Restless Leg Syndrome
Natural Remedies

Effective Natural Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome Relief

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.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by brad (Ontario) on 10/23/2023
★★★★★

I rub some peppermint oil on my legs and massage it in for a few minutes when I'm experiencing restless leg syndrome (urge to move feet and legs, uncomfortable sensations, pain and soreness) which can interfere with sleep as well.

I make the oil myself with any matter of carrier oil (olive, etc) some drops of peppermint, wintergreen and birch as they contain natural salicate acid similar to aspirin to neutralize pain. I also add some drops of frankencense to bring on relaxation and alleviate anxiety.


A Bar of Soap
Posted by Cindy (Illinois, USA) on 12/11/2024 533 posts

Stop using liquid soap.

It's all hormones and pH. Things like liquid soap and shampoo can screw you up terribly and are so easily avoided, liquid soap doesn't even make any sense. Yet, many people bathe in it everyday. On their skin. Their largest organ.

Makes sleeping with a bar of soap down around your feet make sense. Of course, actually USING bar soap would make more sense but...people don't make much sense in an of themselves, these days.

It's why soap is supposed to be aged. The French Castile blocks I'm using now are over 10 years old. Or, rather, I've HAD them over 10 years. They were already properly aged when I got them. Quite luxurious. And that's utility soap. Not fancy hormone-wrecking soap so, they're kinda big to sleep with, LOL! But I suppose one could rub them on one's feet if one had to - like for leg cramps or PMS or something - if one has been out and about and stuck with nothing but liquid soap for some reason.


Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Susu (California) on 11/03/2016
★★★★★

So true about blackstrap molasses and RLS.

Posted by Jennifer (Greenfield, WI) on 02/28/2007

I went to the health food store to ask about what I could give my 15 month-old son for constipation. They suggested 1-2 tsp. of blackstrap molasses in his bottle. I bought the bottle, came home, came to this website and discovered all different things this stuff is good for. I am 8 months pregnant. I was having a lot of trouble sleeping and developing symptoms of restless leg syndrome (common in pregnancy). I decided to give it a shot. Long story short, my son is pooping like a champ and I started sleeping through the night without any jerking limbs ON THE FIRST DAY! I ran out for one day, and I had a horrible night sleep. I am amazed and delighted.

I don't remember where I found the remedy but as long as I have a tbls a day my legs don't twitch at night. People roll their eyes when I tell them. I put 1 tbls of BSM in a cup of hot water with 1 tbls of dry milk. It tastes good that way so I don't mind drinking it.

Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 04/17/2017

Julie,

Some with diabetes can use Blackstrap, others cannot. Perhaps you could try a small amount (1/2 teaspoon) and see how it affects your sugar.

You might be better off using a magnesium supplement and increase your foods containing potassium (like spinach.)

Magnesium oil can be sprayed onto the legs at bedtime. It absorbs right into the muscles.

~Mama to Many~


Keeping Legs Cool
Posted by Doug (Vancouver, Wa) on 04/10/2016
★★★★★

Thank you for this website. It has proven to be very helpful.

My particular situation concerning Restless Leg Syndrome has been getting steadily worse as I have aged. (I am a 65 year old male in relatively good health)

My Dr. checked my magnesium and that was at the upper end, but still in the acceptable parameters. He suggested Benadryl and/or melatonin to help me get to sleep. These both made me sleepy, but with the RLS raging, I could never relax enough to fall off to sleep.

I tried cutting out all sugar after a certain time of day but that didn't help either. I also put a bar of Ivory soap between the sheets, to no avail.

One night recently, as I lay on top of the covers listening to music and playing games on my tablet, waiting to get sleepy, it occurred to me that my legs had not yet started to spasm. This was curious, so I made a point to stay out from underneath the covers and wait for them to start. They never did!

What I deduced was that when under the covers, (which for me included an electric blanket because I don't like getting into a cold bed! ) my legs would heat up and the spasms would start. As long as I was on top of the covers wearing a pair of sweats, if need be, they stayed cool enough and spasm-free.

Later on, after I get up to use the bathroom and return to bed, I get under the covers to finish out the night, with no spasms. I also have stopped using the electric blanket.

I don't understand it, nor can I explain it, but I can tell you honestly I have not had a case of RLS while getting to sleep ever since I have being doing this, and it is going on a month now!

I hope that this in not something that is restricted to my situation, and that other people can find relief, as I have.


Liver (Folate)
Posted by Barbara (Indianapolis In) on 08/29/2020

While there is folate in some animal foods, mostly folate occurs in plant foods. https://wholesomechildren.com/healthy-living/foods-high-in-folate/

And since low iron / ferritin stores can often be a nutrient-deficiency cause of RLS, the fact that you had such a positive response to eating the liver suggests that it was primarily the heme iron that helped your RLS.

