Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Restless Leg Syndrome
This is a helpful hint from Marsha Williams. Recently over coffee Marsha and I started talking about our common problem of leg cramps. She offered a rather interesting remedy for getting sleep when you experience that "restless leg syndrome". She said to put a bar of Soap under the covers at the foot of your bed and the symptoms go away. I think I made some sort of glib comment, but she assured me that it worked.

On a trip to San Francisco last week I found myself trying to go to sleep in an unfamiliar hotel bed while experiencing leg cramps. I could not get comfortable. I remembered my conversation with Marsha and on a whim went into the bathroom and got one of the bars of soap. I took the wrapper off and placed it between the sheets at the foot of my bed. To my surprise the cramps went away in a few minutes and I slept like a baby.

I offer no explanations other than on this occasion the treatment worked for me in a situation where all other resources were not available. It could be psychosomatic but for whatever reason, it solved the problem this time.

I put this idea out there as an informal research project. If you have a similar reason to try this treatment, please leave a comment as to the effectiveness of the cure. As with all experiments on this blog it is meant as an intellectual exercise, please no wagering.
As you were,
Jay

3 comments:

Linda said...

I must submit this for research to the National Institute of Health, then perhaps write a book.

Of course the FDA will want to get involved..

Ah - forget it!

Dave Robison said...

I googled "Bar Of Soap" and "Restless Leg Syndrome" and revealed hundreds of anecdotal evidence that it works...no explanation or scientific proof, but all accounts say it's true.

I'm suggesting it to my wife.

Roomie said...

R,
Mandy thinks that the purpose of the soap is not so much for "sitting" at the foot end of the mattress unless it has magical powers that draw "restless legs " toward it and stretch them out, thus preventing cramps.....but to take at soft cotton twin or cloth and wrap it around your ankles very loosely, giving your legs space to move throughout the night and the other end to the soap and hang the soap off the foot end of the mattress, thus providing a "stretching effect" for the restless legs.....sound good?
Carry on,
Pup and Bear