If you have restless leg syndrome, you know it is no joke. The name may sound funny, but the tingly, burning, agitated feeling in your legs that makes you want to just move around is no laughing matter.
There are drugs that can be prescribed to help you cope with those feelings, but not everyone wants to start a drug regime, particularly if they can manage the symptoms without. Thankfully, there are alternative treatments for restless leg syndrome – natural cures!
What Non-Drug Relief Is There For Restless Legs?
There are many things that a person can do for their restless legs. The first thing is to consider their iron intake. Some studies show that often restless leg syndrome is related to a low iron level in the body. Folic acid (folate) is another nutrient that can be too low in a person with restless leg syndrome. Sometimes vitamin B12 is low. Taking a vitamin supplement can help with those levels.
Take a good look at your nutrition. It should be balanced and healthy. The vitamin supplement can be a part, but you should have a nutritious diet by itself, as well.
Eliminate alcohol and caffeine. If totally eliminating them is too hard, at least cut back significantly. If you can go without for a few weeks, you will be able to tell if it had an effect on your restless leg syndrome, a natural cure can be eliminating them.
Look at your typical activities. Can you pinpoint which ones aggravate your condition? Changing these habits can be a very natural cure for restless leg syndrome. For example, if sitting in front of the TV makes it worse, it may be time to watch less TV, or get up and down during commercials.
Add in exercise and other physical helps. Walking, stretching, massage, acupressure, relaxation, yoga…all are natural cures for restless leg syndrome. Getting more of any of these can be a real boon to your health.
Do what you can to adapt to better sleeping habits. Having restless leg syndrome can make it harder to get a good night’s sleep, but if you have good sleeping habits that can be minimalized. Have a regular routine – when you go to bed, when you get up, etc.
When you do have to just sit, try methods to distract yourself from your legs. Talk with others around you, or do some handwork like needlepoint or knitting to take the focus off your legs and their condition. Video games can also help distract those who enjoy playing them. If you really can’t stay put and really can’t get up, try rolling your feet in a circle by rotating your ankles. It can be a natural cure for those achy restless legs.