The other known nutrient-deficiency cause of RLS is folate (which is the type I have). Based on research I have done (I am not medical professional or scientist), it is my understanding that RLS is not a muscular condition but a neurological condition due to faulty dopamine processing in the brain (which could be either a deficiency or malfunction of dopamine receptors in the brain). Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which, among many things, controls sensory and motor impulses (ability to feel being touched and ability to move).

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320637#causes

I resolve (not cure) my RLS by taking a folate (not folic acid) supplement, calcium folinate, because I also have the genetic variation MTHFR (diagnosed through a blood test). I say resolve not cure because if I stop taking the supplement the symptoms of RLS come roaring back.

People with MTHFR do not convert folic acid properly, so they don't get the benefit of the folic acid as well as the unconverted folic acid can build up in the body and cause problems. Calcium folinate and another fully-converted folate supplement, L-5 MTHF (Quatrefolic or Metafolin) and eating lots of cooked greens, provides the body (and brain!) with adequate amount of folate. Folate and iron are nutrient building blocks of dopamine.


A Bar of Soap
Posted by Chris (Mpls) on 05/26/2016

Did the acupuncture help with the RLS?


A Bar of Soap
Posted by Guri (India) on 09/14/2013
★★★★★

Yea, the bar of soap works for me. I used to apply some moisturizing lotion to my feets before sleeping and it also works.


A Bar of Soap
Posted by Karen (Usa) on 02/08/2016

I too believe we can overcome with the mind. It is important to line the mind up to receive the healings.


Magnesium
Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 03/25/2013
★★★★★

RLS is from a magnesium deficiency. Maintaining adequate magnesium levels either through food, supplementing, both, or other methods (such as magnesium oil or epsom salts, etc), will prevent it from coming back, until your levels drop too low again. I had it for years before it ever had a name. It improved with upping my magnesium, and with eliminating MSG.


Cotton Sheets
Posted by Makayla (Knoxville, Tn, Usa) on 09/15/2012
★★★★★

I'm a 31 year old female, and have been suffering from restless legs since I was about 14 or so. I finally think I've figured out what's been causing it, though I'm not entirely sure why - polyester bedding.

I've tried just about everything, including magnesium, potassium, massage and the good old bar of soap trick, but nothing worked. I always though it had been something that I was, or wasn't, eating.

After buying a new bedspread, I noticed that it had been a few days since I'd had my jumpy legs. Took a little while to figure it out, but for the first time in probably my life, I was sleeping with 100% cotton sheets and a 100% cotton woven bedspread. And my restless legs were GONE.

I don't know why this is... Maybe the polyester I usually use doesn't let my legs breathe, or maybe there's even something going on with static electricity. I've tested this a few times since I've noticed, and my old comforter gives me restless legs every time.

This may not work for everybody, but if it maybe helps one person, I'll be happy! I know how frustrating this condition can be.

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.

A Bar of Soap
Posted by Marshagail (South U.S.) on 01/13/2024
★★★★★

I've used & recommended bar soap under the fitted sheet for many years with Xcellent results! I've also rubbed dry or slightly damp bar soap on legs & left on b4 bed along with the soap bar under the sheet for particularly bothersome cases. It Absolutely Works & people are consistently Stunned that such a simple remedy is so effective & quick-acting. Thank U EC for steering me in that direction long ago👊

Magnesium
Posted by Irene Ortiz (San Antonio, Tx) on 01/01/2016
★★★★★

I have suffered from RLS since I was a child. At 64 I have found a cure for me. I take 2 magnesium capsules 400 mg about 8 pm. It allows me a restful sleep. ALSO avoid sugar. Especially after noon.


Multiple Remedies
Posted by Lorica (Indiana) on 10/27/2015
★★★★☆

I have suffered from rls off and on and it seems to me it can have more than one cause. A bar of soap was zero help for me. You must be sure your iron is at good levels, not just low average, but at optimal levels. It seems that having fruit juice or anything sugary after about noon, but especially if close to bed time, can aggravate the problem. Your calcium, magnesium and potassium need to be adequate and balanced. I have found daily smoothies with plenty of spinach and yams to be very, very helpful in that regard. If you are having a bad night then soaking your feet in a generous amount of Epsom salt in warm water will relax your muscles and help you sleep. Epsom salt seems also to be a good way to get magnesium.


