The single biggest thing that has helped me is magnesium tablets taken at bedtime.
Ideally magnesium citrate.
Avoid magnesium oxide, it's poorly absorbed by the body and more likely to cause diarrhoea.
Magnesium deficiency = can cause restless legs. Plus magnesium tablets are a muscle relaxant and have a mild anti anxiety effect.
Other things that have helped:
fixing my iron deficiency anemia - low iron is one of the most common causes of restless legs
reducing sugar - especially after 4pm
reducing caffeine - especially after 4pm
ditching my top sheet - my sleep set up is now mattress mattress protector fitted sheet me doona
switching my heavy doona/quilt for a lighter doona/quilt
if my restless legs are bad sometimes a hot shower helps
if my restless legs are bad sometimes paracetamol/acetaminophen helps
anything that puts pressure or constriction on my ankles or legs can make my restless legs worse eg bed socks with elastic cuffs; track suit pants or pjamas with tight cuffs. For me my restless legs are less-bad if I sleep completely naked apart from a doona/quilt.
Your mileage may vary - I have heard of other people who find unusually constricting clothes like medical support stockings/medical pressure stockings help them.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2021-07-16 12:54 pm (UTC)Ideally magnesium citrate.
Avoid magnesium oxide, it's poorly absorbed by the body and more likely to cause diarrhoea.
Magnesium deficiency = can cause restless legs. Plus magnesium tablets are a muscle relaxant and have a mild anti anxiety effect.
Other things that have helped:
fixing my iron deficiency anemia - low iron is one of the most common causes of restless legs
reducing sugar - especially after 4pm
reducing caffeine - especially after 4pm
ditching my top sheet - my sleep set up is now
mattress
mattress protector
fitted sheet
me
doona
switching my heavy doona/quilt for a lighter doona/quilt
if my restless legs are bad sometimes a hot shower helps
if my restless legs are bad sometimes paracetamol/acetaminophen helps
anything that puts pressure or constriction on my ankles or legs can make my restless legs worse eg bed socks with elastic cuffs; track suit pants or pjamas with tight cuffs. For me my restless legs are less-bad if I sleep completely naked apart from a doona/quilt.
Your mileage may vary - I have heard of other people who find unusually constricting clothes like medical support stockings/medical pressure stockings help them.