If you experience leg cramps at night, disrupted sleep and the resulting exhaustion can have a serious impact on your daily life. You need relief. What is the root cause of nighttime foot cramps? Here’s what you need to know and do.
What causes leg cramps at night?
A variety of underlying issues can cause nighttime foot cramps, so it takes mindfulness to figure out the exact cause. Influencing factors may include:
- lack of activity Sitting for too long, especially if you’re sitting in a position that can cause circulation and nerve problems.
- hyperactive Stress on the feet, such as walking on hard warehouse floors.
- Shoes don’t fit Makes walking on hard surfaces more difficult.
- Excessive drinking and dehydration – While dehydration alone can cause nighttime foot cramps, adding alcohol can cause alcoholic neuropathy and worsen cramps.
- nutritional deficienciesincluding various B vitamins, magnesium or potassium.
- Pregnant — Researchers are still not sure why pregnancy increases the risk of foot cramps, but extra weight on your feet may contribute to the condition.
- health issues and medications – For example, structural and metabolic problems such as spinal stenosis or diabetes can play a role. The same goes for nerve damage and various diseases. Additionally, blood pressure medications, statins, diuretics, and birth control pills may worsen spasticity.
Are nighttime foot cramps dangerous?
Fortunately, nighttime foot cramps are usually more of an annoyance than a serious health risk. However, lack of sleep can make you more prone to accidents and affect your mood and state of mind, so it’s important to find relief.
Do nighttime foot cramps indicate a more serious underlying condition?
Yes. Since foot cramps can be caused or worsened by a variety of conditions, including diabetes, it’s important to talk to your doctor. Go to your appointment prepared to answer questions about your lifestyle habits, when the cramping started, and how severe it is affecting your daily life.
When to see a doctor for nighttime foot cramps
If you’ve never experienced nighttime foot cramps and they appear suddenly, you should contact your doctor to evaluate a possible underlying cause. Likewise, you should call if your symptoms worsen or begin to interfere with your ability to work.
Take a moment to examine your feet. Sometimes, nighttime foot cramps can be caused by a related condition that is easily treated, such as onychomycosis. Your doctor may perform a simple procedure using a drill and bur to relieve the problem, leaving you free to feel dizzy.
7 Holistic Ways to Treat Nighttime Foot Cramps
Fortunately, holistic treatments are often enough to resolve nighttime foot cramps. Here are seven tips for better rest:
1.Drink more water
Failure to consume enough water can cause a variety of adverse health consequences. Dehydration at just 1.6% can increase anxiety and fatigue. It may also make you more susceptible to foot cramps at night.
Carry a reusable bottle and use a phone alarm or app to remind you to drink water regularly. Keep a glass of water next to your bed – Some people swear by drinking lemon water at night for a boost of vitamin C.
2. Reduce alcohol consumption
Alcohol dehydrates you and can cause nerve damage, leading to cramps. Recent research shows that no dose is truly safe, so cut back or quit smoking and follow guidelines of no more than one to two drinks of these drinks per day.
3. Stretch before bed
Stretching your feet before bed may increase blood flow to the area and help prevent cramps. Fortunately, these actions are easy to perform.
Pull your foot up toward your shin, stretching the Achilles tendon located behind your heel. You can also stand on the stairs, grabbing the railing for support and placing your heels slightly below the level of the bottom riser.
Stretch your toes by spreading them wide and placing your fingers between them. After a long day of foot work, the legs-up yoga pose feels great. Simply extend your feet toward the ceiling, support them on a wall or headboard if necessary, and rotate, point, and flex your feet. Doing so can also prevent varicose veins by promoting blood flow back to the heart.
4. Invest in new shoes
Going to a store and getting measured is the best way to buy shoes. They should fit comfortably without rubbing or pinching. Look for soft, supportive soles that can absorb some of the impact of standing on hard surfaces. This is especially important if you work in a warehouse or other facility with concrete floors where adding compression stockings to the ensemble can prevent blood pooling.
5. Get the right amount of activity
You don’t have to sign up for a marathon or even join a gym. Most experts agree that just over 20 minutes of exercise a day is enough to provide positive health benefits, including reducing nighttime foot cramps. You can go for a walk, play basketball with the kids or watch free sports on YouTube.
6. Improve your diet
Improving your diet can address underlying nutritional deficiencies that may worsen foot cramps at night. Eat foods rich in B vitamins, such as dark green leafy vegetables, whole grains (unprocessed), nuts, legumes and lean meats. Look for foods rich in magnesium and potassium, such as bananas. Many green leafy vegetables and other plant foods, such as whole grains and nuts, also provide large amounts of these nutrients.
7. Consider supplementation, especially during pregnancy
All expectant mothers can benefit from a folic acid-only prenatal vitamin. Talk to your doctor about finding the right products to help relieve nighttime foot cramps.
Preventing and Treating Nighttime Foot Cramps
Severe foot cramps at night can leave you feeling tired and miserable the next day. Finding the answer may require medical intervention, but the problem can often be solved through holistic treatment. Control what you can control and talk to your provider if necessary to get the relief you deserve.