Inversion Table, Exercise
Posted by Jmwe29 (Missouri, Usa) on 12/10/2014
★★★★★

Interesting site. Ran across it because someone had inquired at a UK site about using molasses to relieve RLS, so I did a search and this forum came up in the results. Because this is a site centered on finding natural relief, I am assuming most people here probably don't use much in the way of prescription meds, but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents' worth - cholesterol lowering meds are so widely prescribed now, people need to know that they trigger RLS as do a lot of other meds.

Now for what has helped me immeasurably - when I realized that lower back trouble triggers RLS in me, I invested in an inversion table that I try to use every night. It has done wonders for me. As my back goes, so goes RLS. And I have found that lower back exercises also will calm it down, specifically the "bridge", and the "bird dog". You can do an internet search for those with the word "exercise" and find them pretty easily if you want to give them a try.


Iron
Posted by Jon (Australia) on 11/03/2014
★★★★★

For me, magnesium gives only some temporary relief and doesn't address the cause of RLS.

I get long lasting relief with iron.

Low iron can result in low oxygen carried by the blood and nerve damage.

Magnesium and iron both effect/benefit the blood.

The reason magnesium can give some temporary relief is that when magnesium is taken, the blood vessels dilate. This results in a very relaxing effect in people who have enough blood to fill the now larger blood vessels (for people with adrenal fatigue magnesium can often make them dizzy or faint, due to low blood levels.)

This dilating of the blood vessels allow for more blood flow with increasing oxygen delivery - this is how magnesium can give temporary benefit to people who actually need more iron.

Iron and B12 are very important for blood and nerves health, they have really helped my family's health.

A Bar of Soap
Posted by Wendy (Maida Vale, W.a.) on 03/25/2016

I have used magnets to help me, they do work, I have also had my pharmacist make me up a cream, consisting of sorbelene and menthol (stops it drying out your skin.)

I have recently used Acupuncture, and a course of 7 weeks was advised then a maintanace of 1 month . This has given me a great relief, I do take 1/2 of 0.125 every night, but haven't had to increase, but have been told I have to stop taaking sifrol as my sodium level is too low.


A Bar of Soap
Posted by Elle (La) on 11/08/2016

Would it help with restless arms. I have rls but at times the arms are 10x worse.


Venous Insufficiency Cause
Posted by Golditoo (New England) on 06/10/2014
★★★★★

I realize these are old posts, but I want to respond. I've had restless legs on and off for years. Lately I've discovered what's causing my current severe RLS: venous insufficiency. A couple of years ago I had some deep leg veins cauterized through a procedure that was once called "vein stripping" that was done during surgery. Today it's outpatient. The dr told me I would be back, as there were other veins that needed attention. It has been excruciating yet it doesn't strike every night. Last nite I finally got to sleep at 4 am. I tried everything. One thing that helps that I read about here, I believe, years ago, is quinine. We used to be able to buy quinine pills over the counter years ago but no longer. Thus I drink tonic water, at least a half cup. This helps me. I also discovered that my new magnesium pills were 1/3 the strength of the former pills, so I have upped that. Magnesium is important for muscle/nerve transmission. In any case, I can't wait until the summer is over so that I can get the vein procedure taken care of. I'd do it earlier but you have to wear thick black, tight support stockings 24/7. In the summer it's torture: no going to the beach in those! Good luck, everyone. Please report if you have any success with treatments.

A Bar of Soap
Posted by Taylor (Zillah, Wa, United States) on 09/03/2013
★★★★★

I'm only 18 and I've recently been experiencing RLS, I'm a student in high school trying to get into college and get some scholarships, so you can see why I need every minute of sleep I can get. One Saturday night I couldn't get to sleep till 1am and I had to work the next day. I tried everything, but nothing worked until I put a bar of Irish Spring soap under my leg. It beats me how it works but it's amazing! Plus I enjoy the minty smell :)


Borax
Posted by Precisely (Mineral Hill, New Mexico, Usa) on 05/19/2013
★★★★★

Hi TrudyG and all others suffering from insomnia,

I also have opposite reactions to pharmacy drugs, OTC & Rx. Three things have helped me ENORMOUSLY, and all of them don't seem to be mentioned in this thread: https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/insomnia6.html#MR_100360

First, taking a nightly capsule of organic borage oil, regular dose, an hour before bed got me deeply asleep, deeply dreaming, and very calm/confident-feeling the next day. It does take about 3 weeks for most people to have results, although I seem to recall it was more like 10 days for me. After a while I ran out and forgot to take it, only remembered while reading here.

Next, I got an inversion table. You can set it so that you start with a relatively low angle of inversion, by tying the strap underneath--say, 20-30 degrees for at least 10 minutes. That feels like plenty to me. If your heart is lower than your feet by 17 degrees, apparently the lymph glands release and clear. Other benefits I've noticed: practically no asthma, NO INSOMNIA, back pain decreased and overall well-being increased. Not to mention, better circulation.

