Do you also feel cramps in legs while sleeping? As cramps in legs while sleeping are very common. It generally happens when the body is inactive and dehydrated. Usually, it causes awakenings from sleep and majorly it happens in women’s when the women’s body is dehydrated while periods. It can happen anytime. The pain of the cramps is worse and is very painful.
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What are Leg Cramps?
Leg cramps are a common problem which affects the feet, calves, and thigh muscles. It includes sudden, painful involuntary contractions of a leg muscle. They frequently happen while a person is sleeping or resting. Cramps can be gone in a few seconds, but the average duration is 9 minutes. They can leave tenderness in the muscle for up to 24 hours after.
In most of the cases, the reason for leg cramps is never found, and they are considered harmless. Sometimes, however, they may be linked to an underlying disorder, such as diabetes or peripheral artery disease.
Why Cramps in Legs Happen at Night?
Nocturnal leg cramps are pains which occur in the legs during the night. It usually causes awakenings from sleep, but they may also occur while awake at night during periods of inactivity. These cramps mostly happen in the calf muscles but can also occur in the thighs or feet.
Nocturnal leg cramps are utterly painful and cause the affected muscles to feel tight or knotted. There might also be muscle soreness after the cramp goes away.
How do you Get Rid of Leg Cramps at Night?
Though cramps in legs at night can be intensely painful, they aren’t typically serious. Most people who experience them don’t need medical treatment.
1. Treating leg and calf cramps
2. Massage your leg. Rubbing the affected muscle may help it relax
3. Stretch. If the cramp is in your calf, straighten your leg
4. Walk on your heels
5. Apply heat
6. Drink pickle juice
7. Take an over-the-counter painkiller if your leg is sore after
What are the Causes of Cramps in Legs While Sleeping?
Other conditions that may cause cramps are:
- Addison’s disease
- Flatfeet
- Gastric bypass surgery
- Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid
- Hypokalemia
- Hemodialysis
- Lead poisoning
- Muscle fatigue
- Vascular disease and venous insufficiency
- Motor neuron problems
- Oral birth control
- Peripheral artery disease (PAD)
- Pregnancy, especially in the later stages
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Who Gets Cramps in Legs While Sleeping?
Although anyone can get these leg cramps, the number of people who get them increases with age. Marginally more women than men experience these leg cramps. Oldish people are more likely to experience leg cramps. Muscle loss starts from the mid-40s and increases if the person is not active. This increases the risk of cramps. They are more common during pregnancy.
Age Affects by Cramps:
1. 50 to 60 percent of adults
2. 7 percent of children and teens
3. 40 percent of pregnant women
4. Some 20 percent of patients who experience nocturnal leg cramps on a daily basis seek medical attention.
Can leg Cramps be a Sign of Heart Problems?
A person who is having leg cramps, not being able to walk as much or having pain in the legs at rest must be tested for poor circulation or Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). Clogged arteries in the leg are commonly related to the clogged arteries in the heart.
How to Prevent Leg Cramps?
There are a few points which help to prevent cramps in legs while sleeping:
1. Stretch during the day and before bed. Focus on your calf and foot muscles.
2. Drink plenty of water.
3. Move around during the day to exercise your feet and legs.
Conclusion
As we have discussed in the above blog, Cramps in legs while sleeping and why it happens at night only, age factor, and how to prevent it. The best way to control this is to try to do exercises and stretching it would help and more importantly to have a lot of water. If your cramps get worse then consult to the orthopedic as earlier as you can.
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