Natural remedies can ease both sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, without pills or machines. Magnesium, iron, and CBD cream help calm the body, reduce leg twitching, and support easier breathing so you can sleep deeper, wake clearer, and finally feel rested again.
If you’re living with both sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, I don’t need to tell you how exhausting that can be, physically and emotionally.
Read on and let’s make sleep something you look forward to again.
What Is Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a condition where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, usually because your airway gets blocked. Most people don’t even realize it’s happening. You might not fully wake up, but your brain does, over and over again, all night long. That’s why even after 7 or 8 hours in bed, you wake up feeling drained.
The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where the muscles in your throat relax too much, narrowing or closing your airway. It’s often marked by snoring, gasping, or choking sounds during sleep. If you’ve ever been told you sound like you’re fighting for air at night, this might be why.
Common causes and risk factors include:
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Being overweight or having a thick neck
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Sleeping on your back
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Nasal congestion or sinus issues
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Aging
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Enlarged tonsils or a recessed jaw
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Alcohol or sedative use before bed
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Smoking or poor muscle tone in the airway
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Family history of sleep apnea
What Is Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)?
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, usually in the evening or at night when you’re trying to rest. The sensation can feel like tingling, itching, pulling, or an internal buzzing that won’t stop unless you move.
It becomes impossible to fall asleep until the legs settle down. The symptoms get worse at night and improve with movement, which means as your body is trying to relax, your nervous system is doing the opposite.
Common causes and risk factors for RLS include:
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Iron deficiency or low ferritin levels
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Magnesium, potassium, or vitamin B12 deficiency
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Nerve damage or peripheral neuropathy
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Pregnancy (especially in the third trimester)
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Diabetes or kidney disease
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Use of certain medications (like antihistamines, antidepressants, or antipsychotics)
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Caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine consumption in the evening
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Genetics (RLS often runs in families)
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Chronic sleep deprivation or irregular sleep patterns
Are Sleep Apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome Related?
Yes, they’re related, but not in the way most people think. Sleep apnea doesn’t cause restless leg syndrome, and RLS doesn’t cause sleep apnea. But they do often show up together, and that overlap can wreck your sleep.
They share many of the same root issues, like low iron, nerve dysfunction, poor oxygen circulation, and even excess weight. Both conditions disrupt the brain’s ability to fully relax at night. So while they don’t directly trigger each other, they tend to gang up on your sleep in the same window of time, right when you’re trying to fall asleep or stay in deep rest.
What they have in common:
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Obesity or excess weight, which impacts both breathing and circulation
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Iron deficiency, especially low ferritin levels
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Diabetes, high blood pressure, or aging
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Neurological issues, like Parkinson’s or peripheral nerve dysfunction
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Sleep fragmentation, as they both wake you up without you even knowing it
How RLS and Apnea Sabotage Your Sleep
Both sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome hijack your sleep, but they do it in completely different ways. Let’s break down how each condition works against your body’s natural ability to rest.
#1. Sleep Apnea Disrupts Sleep by Cutting Off Oxygen
Sleep apnea prevents deep sleep by interrupting your breathing, dozens or even hundreds of times a night.
Here’s what happens:
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The soft tissues in your throat collapse as you relax, blocking your airway.
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Your brain senses the drop in oxygen and triggers a mini wake-up call to restart breathing.
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These constant arousals pull you out of REM and deep sleep, even if you don’t remember waking up.
The result is that you may spend 7–8 hours in bed but feel like you barely slept. Your brain never gets the full recharge it needs.
#2. RLS Sabotages Sleep by Triggering a Constant Urge to Move
Restless leg syndrome disrupts sleep in a sneakier, but equally frustrating, way. It strikes when your body is trying to wind down.
Here’s what it does:
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It creates a tingling, crawling, or throbbing sensation in the legs that builds the longer you stay still.
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The only relief is movement, which keeps you from falling asleep.
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Even when you do sleep, your legs may jerk or twitch repeatedly, waking you up or keeping your brain on high alert.
Many people don’t realize their legs are moving 20–30 times an hour until a sleep study shows it. And that’s enough to sabotage deep sleep.
#3. Together, They Hijack Every Phase of Sleep
When sleep apnea and RLS show up together, they hit from both ends of the night:
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RLS makes it hard to fall asleep.
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Apnea makes it hard to stay asleep.
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Your nervous system stays stuck in fight-or-flight mode, never fully entering rest-and-repair.
Even worse, leg discomfort can cause people to unknowingly remove their CPAP masks during the night, breaking their apnea treatment without realizing it. That’s one reason some people use the machine, but still feel awful in the morning.
Natural Remedies for Sleep Apnea and RLS
There are natural ways to ease both sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, especially when you focus on calming the nervous system, supporting your muscles, and creating better conditions for deep sleep.
