Post Contents [hide]
How many nights have you spent carefully trying to stretch your leg just enough to relieve the cramp that's holding you in agony? Or pacing around the house trying to find relief, robbing yourself of much-needed sleep?
There's nothing worse than muscle cramps, especially in the middle of the night.
They're painful and unpleasant, and they lead to a lack of quality sleep, which in turn worsens your quality of life.
Staying hydrated, lowering your stress levels, and getting enough sleep are simple ways to reduce muscle cramps and spasms. But there is one thing that can get rid of them once and for all.
The reason most people experience leg cramps is that they're suffering from a nutritional deficiency. In the following lines we'll tell you a bit more about this and give you a quick and easy way to deal with the problem. But first…
What are muscle cramps?
According to healthline.com:
“Muscle cramps are sudden, involuntary contractions that occur in various muscles. These contractions are often painful and can affect different muscle groups. Commonly affected muscles include those of the calf, and the front and back of the thigh”.
It's also noted that you may experience spasms in the abdomen, shoulders, legs, and arms, and that sometimes a “bulging lump of muscle tissue” can be felt as a spasm.
If you have regular cramps and spasms, it's best to consult your doctor, as this may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
What causes muscle cramps and spasms?
The stretching guru from StretchCoach gives the following answer: “There are a number of factors that contribute to muscle cramps and spasms, the main ones being:
• poor flexibility and tight muscles
• muscle fatigue and overexertion
• dehydration
• electrolyte and mineral depletion.
There are a number of other factors, including working and exercising in high heat and humidity, insufficient blood supply, injury and muscle fever, and excessive use of alcohol, drugs, and medications”.
Who is most at risk of muscle cramps and spasms?
- Office workers. Sitting at a desk all day can put excessive strain on your muscles, since you're hunched over your computer and not moving or stretching enough. To reduce the effect of sitting all day, take regular breaks and move around, go for short walks, and stretch. There are exercises you can do at your desk while at work to take care of your muscles and prevent spasms.
- Busy people. You may have deadlines to meet, people to see, and places to visit, but you need to remember to take care of yourself too. Too often people get caught up in their daily schedules and forget to drink enough fluids or take time to eat properly. Not finding time to exercise can also be a problem.
- Pregnant women. Many pregnant women regularly experience cramps in the lower limbs during the second and third trimester of pregnancy. No one is entirely sure why, but theories suggest it may be due to pressure on the nerves, reduced blood circulation, fatigue, or a combination of all three. Remember to rest often, put your feet up, and make sure you're well hydrated. Pregnancy speeds up the loss of fluids and electrolytes, so make sure your electrolytes are balanced. It's important to avoid sugary energy drinks with artificial colorings.
- Athletes and fitness enthusiasts. If you work outdoors or take part in sports and strenuous physical activity, it's important to know your body well. Know your limits and don't push yourself too hard. Prepare for your goals, or pain may show up and slow you down, or worse – put a stop to your progress altogether. Make sure you're hydrated and giving your body the fuel it needs to perform at its best.
- Factory workers. Repetitive movements and a lack of proper stretching can cause muscle fatigue. Long hours and different shifts can mean you're not getting enough sleep. Workshops are often hot, which can lead to dehydration and nutritional deficiency. It's important to stay hydrated and replenish the electrolytes and minerals lost through sweating.
Preventing and treating muscle cramps and spasms
Immediate relief is straightforward (stretching, massage, walking). What matters, though, is what you do in the long run. You need to pay more attention to your physical condition and the presence of water and minerals in your body. Make sure that:
- You exercise regularly and enough. Consult a specialist about what's best for you;
- You drink enough water every day. A minimum of 1.5 liters a day is essential if you want to get rid of nighttime pain and cramps.
- You „feed” your body the electrolytes and minerals that are vital to it.
Why are electrolytes and minerals so important for the body?
“Muscle tissue relies in part on a set of minerals, electrolytes, and other chemicals to contract and relax. Some of these important substances include calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Inadequate nutrition, dehydration, vomiting, and diarrhea are just some of the factors thought to disrupt the body's mineral and electrolyte balance and make muscles more prone to spasms”. The Better Health Channel
Sweating, menstruation, and pregnancy can also play a role in how quickly your body uses up the nutrients it needs, and muscle cramps can be a warning sign that your body's reserves are low.
The priceless mineral!
It's always important to make sure your body is getting enough magnesium.
Why? Magnesium is needed by almost every cell, and it's responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in your body. It really performs an incredible number of tasks.
Enette Larson-Meyer from HumanKinetics writes that “In addition to its role in bone health, magnesium plays an important part in stabilizing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a source of energy for muscle contraction, and serves as an electrolyte in body fluids. Muscle weakness, muscle twitching, and muscle cramps are common symptoms of magnesium deficiency”.
Given its importance, magnesium deficiency occurs alarmingly often. Over 80% of the population is magnesium deficient, and most don't even realize it, which makes magnesium deficiency an extremely likely cause of muscle cramps and spasms in people.
That's good news, because magnesium deficiency can easily be treated at home.
You can get magnesium through your diet if you're diligent about buying and eating foods that are high in this valuable mineral. Dark leafy greens, seeds, fish, and dark chocolate are all sources of magnesium you can include in your diet. But, as with most vitamins and minerals, food isn't always enough as the sole source of these substances – once they pass through our digestive system, there usually isn't enough left for the daily requirement. That's why you need some help to ensure you get the magnesium dose you need each day.
How to put an end to magnesium deficiency?
The best ally in the fight against magnesium deficiency: dietary supplements. Find a bioavailable magnesium supplement to quickly restore your magnesium levels.
When it comes to magnesium, look for quality. Epsom salt contains magnesium and is easy to sprinkle into your bath, but it's not the most effective option available to you, because your body can't absorb much of it. Other topical products, often called “magnesium oils”, can leave you with an itchy, oily feeling.
RealFood Liposomal Magnesium was created with careful thought and extensive research, using one of the most bioavailable forms of the mineral – magnesium gluconate. By taking your daily dose of magnesium, you'll get up to 20 times better absorption compared to ordinary supplements, because it's liposomal. The liposomal coating protects the active substance until it reaches, after passing through the stomach, every cell that needs it.
Many ordinary magnesium supplements never even make it into the bloodstream, because the substance is broken down in the stomach by gastric juices. That's exactly why we made sure to offer the most concentrated and high-quality form of magnesium, which will improve muscle condition, protect against cramps, and support normal nervous system function.
