Sanyinjiao (SP6): The Leg Tai Yin Spleen Meridian—the point is located on the inner side of the leg, three inches above the ankle and posterior to the medial crest of the tibia.
Soaking in a warm bath and massaging the legs can relax the muscles. Apply warm or cool packs. Use of heat or cold, or alternating use of the two, may lessen the limb sensations. Establish good sleep hygiene.
But you can also sleep on your side; just add a pillow between your legs from the knees to the thighs for extra support and improved circulation. You can also try elevating your legs to a 45-degree angle to better increase blood flow to your legs and make sleeping more comfortable.
A heating pad may soothe away symptoms of restless legs. Take it easy! Moderate workouts can relieve RLS symptoms, but excessive exercise may cause them to spike. Sleep a little better tonight by avoiding nicotine and caffeine close to bedtime.
Conclusion. Taking magnesium and vitamin B6 supplements can reduce the severity of symptoms of RLS/WED patients and improve their sleep quality.
Certain medications may aggravate your RLS symptoms, such as some anti-nausea drugs, antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants that increase serotonin, and cold and allergy medications that contain older antihistamines.
If nerve cells become damaged, the amount of dopamine in the brain is reduced, which causes muscle spasms and involuntary movements. Dopamine levels naturally fall towards the end of the day, which may explain why the symptoms of restless legs syndrome are often worse in the evening and during the night.
Studies suggest that vitamins C, D, and E may help people experiencing restless legs syndrome (RLS).
Restless legs syndrome (RLS), known as a kind of neurological disease, is prevalent but easy to be ignored. Studies have demonstrated that massage therapy can effectively reduce the symptoms of patients with RLS and improve their quality of life.
A skilled massage therapist can feel the presence of this accumulation in body tissues and return it to a more normal density, thereby releasing the affected nerve endings and restoring circulation, function and mobility, relieving pain and, in the case of RLS, the ability to relax and rest peacefully.
If you have RLS, you should also see a doctor if you are: Losing sleep often. Feeling depressed or anxious. Having trouble concentrating.
Anxiety can cause agitation and leg restlessness that resemble RLS. Depression and RLS symptoms also overlap. Certain types of antidepressant drugs, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, can increase periodic limb movements during sleep.
Estrogens. There is a complex relationship between estrogens, dopamine, and movement disorders in RLS [32]. Estrogen acts as a dopamine antagonist in schizophrenia [33] and this has been hypothesized as its role in RLS, but it may be changes in level rather than the absolute level that influence RLS expression [32].
Although there's no cure for restless legs syndrome, medications and lifestyle changes can help minimize symptoms and increase restful sleep. Cutting back on caffeine, alcohol and tobacco may help. Taking a hot bath, massaging the legs or using a heating pad or ice pack can also relieve symptoms.
Since the symptoms of the syndrome appear or worsen in resting and immobility times, these symptoms may improve by moving. Therefore, moderate exercise can be helpful (2). Exercises like walking, massaging, stretching, swimming, and stationary cycle can help relieve symptoms (12).
These include coffee, tea, energy drinks, and chocolate. Fattening or excessively sugary foods and beverages such as soda and processed foods should also be avoided. There is some evidence that suggests people who are overweight have an increased risk of RLS, as well as various other health conditions.
No natural or over-the-counter (OTC) medications consistently improve RLS. OTC sleeping medicines such as Benadryl (an antihistamine) and melatonin may actually worsen symptoms.
Oral supplements
Meanwhile, others find the glycinate form offers the fewest side effects. The recommended daily amount of elemental magnesium in a supplement form is between 200 to 400 mg daily for adults. Taking it at bedtime should benefit sleep.
Compression socks rank high among restless leg syndrome treatments because of how simple they are. You wear them like you would your regular socks. The applied pressure serves to offset the discomfort caused by RLS. However, it's a gentle squeeze that itself shouldn't make you uncomfortable.
These sensations can last for an hour or longer, slowly increasing in severity. While the sensations are most often bilateral, some patients experience them only on one side of the body. The most common time for RLS to occur is at night when the person lies down to sleep.
Many find rubbing Vicks VapoRub to be useful for RLS. Light rubbing with eucalyptus oil may also be effective. Tonic water with quinine, too, seems to help some. For example, an elderly patient found relief after half an hour of taking 8-ounce of Schweppes tonic water!