I dearly miss being able to sleep through the night. Besides night sweats and early waking, I’ve recently been dealing with a new symptom: restless leg syndrome. At night, my legs sometimes have an awful tingling, aching feeling that forces me to move and stretch them. I’ve read online that RLS is about twice as likely to affect women (yay!) and most times occurs in midlife — as if we didn’t have enough to deal with. So, I’m hoping this wonderful community of ladies has found something that has worked to reduce their RLS, so that I can focus on my other symptoms, LOL!– Isabella, Palm Springs
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Robin6 years ago
Hello Isabella, I personally found that vitamin d works great for RLS, I too experience that as well and I have established that it helps a lot. I take it in gummy form because I tend to get upset stomach with tablets. For help with sleep, I take this delicious magnesium powder made by Moon juice and I have been sleeping great. Or, Natures made makes this gummy called Good sleep and it works great too. I’ve been in Menopause for about a year and I feel your pain. It will get better though.
Jenny6 years ago
I second the recommendation for magnesium - I take a powder every night before bed that has helped me: Natural Vitality Calm.
RGW5 years ago
Yes, magnesium and Vit D helps. I am a super AA supplement taker. Ascorbic Acid. It has helped everything!! Also with sleep, I take Melatonin. Generally 3 mg is enough.
Beth6 years ago
I have restless legs and take magnesium bisglycinate before bed! Works!!
Jackie5 years ago
Me too. Magnesium bisglycinate works and is gentler on the tummy.
Beth6 years ago
Yes! This is also a common symptom in people with fibromyalgia, which I have. Diet and exercise definitely play a huge part. Reducing grains and dairy definitely helps! And I try to walk at least 45 minutes every day. Definitely helps!
RGW5 years ago
And reducing sugar, which is in most processed foods. Argh!!
Alison6 years ago
Hi Isabella. I have RLS too from Menopause but thankfully only in my right leg (so far!). I’ve found that wearing a stretchy foot sock helps. For some reason the ones I have which are imbued with copper are the best. Good luck you’re not alone ?
Liana6 years ago
Hi there your post is me to a tee. I dread going to bed now as the restless legs keep me up for hours. I cannot sit through a movie without standing up in the back. I am 53 and peri for sure. It’s been 4 months since my last period. I’m on Effexir for years for emotional times and taking vitamin b6 with magnesium glycinate as well as iron supplement as ferritin is low 40. And evening primrose oil. The legs are by far the worst symptom so welcome any advice. Anything I’m taking prone to cause restless legs? Low iron? Effexir? So happy to see this issue raised!
KarenK5 years ago
I haven’t taken any vitamins etc for this yet but I bought a vibration plate and have found the massage setting and resting my calves on the plate really helps. I’m working from home still and spend 8-11 hours at a desk each day which doesn’t help but using the plate for 15 mins in the evening has so far worked.
Mandy5 years ago
You can get a magnesium and zinc spray and it’s fantastic, I just sprayed it on my legs an hour before bed.... I now take a magnesium and zinc supplement and 4000iu of vitamin D
Kate5 years ago
I use a cool pad under my legs this helps a lot. For sleep I love lavender and cedar wood essential oil.
Anna5 years ago
Shame you have RLS. Dr Stasha Gominak is a sleep specialist in America. Pretty sure she talks about Vit B supplements causing RLS. Don’t quote me, please check but I believe it is the Pantothetic Acid volume/quantity. I’ve noted myself having RLS when the level I take is only 6mg - in the mix of a Vit B supplements. Your gut health and hormone level of Vit D and complex Vit B’s determines sleep - I definitely recommend you look up her work. You’ll probably need to try to read her workbook. Also She has interviews recorded on you tube. Best Wishes.
Jen5 years ago
I’ve suffered from RLS for years, though fortunately, it doesn’t usually wake me up. To soothe my legs, I use a few drops of Roman chamomile essential oil mixed with a carrier oil and massage it into my legs. Also, the yoga pose legs up the wall is a huge help. Hope you get some relief!
Jean from Derby5 years ago
Thank you so much for all of these comments. I too have RLS, it started about 3 years ago. I still have hot flushes and night sweats but not as many. Not sure how long the menopause is supposed to last, but I’m 69 and the menopause began when I was about 47!!!
Kali5 years ago
Oh no .... You are still having symptoms?
Lisa - Virginia5 years ago
Oh, dear Lord, please relieve Jean from her menopause side effects. She has suffered for so long now. Amen.
Dawn5 years ago
Thank you for posting this, Isabella! I've been meaning to post the same but couldn't figure out how to start a new discussion! Thanks to everyone for the tips.
