Tea Relief and Restless Legs Syndrome

I don’t know about you, but drinking tea relaxes me. Mind you, tea doesn’t do anything for the invisible, annoying twitches in my legs caused by restless legs. But tea does play an important role in my RLS life.

Tea is what calms me and distracts me when nothing else seems to take the edge off the frustration of restless legs.

My favorite teas

Over the years, I have come to rely on a few favorites that I keep stocked in the pantry at all times. Here are my favorite teas, in no particular order:

• Ahmed English Breakfast or Ceylon teas
• Steven Smith Lord Bergamot No. 55
• Taylors of Harrogate Earl Grey
• Harney & Sons African Autumn
• Freshpak or Laager rooibos tea
• Celestial Seasons Lemon Zinger
• McCormick Hibiscus tea
• Luzianne de-caffinated tea

There are more brands that cycle in and out, but these are my pantry staples.

Tea times that work for me, or not

Thanks to my tea habit, I have also learned when caffeine is okay for me and when it is a sure way to trigger a poor night’s sleep.

Black teas with their higher caffeine levels are fine for me any time before 2 p.m. After that, I am likely to have a harder time getting to sleep and staying asleep without accidentally kicking the cat and my husband.

For winter afternoons I switch to plain hot water or hot rooibos or fruit teas that are naturally caffeine-free.

In summer, it is much too hot outside to drink hot tea. That is when I switch to ice water with mint, cucumber, or orange slices, or de-caf iced tea with mint. Lemon Zinger is my favorite summertime iced tea followed by Luzianne de-caf with mint.

Regardless of the season, a steamy cup of (caffeine-free) tea helps me wind down in the evening. Even if my legs are bothering me, sitting and relaxing over a cup of tea helps me focus on something other than my jerky legs.

More relaxation, less stress from RLS

It may be all in my head but I swear the knots in my shoulders relax and the RLS seems less stressful. Sometimes the sensations in my legs go away or get better, and sometimes not. I’ve never found a consistent pattern there.

Many people in our community say that banana tea does the same thing for their restless legs syndrome but I’ve never tried it. Does tea fit into your RLS self-care routine too?

Interested in reading more about lifestyle changes for symptom relief? Explore our featured collection on lifestyle changes and alternative treatments for RLS.

Do you drink tea to help with relaxation? What are your favorites? Do you drink tea at a particular time of day? Share with us in the comments below.