Calf cramps are a common condition that many people face nowadays. Cramps can be caused by muscle tension or are a warning sign of a health problem. So what to do with calf cramps when sleeping? Let's discover the correct answer with Ru9 in the article below!
1. What is the cause of calf cramps while sleeping?
Having frequent sleep cramps makes you feel uncomfortable, even severe pain, seriously affecting sleep. So why get calf cramps while sleeping?
- Due to dehydration: According to Dr. Mark D.Peterson - Researcher of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan Medical School, USA, the typical cause of calf cramps is the body's dehydration. This is also the reason why cramps are common in people who exercise or exercise a lot. When the body lacks water, the nerves will be affected and become more sensitive. At this time, intense contractions will come to you unexpectedly. The result is the calf cramps you are experiencing.
- Staying in the same position for too long: If you stand or sit in one position for too long, the muscles in your body will be stretched. When you suddenly change positions, they will suddenly contract, which in turn causes sharp cramps.
- Compressed nerves: Herniated discs, arthritis or stenosis of the lumbar vertebrae,... are typical causes of pinched nerves. This makes the muscle bundles in the calves, hands, buttocks, thighs become extremely sensitive and prone to cramps.
- Calcium deficiency: According to medical experts, pregnant women have calf cramps when sleeping, which is mainly caused by calcium deficiency. This symptom usually occurs in the calves, with a nocturnal onset during the second and third trimesters.
- Blood circulation disorders: Cramps in the calves while sleeping can be caused by impaired blood circulation. When your body does not have enough blood to the feet, arms and other parts, you will have to face uncomfortable cramps in the calves and arms.
- Side effects of western drugs: Some western drugs such as blood pressure lowering drugs, diuretics,... have the ability to dissolve salt and cause dehydration inside the body. Therefore, if you are taking these drugs, you will be at a higher risk of experiencing calf cramps while sleeping.
- Arthritis: Arthritis can affect the surrounding tissues, causing swelling, inflammation, and nerve damage. If there is no early remedy, the phenomenon of muscle contraction leading to cramps will constantly find you, adversely affecting the quality of life and daily activities.
- Coronary artery disease: If you haven't had any trauma but still have frequent calf cramps while sleeping, this could be a warning sign of coronary artery disease. According to experts, when the cholesterol level in the body is high or the vessel walls are narrowed, it can cause blood clots, which obstruct blood circulation, thereby leading to cramps.
Having leg cramps while sleeping can be caused by dehydration or blood circulation disorders.
2. What to do with calf cramps when sleeping?
Having calf cramps when sleeping is a common concern of many people. Depending on the severity of this symptom, you can choose the most suitable method, including:
Home remedy: If the calf cramps you are experiencing during sleep occur with a sparse, gentle frequency, you can refer to some of the following ways:
- Stretch: First, use your hands or ask a loved one to gently stretch the cramped muscle. In case of calf cramps, try to straighten your legs, while keeping your feet up, toes pointing towards your face.
- Massage: Proper massage is also an effective and simple way to cure calf cramps at home. You just need to use enough finger force to directly and evenly apply to the muscle cramps. This method not only helps you relax muscles but also helps to release stagnant blood circulation, thereby helping blood circulate better.
- Heat effect: Warm compress is also considered a simple solution to help relax muscles that are in spasm, High heat will help relieve pain and support blood circulation in the body more easily. Prepare a warm water bottle or place a warm compress on the cramping area for 15-20 minutes until the pain improves.
Medication use:
According to medical experts, western medicine will help patients quickly relieve pain caused by cramps effectively. However, in the process of using, western medicine often has many potential dangers to health. Therefore, you must absolutely follow the instructions of the treating doctor, do not arbitrarily use or increase or decrease the dose of western medicine.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen help patients relieve the pain of cramps, thereby helping them feel more comfortable and comfortable.
- In addition, in some cases, the doctor may prescribe more medication to treat sleep cramps such as gabipentin, diltiazem, verapamil, ...
In addition to the above methods, to help sleep better and limit uncomfortable cramps, you should choose a quality mattress for yourself. High-quality mattress with excellent body support will help your bone and joint system become more flexible, blood circulation also takes place smoothly, thereby helping you to control pain, joint stiffness, mice. effective withdrawal. The quality mattress lines that you can refer to today include Original Ru9 mattress, Nest Ru9 mattress, ...
You should stretch your muscles or massage gently to relieve pain when cramping.
3. How to prevent cramps while sleeping?
You can completely prevent cramps while sleeping with the following simple methods:
- Exercise: Regularly perform gentle exercises such as walking, cycling,... These exercises will help keep bones flexible and effectively prevent cramps.
- Drink plenty of water: As we've learned, dehydration is a typical cause of calf cramps while sleeping. Therefore, please drink enough water for the body to reduce the symptoms of cramps at night.
- Adequate nutrition: You need to pay attention to increase your body's natural calcium and potassium levels by eating lots of bananas, drinking orange juice or milk. In addition, you can consult a medical professional to choose the right vitamin and mineral supplement.
- Building a scientific diet: Maintaining a scientific diet will not only help you improve your health, strengthen your resistance, but also help improve and prevent cramps effectively.
Supplementing with adequate nutrients helps prevent calf cramps.
Calf cramps during sleep are not uncommon or serious. However, if cramps are persistent and frequent, your quality of life and functioning will be affected. Ru9 hopes, through the above article, you have better understand the causes and remedies of calf cramps while sleeping, thereby finding the most suitable and effective solution soon. Wishing you a lot of health!