Team Caria5 years ago
Hi Dawn, to start a new discussion you can click the "Suggest a new topic" button on any discussion topic and send us your suggestion. Or you can email us directly on topics@hellocaria.com Hope that helps! - Team Caria
JanieS5 years ago
Definitely magnesium for the legs. If you don’t want to take powders or tablets you can buy magnesium ‘butter’ that you rub on to the skin and it’s absorbed that way.
Jacqueline5 years ago
Ditto re magnesium. I’ve found that it works wonders to reduce aches and pains in my joints and restless legs. I use the Garden of Life powder that you mix up like a drink. I have 1 or 1.5 tsp when I feel it coming on or when my joints are particularly painful and it seems to work.
Alex law5 years ago
I have suffered with rls for years, but then I do have ms, but my dr gives me a pill called baclofen, worth asking maybe, it really helps my legs.
Sophie5 years ago
This might seem a bit left field but I found that covering my feet or calves, or which ever parts are troublesome, in Vicks Vapour rub. The menthol sensation acts as a great distraction from the jumpy legs. Anything menthol will probably work. Also, I had RLS for a while and eventually it just went. Remember, this too shall pass?
Hayley UK5 years ago
I have rls for a lot of years and it has been particularly bad since perimenopause. Another quick fix which works for me is tonic water containing quinine- it acts as a relaxant(my grandfather used to take quinine tablets for cramp). I also have cbd hemp tea which helps and as a last resort I take Paracetamol and/or ibuprofen which definitely helps. Sometimes when it’s particularly bad I end up using all of the above! I spend most of my evenings standing and rocking, which is annoying but preferable to the aching and fidgeting when trying to relax. I hope everyone finds relief soon x
Dolly5 years ago
I’m not sure if I have rls because I’m in peri or even if I have rls at all. When I’m tired my legs feel uncomfortable. I want to move them almost constantly. The urge is impossible to ignore or override. I need to flex and stretch them too, the point that the day after my front thigh muscles feel a bit wobbly and achy. This is where I seem to differ from standard symptoms. I fall asleep and it falls asleep with me. I don’t suffer every evening, just when I’m feeling tired. I try and take magnesium regularly as it seems to help with heart palpitations. I can’t say whether the magnesium helps with avoiding rls as forget to try and remember to see if there’s a link.
Amy5 years ago
I’ve had restless legs for years and finally found a great remedy. It’s a liquid magnesium-electrolyte liquid called Lytebalance. You can order it. I add it to water, drink, lay down and can literally feel my legs calm and relax. I go to sleep shortly after. It’s especially good if it’s been a hot day or I’ve exercised strenuously.
JC5 years ago
So happy I found this thread! Very new to the App but finding so much useful info already. RLS has been driving me mad for a year or so (mid forties and reckon I’m entering peri menopause), mine got a lot better when I started taking iron supplements but am definitely going to look into getting magnesium too. Thank you everyone for all the helpful suggestions!
Vicky5 years ago
Seriously RLS is the worst symptom I’ve had yet. I have it most months around the week of my period. I toss and turn, stretch and this goes in for a over and hour. Couple this with night sweats. Blah! I take Magnesium but some nights even that does not help. I have however noticed alcohol (even just 1) and caffeine make it worse so I’ve made a few cut backs in that department. Elevating your legs at night is supposed to help so I might give that a go if it happens again tonight.
Caroline5 years ago
I haven’t had exactly the same, but for the past month I have had pins and needles mainly feet and occasionally in ring and little fingers. Plus had a numb thumb for a while. This is lessening lately. But randomly still happens. Haven’t noticed it before hot flushes though. At the moment I have pains in top leg muscle which can get tired/ crampy or twitchy. Cramp can be in calf muscles too. Wondering if it’s because of oestrogen declining. I’m 53, using my 4th mirena coil, current one put in 3 years ago. I wonder if this is restless leg. It’s mainly my right upper leg though, but have had cramp at different times in each calf muscle and my right buttock.
Lisa5 years ago
Magnesium I found has helped with the muscular tightness in legs
Patty2 years ago
I have started noticing a weak wobbly feeling in my legs and I think I am noticing a pattern of it being worse around my monthly irregular cycles and possibly having a drink or two. It’s maddening! To not trust your own legs and wonder what’s happening. It really makes my anxiety peak. It also feels like what I think is restless legs but will wake up sometimes with weak thighs/calves and sometimes bicep muscles in my arms and wonder if it’s hormonally triggered as it also seems worse around my irregular cycles. Sigh.
Tina2 years ago
I found out restless legs is also a symptom of sleep apnea. I had to go on a CPAP at night and that solved it for me. Mostly. I had no idea this can also be hormonal! I am learning all kinds of new things here!