8 Remedies To Treat Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is when you feel the need to move your leg because there’s an uncomfortable or sometimes even painful feeling in it. This condition usually gets worse at night and is known to get better for a short while if you reposition the hurting leg. This condition can appear at any age and has a tendency to get worse as you age.

There are a handful of symptoms that you can mark to see if you have RLS. The pain will normally come after you’ve been off your feet for a while; the pain comes the at night, the uncomfortableness/pain lessens or dissipates when you move your leg around some; your leg twitches and or kicks during your sleep.

Another symptom is the pain itself. Many people feel different things, but a few examples are aching, throbbing, crawling, electric, creeping, and itching.

# Warm Baths

Take a warm bath and massage your legs afterward to help relax the muscles before you go to bed. If after a few nights massaging your legs doesn’t work, try some yoga instead.

# Exercise

Exercise is important and can help to toughen the muscle and can sometimes help with the production of dopamine. Try to exercise between half an hour an hour a day to see the best results.

# Warm and Cold Compresses

Using heat and ice packs can help your leg not to hurt nearly as much. Most people recommend twenty minutes on and twenty minutes off. Use whichever type of compress feels best for you. Different people have different preferences.

# Sleep Habits

Sleep habits are important with RLS because if the pain in your legs is keeping you awake, it can mess up your sleep habits which can poorly affect your daily life. Try setting a designated time to sleep. If you fall asleep before the pain normally sets, then it might not affect you sleep all that much.

# Iron and Vitamins

Deficiency vitamins D, E, and C as well as in iron can worsen your RLS. You can these vitamins in pills, capsules, or you can get it from foods. Below are some natural foods sources that can consume to take in these vitamins and iron.

Iron: shellfish, liver/organ meats, blackstrap molasses, spinach, legumes, pumpkin seeds, red meats, poultry, legumes, tofu, broccoli, and dark chocolate.

Vitamin D: Fish, egg yolks, liver, shiitake mushrooms, dairy, almond milk, cereal, oatmeal, orange juice, and eggnog.

Vitamin E: Almonds, leafy greens, raw seeds, hazel and pine nuts, avocado, olives, and papaya.

Vitamin C: Chili and yellow peppers, parsley, rose hips, kale, guava, strawberries, citrus fruits, thyme, broccoli, lychees, and papaya.

# Don’t Drink Caffeine

Caffeine, even after the hype has trailed off, can keep you awake. RLS Already affects your sleeping, so drinking caffeine is just adding fuel to the fire. Avoid soda, energy drinks, tea, and coffee.

# Keep Calm

Stress is bad for you in general but stress and RLS don’t go well together at all. When you think about it, most people, when stressed bounce their legs. The bouncing of your leg can trigger your RLS.

Deep and mindful breathing can help you to stay calm. Try 4-7-8. You inhale through the nose for the count of four seconds, hold for seven, and exhale from your mouth for eight. If you do this a few times before you go to bed each night and a few times when you first wake up, it can help your stress hormones to stay down during the day. If you start to feel stressed, try a couple 4-7-8’s.

# Keep Yourself Busy

Distracting yourself from the pain or from knowing that you have RLS can do some good as well. It could do you good to get into a new a book series, get an addictive game or two on your phone, get in touch with some friends, or to get some puzzle books, find a new tv show, or take up a new craft.