Q. I have been plagued with horrible leg cramps at night for years. I read about putting a bar of soap under the bottom sheet to prevent them and used the same bar for three months.
Suddenly I had cramps again for three nights in a row. I read that Ivory soap works best so I placed a fresh bar at the bottom of the bed and the cramps went away.
A. We can’t explain why soap under the sheet helps some people ward off nighttime leg cramps. We have heard from several other readers that the effect can wear off after a few months. Replacing the bar of soap seems to renew the effect.
So far as we can tell, any type of soap seems to help those who respond to this remedy. We have designed a large flat bar of Bed Soap designed to fit smoothly under the bottom sheet and not get in the way, while still helping to prevent toe, foot or leg cramps. It is scented with lavender, reputed to aid drowsiness.
The People's Perspective on Medicine