Leg Cramps while Sleeping

Have you ever experienced that searing pain in your calf muscle while you are at the peak of a good night's sleep? Well, if you have, I need not tell you what it is, but for those who have not experienced it, let me tell you that it is called a leg cramp. These are very common while sleeping and as such, many of us do not pay a lot of attention to it. Unless of course you get a truckload of them. Then the situation renders serious corrective measures.

Leg Cramps

Nocturnal leg cramps are involuntary contractions which happen in the calf muscles, soles. They are extremely painful and last from a few seconds to minutes. There is a distinct soreness in the muscles even after the cramp is gone. Older people experience more of these although experienced by individuals of all age groups, too. These fall in the overall category of muscle cramps which include smooth muscle cramps, skeletal muscle cramps, menstrual cramps and a few others.

Causes
One of the theories for explaining leg cramps is that a muscle gets the stimulation to contract when it is already in a shortened position. The position in which we sleep - knees slightly bent and feet pointing slightly downwards, is supposedly conducive to this problem. The other causes may be consumption of diuretic drugs, overexertion of muscles and loss of balance of salts in the bloodstream, like low or high sodium or potassium levels. Some other causes include later stages of pregnancy, untreated hypothyroidism, excess alcohol, cirrhosis of the liver; lead poisoning, sarcoidosis, nerve disorder and peripheral vascular disease.

Treatment
Whenever you get an inkling, that you are getting a leg cramp, immediately stand up and put pressure on the affected leg. That will make the contraction go away. Long term solution is massaging and stretching.

Stretching Exercises: Indulging in regular stretching exercises is a good option to prevent this problem. Focus on exercising the calf muscle while doing the stretching exercises. Try this out for a month or so, you would most probably see the difference.

Sleeping Posture: A change in your sleep posture can also prevent this problem. Keep a pillow under your calf, if you are lying on your back. Letting the feet hangover the edge of the bed is another way to relax that muscle and avoid cramps at night.

Fluids: Inadequate amount of fluids in the body, that is dehydration, could be a cause of cramps. So make sure you drink lots of water and juices.

Quinine: Quinine is the last resort, if none of the previous solutions for preventing leg cramps. One tablet at bedtime is the normal dose and that is an effective remedy to reduce the number of cramps and severity. However, contractions may not altogether stop with quinine. It is also advised that you should not take quinine tablets if you are going to be pregnant or are pregnant.

Most of the time; athletes, pregnant women, people with sedentary lifestyles are prone to cramps. They either overexert, or do not exert their muscles at all.

Pay attention if you are getting frequent cramps. Stretch your calf muscles and sleep well!