Drinking enough water, stretching before bed, supplementing magnesium, potassium… contribute to preventing cramps and providing deep and comfortable sleep.
Cramps (night cramps) often occur in the calves, thighs or feet, lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes. Although not dangerous, this condition can disrupt sleep and affect daily activities.
The cause is mainly due to dehydration, muscle tension or lack of minerals such as magnesium and potassium, sometimes also due to medications or some underlying diseases. The following measures will help you prevent sudden pain and improve sleep quality.
Drink enough water
Adding water helps muscles stretch flexibly and limit nighttime spasms. Drink water regularly throughout the day, especially when exercising a lot or in hot weather. Avoid drinking alcohol before bed because alcohol causes dehydration, interferes with the absorption of vitamins and minerals, and increases lactic acid, causing muscle cramps.
Illustration of a person having night cramps. Photo created by AI
Stretch before bed
Do some light stretching to relax and improve blood circulation. Stand facing the wall, place your hands on the wall, step one foot back, keep your heel touching the ground and slightly bend your front knee. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then switch sides, maintaining it every night to help your muscles soften and sleep deeper.
Stretch when you have cramps
When muscle pain appears, sit up and gently pull your toes toward your head until the muscle relaxes. In addition, you can also stand up, put light weight on the contracted leg or step one leg forward to quickly relieve pain.
Apply warm compresses
Use a warm towel, ice pack or hot water bottle to apply to the area of muscle contraction to increase blood circulation and relieve pain. If you constantly have cramps, you should take a warm bath before going to bed to relax your body and sleep easily.
Muscle massage
Gently massaging the contracted muscle area helps support blood circulation and reduce stiffness. You can use warm oil or lotion to make the operation easier. Regularly massaging your feet, even when there are no cramps, helps keep your muscles flexible and healthy and reduces the risk of recurrence.
Add magnesium to your diet
According to research in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), magnesium supplementation helps improve cramps in adults. Before using supplements, you should consult your doctor. Potassium can be supplemented through the daily diet. Prioritize foods rich in magnesium such as green vegetables, almonds, pumpkin seeds, beans and whole grains to keep your muscles healthy.
Eat foods rich in potassium
Potassium not only helps balance electrolytes and maintain muscle activity, but is also good for the heart and nerves, limiting the risk of cramps. You should add bananas, oranges, avocados, spinach and potatoes to your meals to prevent this condition.
Use comfortable bedding
Bedding directly affects muscle relaxation during sleep. Sheets that are too tight or blankets that are too heavy can restrict movement, causing muscles to easily tense. Choose a soft, airy one and avoid folding the edge of the sheet too tightly to keep your feet comfortable all night.
Light movements or walking
When you have cramps, walk slowly around the room or gently shake your legs to relax your muscles and promote blood circulation. After pain, maintaining movement for a few minutes will prevent muscle contraction and recover faster.
Avoid sitting or standing for too long
Holding one position for long periods of time reduces blood circulation and causes cramps. If you have to sit for a long time, change your position often, stand up, stretch or walk around every hour. With a lot of standing work, changing your center of gravity or sitting and resting alternately helps relax your muscles and maintain muscle flexibility.
Leg cramps at night can easily cause pain and insomnia, but just a small change in living habits can significantly improve them. Drinking enough water, stretching regularly and eating enough magnesium and potassium will help prevent it effectively. If cramps occur continuously, consult a doctor to find out the cause and get timely treatment.