Addition to causing you searing pain, leg muscle
cramps can wake you up in the middle of the night and disturb your sleep.
Research has found that these spasms tend to increase during the summer season.
Most of the time, this is caused by dehydration and the loss of electrolytes,
which can cause spasms. Toxins from smoking and heavy alcohol consumption can
also affect the balance of electrolytes in your body and increase the
likelihood of cramping.
Natural Remedies You Can Try at Home.
Drink water or Gatorade before bed. Heavy exercise and
low fluid intake can cause dehydration. Doctors recommend drinking water or
electrolyte filled drinks like Gatorade before retiring to sleep. Water
naturally relieves cramps and hydrates the muscles, while the mineral filled
drinks ensure your electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium, are
not depleted.
Place a bar of soap in bed. This strange old wives’ tale is
surprisingly effective and medical authorities even endorse it. Place a bar of
soap between the mattress and bottom sheet. Experts speculate that it might be
effective due to the emissions from the soap, or the gentle pressure that it
puts on the muscle when you randomly toss and turn during the night.
Stretching exercises. You don’t need to do a whole workout
before bed, but 3 minutes of stretching can prevent mid-sleep leg cramp
disturbances. You can try a standing calf stretch. Place one leg in front of
the other and bend the knee while extending the back leg. You should feel a
relieving pull in the muscle. If you are prone to cramping in the upper leg,
try a hamstring stretch. Put your feet together and do a standing forward bend
at the hips. Hold this pose for 20 seconds.
Potassium and magnesium. When your body has a mineral
deficiency, it makes it difficult for the heart to push enough blood down to
your legs. Magnesium regulates the muscle and nerve functions, blood pressure
and blood sugar levels; while potassium has a similar function but also plays a
part in water regulation. Combined together, these two minerals can encourage
effective prevention against cramping and certain foods are rich in one or the
other. Bananas are an easy and healthy source of potassium while magnesium can
be found in nuts, lentils, and quinoa. It should be noted that if you have
kidney problems, extra magnesium can exacerbate the condition.
No comments:
Post a Comment