How to prevent calf cramps during sleep?

Cramps are medically called muscle spasms, which are a type of spontaneous tonic contraction of muscles. Under normal circumstances, human muscles may occasionally experience this condition. If it continues for a long time, you need to go to the hospital for a check-up. So, what exactly causes calf cramps during sleep?

reason

Calf cramps that occur at night are associated with:

(1) Fatigue: Fatigue caused by excessive exercise or excessive exertion in the legs during the day. Muscle tension at night has not been improved, and excessive metabolites cannot be metabolized in time. Its stimulation can cause calf cramps.

(2) Cold: When sleeping at night, cold feet and legs can cause leg muscle cramps.

(3) Hypocalcemia: When hypocalcemia occurs in the body, the excitation threshold of the neuromuscular junction is lowered, and the neuromuscular junction can be excited at a stimulation intensity lower than normal, which can easily cause abnormal contraction and cause calf cramps. This condition is more common in pregnant women and the elderly who are calcium deficient.

(4) Blood flow factors: For patients with varicose veins or deep venous thrombosis in the legs, if they maintain a certain posture for a long time while sleeping, the leg veins will be compressed and blood flow will be blocked, causing blood stasis. When blood stasis reaches a certain level, it will cause leg muscle spasms.

Prevention Tips:

1. Wear comfortable shoes:

Flat feet and other anatomy problems make some people more susceptible to leg cramps. Proper footwear is one way to compensate.

2. Loosen the bedding:

Many people like to keep the quilt tightly when sleeping. But especially when lying on your back, the quilt may press your feet, which can tighten the gastrocnemius and plantar muscles. Tight muscles are prone to spasms. Just loosen the bedding a little.

3. Stretch your muscles:

Stretching the calf and foot muscles before bed can help prevent cramps in the first place. Use the same stretching techniques you would use if you had a leg cramp. You can also place the front of your foot on the first step of a staircase and slowly push your heel down so that it is below the level of the step.

4. Drink plenty of water:

If you are active (including walking, gardening, housework), you need to drink fluids to avoid dehydration, but don't drink too much. Large amounts of fluid can dilute the sodium concentration in your blood, which can cause a variety of problems, including muscle cramps. How much water you should drink depends on how active you are and what you eat. Because thirst stimuli become weaker as we age, we may forget to drink enough water as we age. Some people also worry that drinking too much water will cause them to go to the bathroom more often, especially at night.