, I have read all the threads on this and as I cant get hold of the ivory soap in uk, I read the ingredients and the thread above and wondered if it was the magnesium.... And whether it had anything to do with the power being emitted or being absorbed by the body... Tonight I had a very bad case of rls and was generally tired.... I dreaded the night ahead.... I took a hot bath with epsom salts and went to bed with work to do on laptop.... My legs started to tingle after awhile but only mildly... I then put some epsom salts in a little mesh bag I had and put it under my feet and my co codamols at the ready..... That was over 2 hours ago... haven't had any pain, my legs haven't had to be moved, and I am surprised I haven't had to take my meds!!! ...

I will continue every night to see what worked... The hot bath or epsom salt bag... But definitely seems to be the magnesium... The rls seems to have eased and the throbbing pain is gone.. But joints are still a bit stiff in the hands but that's the wheat and grains at work!!

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Piper (Nashua, Nh) on 01/29/2012
★★★★★

I've had RSL for over five years now... Beginning when I turned 45. No remedies have worked until I heard from a visiting neighbor's friend that putting an unwrapped bar of soap under the top sheet at the foot of the bed reduces the episodes and for some people, even eliminates it. I tried it with a bar of goat's milk soap (no reason) and NO kicking! I don't know why it works; perhaps, it's the aroma of certain ingredients - I don't know, but I'm glad I finally found something other than drugs!

Hot Shower, Massage

Posted by Colin (Ajax, Ontario/canada) on 01/19/2012
★★★★★

For my RLS treatment, I usually take a very warm shower, and then I massage my legs to the sole of foot bottom for about fifteen minutes and with this procedure I do get a good night rest.

Iron

Posted by Kathi (Everett, Wa, United States) on 01/16/2012
★★★★★

I used to have RLS as well and it was caused by my severe anemia. Once I was no longer anemic, there was never an issue with RLS again! I used wheat grass powder daily to build up my blood again. Give it a try.

Zinc

Posted by D (Asheville, Nc) on 01/15/2012
★★★★★

I have food allergies and have Restless Leg Syndrome in the evening as well as at night in bed. I also have insomnia. What works for both my insomnia (even when the legs aren't restless) and for the RLS is zinc supplement before bed. Sometimes I wake in the middle of the night and need to take it again. Since I take it almost everyday, I only take as much as I need and try not to take more than that.

The different kinds that work for me, are zinc chelate, monomethionine zinc, zinc gluconate, combination of zinc arginate and zinc glycinate. But two zincs that work quickest for me are in liquid form: Monoatomic zinc liquid and zinc sulphate liquid. Supposedly one has to take some copper to balance the zinc or you could get a copper deficiency. I take the other minerals and all the trace minerals as well for the same reason.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Sherri (Houston, Tx) on 01/03/2012
★☆☆☆☆

The bar of soap didn't work for me either. I try not to drink caffeine in the afternoon, and get plenty of water intake. I'll try the niacin. The best thing I've found, is "Restful Legs" a homeopathic remedy that you put under your tongue. It lets me get back to sleep in 10 minutes. If I run out, I drink a large glass of water, and that will help. But then you might wake up to go to the bathroom. It's very frustrating!

Homeopathy

Posted by Megan (Sydney, Australia) on 12/27/2011
★★★★★

I want to share a remedy I have found for Restless Legs Syndrome. 'Restless Legs Relief' is a homeopathic remedy found in Health food stores. I spray 4 squirts under my tongue and no restless legs anymore. What a relief, as continually having to move my legs around was stopping me sleeping. I had tried the bar of soap remedy to no avail. Hope this helps!!

Iron, Vitamin C

Posted by Bk (Upper Marlboro, Md, Usa) on 12/24/2011
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I suffered from sleep disorder (jumping up from sleep) for quite a while until recently. Two years ago I saw on TV a story about how Iron supplement has been shown to relieve 'restless leg syndrome'. From my little bit of scientific knowledge, I put two and two together; my symptoms were neurological and so is restless leg syndrome. So, I decided to try Iron supplements. It worked instantly. I started sleeping like a baby each night I take Iron.

