Restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms include an unpleasant feeling or sensation when going to sleep and a strong urge to move. The movement makes it hard or impossible to get enough sleep. It is rather tricky to diagnose restless leg syndrome correctly since the symptoms are not present all the time. It is nearly impossible to replicate them in a doctor’s clinic because they appear only when a person is resting or sleeping.
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Exercise
It is known that stretches can help you ease the restless legs syndrome and then aid in sleeping better. Following are some stretching exercises that Helpguide.org introduces to you:
- Calf stretch
- Front thigh stretch
- Hip stretch
Meditation
Chronic stress seems to increase the risk of restless leg syndrome as well as worsen the symptoms. That could be because of stress hormones keep the muscles in a constant state of tension. Meditation, deep breathing, and other relaxation techniques can reduce stress and improve restless leg syndrome.
Yoga
One of the natural home remedies for restless leg syndrome I would like to introduce to you is yoga because yoga involves a mixture of practices pertaining to meditation, breathing control and adapting your body to different bodily postures. regular yoga practice can aid in easing restless legs syndrome and then sleep deeper, feel less stressed as well as lower your blood pressure. Following are some yoga poses that can help your restless legs.
- Vipariti Karani: Your Legs Up the Wall
- Uttanasana: Standing Forward Fold
- Paschimottonasana: Seated Forward Fold
Muscle relaxation
Besides stretching exercises, you can do muscle relaxation, which is also another home remedy for your RLS at home. The following steps are as follow:
- Firstly, you take a deep breath
- Then, you tense the muscles in the feet. You hold this tension for several seconds
- Next, you tense the muscles in the calf. You hold this tension for some seconds and relax
- After that, you tense the thigh muscles. You hold this tension for some seconds and relax
- Keep doing with this pattern of the tension and relaxation. You should gradually move to the upper parts of your body including neck and face muscles.
This muscle relaxation procedure will be very helpful.
Leg massages
Massaging your leg muscles could help ease your RLS symptoms. Many health organizations, such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Sleep Foundation, suggest it as an at-home treatment. As an added bonus, massage can aid in relaxation, which could help improve your sleep.
Hot and cold compression
A hot bath before bed can help anyone with insomnia, but for those who have restless leg syndrome, it has the additional benefit of relaxing the muscles and reducing the symptoms. Warm compresses also have a similar effect, but alternating heat and cold compresses are found to be even more helpful in reducing pain and discomfort. Try different methods and choose what works best for you.
Healthy diet
What you eat has a role in how you feel, and that’s true in the case of restless leg syndrome. A diet that provides sufficient amounts of protein, essential fats, vitamins, and minerals may remedy the nutritional deficiencies that cause restless leg syndrome. Include green leafy vegetables, meat, beans, seeds, and fruits that contain quality protein, iron, calcium, magnesium and B-complex vitamins in the diet. Eat more of spinach, chard, pumpkin seeds, almonds, black beans, dark chocolate, avocado, bananas, and figs. Bone broth is excellent too. Flavour the food with unrefined sea salt.
Probiotics
Taking some probiotic foods like live-culture yogurt may help increase the population of beneficial gut bacteria. They help with the absorption of many nutrients from the food, besides fighting off many undesirable microbes. People with celiac disease have an increased risk of restless leg syndrome, so anyone with gluten intolerance or other food allergies should avoid the respective foods.
Vitamin and mineral supplements
One of the main causes of RLS is a deficiency of some vitamins in your body, including vitamin B, iron, magnesium and folic acid. As a result, to cure your RLS, you can supply your body with those essential vitamins. You can take the dietary supplements.
Foods with folic acid
Spinach and Okra
- Peas
- Citrus fruit and juice
Food with magnesium
- Yogurt, Fish and Dark leafy greens are the best source
- Chocolate
- Whole grains
- Dried fruit
Food with iron
- Dried fruits like raisins and apricots
- Seafood, Red meat, Poultry, Fish, Meat
- Dark leafy green vegetables like spinach
- Dairy
Coconut oil
Thanks to its useful fat acids, coconut oil enables to help you to have a sounder sleep during the night by relaxing your nerves and improving your blood circulation. Therefore, coconut becomes one of the great natural home remedies for restless leg syndrome that patients should follow at home.
Sleep hygiene
Having good sleeping habits is advisable for anyone, but perhaps especially for people who have trouble sleeping, such as those with RLS. While sleeping better may not resolve your RLS symptoms, it could help you offset the sleep loss you suffer from your condition. Try the following tips to make your sleep as restful and restorative as possible.
- Go to sleep and wake up at the same times each day.
- Keep your sleep area cool, quiet, and dark.
- Keep distractions, such as the TV and phone, to a minimum in your bedroom.