Do you know that approximately 60% of Adults report nocturnal foot or calf cramps?
What does a foot or calf cramp feel like?
A sudden tightening of your muscle almost like a knot in your calf or the underside of your foot where you feel a nerve pinched or you can’t move your toes, especially the big toe. This sensation can last from anywhere between a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the intensity. Once it subsides, you may feel soreness in the muscle for a while. While it is known to be no cause for great alarm, you are awoken from your deep slumber as they usually occur at night. Once it subsides you usually fall back again into a deep sleep. In a few cases you could have a repeated episode.
Here is a list of what may cause the cramp and the action you need to spring into for its instant relief and future prevention:
What may be the cause: INACTIVITY
Do you sit with the wrong posture, especially your spine?
Do you sit for long periods of time?
Are you generally an inactive person?
If you have responded YES to the above, know that being inactive makes your muscles stiff and slackens blood flow to the lower body. This causes cramps, especially at night as we tend to stretch our body while asleep, sending muscles into a cramp as blood circulation is slow and even in the sleep position.
The prevention or treatment:
- Try examining your sleep position to see if it might be contributing to nighttime cramping.
- Sleeping with your feet pointing downwards may contribute to poor circulation.
- Try sleeping on your back or side with a pillow underneath your knees.
- If you are inactive throughout the day, become aware and consciously take a few steps every hour.
What may be the cause: MUSCLE OVEREXERTION
Do you know that muscle fibers in your feet continually contract and expand to allow movement?
So jumping out of your seat and rushing for a walk may fatigue your calf and foot muscles and later result in night cramping, due to overexertion of muscles.
The prevention or treatment:
Get up slowly from your seat, stretch your legs fully and then begin to walk, gradually increasing your speed. Do not over do the exercising bit, fatigue depletes your body of oxygen and allows waste products to build up. This build up can cause cramping and night spasms.
What may be the cause: IMPROPER FOOTWEAR
Your feet hold your entire body’s weight, so be kind to them, invest in proper fitted footwear so your landing is soft and you are protected from hard surfaces, which can impair blood circulation, damage nerves, all resulting in spasms and cramps.
The prevention or treatment
Always invest in proper footwear. Do extensive homework. Own a pair of shoes for your walks, a pair of slippers to walk in when at home and a couple of shoes for your outings. Ladies- Make sure the heels are platform or wedges; stilettoes are for the bubbling youth. Or if you must – wear them for a minimum amount of time. Men- you too, get comfortable shoes where you can wiggle your toes, breathing fabric for socks and shoes will help.
What may be the cause: DEHYDRATION
How many glasses of water –yes water a day are you drinking? How much is enough, though the norm is 6-8 glasses a day, listen to your body, you may need more than the norm. If you are dehydrated you will feel parched and suffer night cramping. At times after an illness, a bout of diarrhea or an activity in the sun may need extra water intake.
The prevention or treatment: Be aware of your body’s needs and adjust your water intake. Tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol are not hydrating for the body and they do not count in the daily water intake.
If your exercise routine makes you sweat excessively, you could dehydrate quickly, draining your body of fluids, salts, minerals. Replace them.
If you have had an excessive night of alcohol intake you will definitely be dehydrated. Your nerves will also be affected; symptoms include muscle cramping, weakness, numbness and tingling in your arms and legs. Up your water intake and supplement intake.
NOTE: if your urine is clear throughout the day, it is a sign of good hydration.
What may be the cause: HEALTH ISSUES
Health issues lead us to take medication, medication always has a side effect (don’t fool yourself about this one) It will take charge of the health issue, but deplete minerals and vitamins from the body too.
Medical conditions associated with cramping and spasms are- spinal stenosis, peripheral arterial disease, kidney disease, anemia, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, type – 1/2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and Parkinson’s disease.
If you are on medication for any of these like- blood pressure medication, statins, and diuretics or on dialysis, you could be prone to cramping.
The prevention or treatment:
Daily stretching of your posterior muscle groups, you can do these in bed as you retire for the day and as you wake up before getting out of bed. This stretching will keep the muscles supple and reduce or totally rid the cramping. A blood test will tell you if you are lacking any mineral or vitamin, especially potassium and magnesium.
Note: that taking too many supplements may actually cause more harm than good, so see a doctor and get tested before adding supplements to your diet.
In a nutshell—
- A weekly deep tissue massage will help circulation. Daily applying of essential oils to your feet such as- geranium, chamomile, coriander, and ylang-ylang oils, they have anti-spasmodic properties.
- Someone once told me to bang my foot on the ground 7 times and the cramp will subside- it works.
- Pressing down on your big toe and flexing your foot gently with taking deep breaths helps.
- Walking around jiggling your legs every one-hour of the day, will keep your circulation going.
- If you are on your feet all day, remember to get shoes with a firm heel counter for better support.
- Water intake 2-4 liters a day.
- Eat all food groups, a well-balanced diet, supplement minerals and vitamins; we need them as we grow older.
- SELF-CARE the greatest of all, if you don’t have a happy heart, you cannot pass on happiness to others. Your body and soul need peace, rest, joy- make these a priority. Change your lifestyle to make YOU feel loved and cared by YOU.