However I am forgetful so the latest thing I take is borax. This is actually covered in depth at http://educate-yourself.org/cn/boraxconspiracy03jul12.shtml.

In my case, I was looking for help with my out-of-control restless legs syndrome, which, on the first day, diminished almost to nothing (now my Requip prescription of. 25 mg is more than sufficient, where before even 1mg spaced throughout the day barely controlled it. ).

Now I take the borax right before sleep, and I sleep deeply and w/o interruption for 8plus hrs. And I wake up feeling crisp! Also my asthma, which had me audibly wheezing prior to the borax, is slowly disappearing. It's also a fabulous detoxer, and is anti-microbial and perhaps also alkalining too.

At first I took the Borax in the morning, but after 3 weeks, it started to make me very sleepy so I switched to bedtime. It's very fast-acting--one minute I'm lying in bed wide awake, wondering when it's going to start knocking me out, and the next minute, I'm so deeply asleep I haven't even noticed I was getting sleepy, it's so immediate a response.

My friends who are also taking borax find that they have more energy. I MAY be feeling more energetic, but the stuff still knocks me out, so experiment on a laid-back, no-driving-etc-day to see how it affects you.

The other reason I was taking borax is that it balances the whole body's hormone, endocrine, and glandular system over time. I've been taking it now for at least 3 months. I've increased my dose to a tablespoon (from a teaspoon). Just last week it seemed to me that my post-menopausal dryness was no longer an issue. I intend to continue taking this forever.

Oh yes, another borax good result: my neighbor, 70 yrs old, fell off a horse and broke 2 ribs. Since he won't go to doctors, I gave him some borax. He says his ribs healed fast, and with much less pain than the other times they have broken.

Dosing excerpts from midway through the link at beginning of this post:

Firstly, dissolve a lightly rounded teaspoonful (5-6 grams) of borax in 1 litre of good quality water* free of chlorine and fluoride. This is your concentrated solution. Keep the bottle out of reach of small children. (* I''m using distilled water)

Standard dose = 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of concentrate. This has 25 to 30 mg of borax and provides about 3 mg of boron. Take 1 dose per day mixed with drink or food. If that feels right then take a second dose with another meal. If there is no specific health problem or as a maintenance dose you may continue indefinitely with 1 or 2 doses daily. "

(elsewhere in my reading people taking the borax-in-water cure seem to take it for 5 days, stop for 2, then start again for 5 days, off for 2 days, and so on. )

"If you do have a problem, such as arthritis, osteoporosis and related conditions, menopause, stiffness due to advancing years, and also to improve low sex hormone production, increase intake to 3 or more spaced-out standard doses for several months or longer until you feel that your problem has sufficiently improved. Then drop back to 1 or 2 doses per day."

http://g2cforum.org/index.php/list/other-alternatives/20552-the-borax-conspiracy-how-a-mineral-vital-to-health-was-suppressed

http://g2cforum.org/index.php/list/other-alternatives/2910-big-island-dairy-farmers-fight-radiation-with-boron

BTW... Trazodone HCL does work for my insomnia. At first I had to double-dose but now I can take 1/4 pill and that will also knock me out.... But why bother when borax is much safer and helps with so many cures.
...............

Last I would like to thank Joy and Everyone about mentioning the water cure. I think adding the right salt will help w my frequent urination, thirst, and allergies. Had forgotten that histamine is a dehydration response. Beginning to wonder if I was developing diabetes. Would diabetes show up in a hair sample?

Many Blessings!

A Bar of Soap
Posted by Andrea (Westminster, Ca) on 06/17/2016

Mark Ky.

Espresso = coffee, which = (beans) legumes. Guess what you get with a concentrated serving of legumes? Magnesium. Looks like you just might need magnesium supplementation in your diet, but preferably without the caffeine of espresso, so you don't keep waking up.


A Bar of Soap
Posted by Cocobolo (Uk) on 09/14/2016

I think you must be right about the sugar being a huge part of triggering RLS, and along with trying the soap bar (I think just because we see no scientific explanation that we understand, is not reason to throw out something that has helped so many) and bicarb treatments. Sugary food seems very bad for health, and is never really required although it is craved. I have been to EarthClinic and am fascinated. I was looking for peptic ulcer relief, and that too involves expunging refined sugar. You may not be diabetic, or have insulin pathology as one poster announces you must, (and, of course, you might! ) A lot of people, as they grow older retain more glucose in their blood as the renal threshold rises. That is a normal phenomenon.



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