While not every remedy targets both conditions directly, some make a meaningful impact by improving your overall ability to rest.
#1. Magnesium & Potassium
Magnesium is one of the most effective tools for reducing nighttime muscle twitching and calming the nervous system. Most used are forms like magnesium glycinate or slow-release MagSRT. They are easier on digestion and more effective for nighttime use.
Potassium supports muscle and nerve balance, and together, these two minerals are often a turning point for people battling RLS symptoms.
✅ Tip: Take magnesium in the evening, ideally alongside your wind-down ritual. Many find their legs stop buzzing when they’re consistent with it.
#2. Iron Supplements
Iron deficiency is one of the most overlooked causes of RLS. If your ferritin levels are under 50 ng/mL, there’s a good chance iron could help. Some people feel better with supplements, while others need iron infusions. Either way, don’t guess, get your levels tested first. Iron won’t fix apnea, but it can dramatically reduce leg sensations that keep you awake.
#3. Topical CBD
Let’s be clear. CBD doesn’t treat sleep apnea directly, and any brand claiming that should be looked at sideways.
However, CBD can be a powerful tool for calming restless legs, easing nighttime tension, and helping you relax into sleep.
That’s why we created SleepCreme. You apply it to your calves, feet, or pulse points. It absorbs quickly and helps reduce the leg agitation that so often sabotages your sleep.
#4. Breathwork and Relaxation
Breathing techniques like box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, or guided wind-down meditations don’t cure apnea but help your body shift into the parasympathetic state.
Sleep Hygiene & Routines to Reset Your Nights
When dealing with both sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, no supplement or cream alone is going to cut it. You’ve got to build the right environment around your sleep.
#1. Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule
I know life gets hectic, but this one’s non-negotiable. Go to bed and wake up at the same time. Your brain and nervous system thrive on rhythm.
#2. Create a 30-Minute Wind-Down Ritual
You wouldn’t expect your computer to shut down instantly. Your body’s no different. Give yourself at least 30 minutes before bed to shift gears. Here’s what that might look like:
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Turn off bright lights and screens
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Stretch gently or use a foam roller
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Rub in topical CBD like SleepCreme to calm restless legs
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Sip herbal tea (chamomile, lemon balm, or passionflower work great)
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Breathe slowly.
#3. Cut Out the Things That Sabotage Sleep
Even small things can keep your system wired at night. This may include caffeine, alcohol, scrolling your phone in bed, and large meals.
Also, make your bedroom work for you by keeping it cool, using a blackout curtain or a sleep mask.
Lifestyle Shifts That Can Improve Both Conditions
You don’t need to overhaul your entire life to start sleeping better, but a few intentional lifestyle changes can help you get proper sleep. These shifts support better breathing, calmer nerves, and overall balance, which makes them powerful tools against both sleep apnea and restless legs.
#1. Lose Excess Weight (Even a Little Helps)
I say this with full respect. If you are carrying extra weight, even a 5–10% drop can dramatically reduce apnea events. Fat around the neck and abdomen puts pressure on your airway, especially when lying down.
Weight loss also improves circulation and inflammation, both major players in RLS.
#2. Eat to Reduce Inflammation and Balance Nutrients
What you eat during the day shows up in how you sleep at night. Diets high in sugar, processed foods, and alcohol can make both RLS and apnea symptoms worse by spiking inflammation and disrupting nervous system function.
Try this instead:
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Load up on leafy greens, lentils, and lean proteins (for iron and magnesium)
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Add bananas, avocado, and nuts (for potassium and B6)
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Cut back on caffeine, especially after 2 p.m.
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Keep alcohol to a minimum, or eliminate it altogether at night
#3. Move More During the Day
Exercise boosts circulation, reduces inflammation, and improves oxygen flow. The sweet spot is gentle cardio or strength training during the morning or early evening. Intense workouts right before bed can actually spike nervous energy and backfire.
#4. Get Natural Light in the Morning
Your circadian rhythm controls your sleep-wake cycle. If it’s off, so is your sleep. Getting 10–20 minutes of natural light in the morning (especially within the first hour of waking) helps regulate melatonin, balance cortisol, and improve energy during the day.
You Can Sleep Better, Even With Both Conditions
Your body wants to sleep. It’s not fighting you. It’s fighting through signals that it doesn’t know how to resolve yet.
So, you don’t have to push through exhaustion forever, and you don’t need to medicate every symptom into silence either.
Ready for a Better Night? Try SleepCreme
If your legs won’t settle down, your body is tired but your nerves won’t quit, you are doing everything right and still waking up exhausted, you’re exactly who we made SleepCreme for.
It’s a simple, clean blend of CBD isolate, aloe, avocado oil, and lavender, designed to calm restless legs, ease tension, and support deeper rest without sedatives or side effects.
🛒 Try SleepCreme tonight → Click here to shop
