Is There Anything Worse Than Waking Up in the Middle of the Night With a Leg Cramp?
You have to get out of bed to walk it off, and it's nearly impossible to fall back asleep afterward!
What Is Causing These Late Night Muscle Cramps?
Typically, our first thought is that there's an issue with your hydration status. If your body is losing fluid and electrolytes and they are not getting properly replaced, they become imbalanced. When your fluid and electrolytes aren't properly balanced, this can cause your nerve and muscle function to go haywire (aka muscle spasm or cramp).
To best prevent these muscle cramps, start early! Try to start your day with 8 to 16 oz of water even before your coffee or breakfast. The goal for the rest of the day is to drink about half your body weight in ounces of water. Try not to overhydrate with just plain water, but mix in electrolytes (especially before and after exercise.) Our favorite brand of electrolytes is LMNT. They are super simple, just sodium, magnesium and potassium with nothing else.
What Else Can I Try if the Electrolytes Don't Seem to Help My Leg Cramps?
Once in a while my patients will tell me: "I drink a ton of water and electrolytes during the day and I'm still getting muscle cramps in the middle of the night."
This is what I suggest they try next:
Rolling your feet and calves out with a lacrosse ball, or using a magnesium foam on your calves and feet before bed.
If you have been exercising a lot, we love using these Normatec Compression Boots right before bed. This is a great way to relax and prevent cramping.
When Do I Seek Medical Attention?
There are many other reasons that muscle cramps may happen including iron deficiency, magnesium deficiency, low thyroid function, peripheral arterial disease, medications, overtraining or nerve related issues.
You should seek medical attention if you have symptoms associated with your cramps such as erratic sweating, generalized muscle weakness, fatigue, heart palpitations, swelling tenderness or red/ discolored skin.
Cape Concierge Physical Therapy offers appointments across two office locations (Sandwich and Plymouth), home visits from Chatham to Duxbury, and telemedicine from anywhere. All visits are by appointment only. Reach out today to schedule a free discovery call.