Reference; https://mbp-japan.com/jijico/articles/32455/
Modified and translated by CFJA
What Should You Do If You Experience Leg Cramps During the Night?
The following information comes from Japan, but it should also be useful as a reference in Canada.
When a leg cramp occurs, the calf muscles are in a state of spasm. Medically, this is referred to as a muscle cramp (painful muscle spasm). It is a sudden, painful contraction of a muscle. Muscle cramps are commonly seen in otherwise healthy middle-aged and older adults and often occur during exercise, after exercise, or at night❶. Commonly known as a “leg cramp,” many people are likely familiar with this condition. If leg cramps occur frequently, there may be a serious underlying condition, so consultation with a medical specialist is recommended.
❶ MSD Manual Professional Edition – Muscle Cramps
A leg cramp occurs because there is insufficient blood volume within the gastrocnemius muscle (the main calf muscle), causing the muscle to spasm in an attempt to draw in more blood. When the leg cramps (spasms), the intense pain often wakes the person from sleep. Simply enduring the pain rarely causes the spasm to subside on its own.
In such cases, bend the ankle to a right angle, pull the toes toward you with your hand, and gently stretch the calf while keeping the knee extended for a short period. This usually helps the spasm resolve. If you go back to sleep without doing anything after the cramp subsides, pain in the affected area often remains until the next morning. In most cases, discomfort persists until the evening, and for some people, it may last two to three days.
To prevent this, it is effective to apply a warm, slightly hot steamed towel to the area after the spasm has eased. Within a few minutes (until the towel no longer feels warm), the pain usually subsides. Once the pain has eased, wipe off any moisture with a dry towel. Since this happens in the middle of the night, you may feel too sleepy to do this, but the difference between treating it and not treating it is dramatic, so I strongly encourage you to try it.
For people who experience leg cramps at night, decreased kidney function may be a contributing factor. Insufficient body fluids may also be involved, so adequate hydration is important❷. In addition, if you feel you are not getting enough physical activity, try to do about five minutes of exercise every day.
❷ “Hidden Dehydration in Winter,” Nara Prefectural Newsletter, February 2024
Because the kidneys are organs that are particularly vulnerable to cold, it is important to review the following lifestyle habits:
- Are you wearing clothing that is too light?
- Is the room temperature too low?
- Are you walking barefoot indoors?
- Are you consuming too many cold foods or drinks?
- Are you lying directly on a heated carpet or floor heating system?
- Are you sleeping with an electric heating pad placed directly under your bedding?
- Are you sleeping in a north-facing room?
- Are you spending most of your time in areas with little sunlight?
- Are you constantly applying disposable heat packs (or warm compresses) to your body?
Reviewing and improving these daily habits is strongly recommended.