What Causes Leg Cramps at Night?

Leg cramps at night are an involuntary muscle contraction you can feel for a few seconds, or at times minutes.

They tend to be generally painful and can impact your daily routine by having a negative impact on your exercise and sleep cycle. The most common home remedies people try include gently massaging the said area, flexing the muscles, and using heat or ice massages.

Leg cramps can be caused by certain drugs or conditions that might not be under your control. These are not exactly conditions that require immediate medical attention, but leg cramps can certainly depreciate the quality of your life.

In this article, we will discuss the causes of leg cramps at night along with the measures you can take to avoid them.

---

Causes of Leg Cramps at Night

There are quite a few causes that can lead to leg cramps and are often not identified. However, they're quite likely based on nerve problems and muscle fatigue.

Highly likely causes of leg cramps, which are also called nocturnal leg cramps, at night include poor seating posture, overusing muscles, sitting for a prolonged period, and spending time on concrete floors. Pregnant women and people with older age groups are more likely to suffer from this problem.

Some of the other common causes of leg cramps include:

• People on medications such as diuretics, statins, clonazepham, pregabalin, and more. These medications have leg cramps as a side effect.
• Restless leg syndrome can often be confused with leg cramps, but they're are different. In restless leg syndrome, you need to consult a medical professional.
• People with diabetic nerve damage and kidney failure are also prone to leg cramps at night. Generally, in these cases, they're aware of the situation.
• A few other conditions such as muscle fatigue, dehydration, diarrhea, and Parkinson's disease can also result in leg cramps.

---

What Can You Do to Stop Leg Cramps at Night?

Here are a few tips and techniques you can adopt to avoid leg cramps at night:

Stretching your legs – You can follow an effective stretching routine for your legs to loosen up your hamstrings and calves, which might reduce the frequency of leg cramps during night.

Exercise – You can take out a few minutes during your daily routine to exercise your lower body, such as riding a stationery bike in the gym. That will strengthen the muscles, which will help in avoiding the cramps.

Proper footwear – It's important to select supportive footwear, especially if you're involved in any sport and tend to have flat feet. Poor choice of footwear might cause further problems for the legs.

Proper sleeping position – Avoid sleeping in positions that might lead to leg cramps, such as when your feet are angled downward. You should try to sleep on your back, with your head and knees tucked well on the pillow.

---

Bottom Line

Leg cramps at night can be seriously painful, leading to a poor sleep cycle and bad mood the next day. However, you can follow some measures to help avoid the problem.

These measures are mostly based on taking care of your body through exercise and stretching, which will help in strengthening the muscles. If the problem still persists, it's recommended to consult a medical professional to avoid any serious problems.