I had also made the connection earlier to vitamin C and alcohol. Every time I drink alcohol, I get severe episodes. When I take vitamin C immediately afterwards it alleviated the symptoms. So I figured out that alcohol must be washing away vital nutrients such as vitamins from the body, which makes sense, because alcohol is a natural solvent. Now I take both vitamin C and Iron supplement before bedtime, and I sleep very well with no episodes.

I have no doubt that these nutrients support the electrical/neurological functions of the brain, diaphragm, throat muscles, as well as sensitivity to chemicals which cause mucous oversecretion. Apple cidar vinegar, which another contributor mentioned works because it is loaded with vitamin C.

Remember, for this to work well you have to play with or adjust the dosage to find the right one for you. Vitamin C can be tolerated in high doses by most people but watch your Iron intake very carefully.

By the way, it was very helpful to read all the previous contributions. Now I can join the dots.

God bless you all.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Sal (Fresno, Ca) on 12/04/2011
★★★★★

I've been struggling with RLS for the last 4 years and have found various things that have helped. At this point, after trying various things and reading a lot about it, I've concluded that RLS has to do with minerals/vitamins deficiency and mainly lack of iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium combination. I would recommend a healthy diet with the following additions that has really helped me:

1) Cream of wheat: eat this cereal, this is high in iron and calcium

2) Munch on pumpkin seeds: high in magnesium and other minerals

3) Drink mineral water for a few days

These will stop RLS. This is what I'm focusing right now and has stopped my RLS.

Other things that have helped me in the past:

1) warm water with 2 spoons of apple cider vinegar and honey before sleep

2) ivory soap has helped too

3) Cutting down on sodium if the intake is high

4) Eating banana (high in potassium)

Don't feel defeated with RLS, you can cure it over time. My RLS comes irregularly, so the body must be ok for a while and then all of a sudden, the minerals get depleted and then you need to boost the levels of these essential minerals and vitamins.

Hope this helps. Take care.

A Bar of Soap

Posted by Rigger (Newtown, Ct) on 11/28/2011

I have had RLS for about 5 years, so bad that the prescription medicine doesn't even work well. There are different levels of RLS, with mine being really bad, I have tried alot of things, including a bar' of soap. For me it didn't touch it, but what has worked is a combination of magnesium glucimate (take as much as you can, until your body tells you it is enough - don't worry, you will know!) it really works! I also use a oil that is rubbed on my lower back and the area that is acting up at the time, it is called 'Night Time leg calm' from Natures Inventory. This too has been fantastic, it doesn't make it go away for good, but it allows me to rest and to sleep. I also have just discovered that my problem with RLS might be my sciatic nerve.... will keep you posted.

Coconut Oil

Posted by Lardiver (Abbotsford, Bc Canada) on 11/23/2011

Sorry I mean I take coconut oil, drink it, eat it, on food any way, it stops my restless legs and has been for a few months now.

Coconut Oil

Posted by Diana (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) on 11/23/2011

What do you mean you started using coconut oil? Rubbing it on the legs or taking it orally?

Hydration

Posted by Lardiver (Abbotsford, Bc Canada) on 11/02/2011

Since I told you about water for RLS I have found that coconut oil stops the RLS. I take 2 tablespoons a day and it stops the RLS.

Coconut Oil

Posted by Lardiver (Abbotsford, Bc ) on 11/02/2011
★★★★★

Coconut oil for my RLS [restless leg syndrome]

For 25 years I have had RLS, I used drugs for it every night. When I started using coconut oil the RLS stoped, I haven't taken the drugs in a month now, and am so glad to rid of them. I can still feel them coming on of the RLS if I don't take enough coconut oil so I just take some more and I'm good.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

Posted by Kim (Winnipeg, Manitoba) on 10/30/2011

How about splenda?

Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium; Alkaline Diet

Posted by Andoy (Boise, Id) on 09/22/2011

Looks like this a problem of too much acidity.

Homeopathy

Posted by Lee (New York, Usa) on 08/15/2011

Thank you Janet from Kendal, UK for your imput. I have tried tonic water and as with all the other remedies I've tried, acv, baking soda etc, I only get about 1 1/2 - 2 hours of some relief and then I'm up again. As an update on the Restful Legs remedy... It works sometimes and not as well at other times. I'm now trying it with the other remedies, tonic water, acv, baking soda, etc. I had blood test to see if I'm deficient in anything but I'm not. Many thanks to all who contribute to this site!