Muscle cramps when sleeping at night are very common and can be caused by diet, lack of physical exercise, improper footwear, or other disease’s symptom. It is very good to know the causes and to know how to prevent night cramps to avoid this discomfort during sleep.

How to prevent night cramps?

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Involuntary muscle contractures are not only annoying, but they are also painful. At night, while we sleep, a cramp can be so strong that it wakes us up. We have to get up and even give ourselves a massage to relieve it. In some cases, it is even necessary to walk or exercise to relieve the spasm and the pain to pass.

Why do night cramps occur?

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Night cramps can be caused by different causes that affect the muscles, much more when relaxing and resting at night.

Lack of potassium, magnesium, and potassium: Cramps can be caused by a diet that does not provide the ionic salts that the body needs, especially calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

It can also happen that the person suffers from diuresis and eliminates all these components in the urine.

Poor blood circulation: If the blood does not circulate correctly and does not reach the muscles of the legs, it can cause cramps.

The most common causes are sedentary lifestyle and age, although it can also be diabetes.

Dehydration: It is very important to stay properly hydrated, a consequence of dehydration can be cramps at night.

Spinal cord compression

If there is a hernia, protrusion or impingement in the area of ​​the spine that is pressing on the nerves in the legs, this can cause pain and cramps.

Stress: When stress affects the function of the nerves, the muscles of the extremities can become tight.

Thyroid diseases: The thyroid glands do not work properly due to a disease that can cause diuresis and reduce calcium levels.

Obesity: A person who is obese has poor blood circulation, and body weight affects the muscles.

Pregnancy: Pregnant women commonly suffer from magnesium, potassium, and calcium deficiencies, as well as muscle exhaustion that can lead to cramps.

How to avoid cramps when sleeping?

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Changing some habits of daily life can prevent night cramps. If these tips are not enough and the spasms continue to be present during the night, it is best to consult a doctor.

Balanced diet

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Food is very important for health. It is necessary to have a balanced and healthy diet. In the case of cramps, it is recommended to add foods that provide potassium, magnesium, and calcium, such as nuts, legumes, vegetables, and dairy.

Physical exercise

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As the discomfort is in the muscles, one of the tips is to exercise to have a better muscle tone to avoid this tension, promote blood circulation and improve heart rate. Although it is best to consult a doctor which type of exercise is most appropriate for each case, taking into account the physical condition and state of health, the most recommended are swimming and cycling where the legs are exercised a lot.

Do not smoke tobacco

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Tobacco is an enemy of blood circulation and, as we have already seen in the “causes” section, this can cause muscle cramps.

Drink a lot of water

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To avoid dehydration, it is important to drink plenty of water and eat foods that contain water, especially at night.

In addition, it is also necessary to stop alcoholic beverages, much more at dinner or before bed.

Comfortable and suitable shoe

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Heeled shoes can cause cramps, but these are only momentary. The real problem with footwear is when you suffer from knee problems or lumbar impingement where you need a special shoe so that the muscle does not wear out.

 

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