Between hot weather and busy days, up to 60 percent of us report waking up with a start from leg and foot cramps. Fortunately, trying any of these nifty tricks blocks nighttime leg cramps so you can sleep soundly.
Open the jar of pickles.
Then measure out two “shots” (about 3 to 4 ounces) of pickle juice and drink it before going to bed. Findings from the University of North Dakota suggest that drinking the sour mix prevents nighttime cramps by calming overactive neurons in the brain that trigger muscle contractions.
Just out of pickles? Add a splash of lemon or lime juice and a pinch of sea salt to a half cup of water and drink. The electrolyte mix is packed with minerals, including calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium, which research suggests helps regulate fluid balance in muscle cells to block spasms.
Do a step stretch.
The next time you head to bed, try this: Pause on the bottom step, dangle your heels over the edge for 30 seconds, then rise up on your toes for two seconds. Repeat these movements four times and you’ll reduce nighttime leg cramps by as much as 59 percent, suggest researchers reporting in the Physiotherapy Journal.
This simple “heel hanging” trick fully extends your muscles without overstretching them (which can actually increase your chances of leg cramps). The reward: the muscles will be perfectly prepared for a deep and restful sleep.
Take this ‘sleeping pill’.
One of the best ways to sleep soundly is to take a B-complex vitamin before bed, suggests research in The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Why? It’s harder for your body to absorb cramp-blocking B vitamins from food after age 50. A supplement makes up for a shortage of the nutrient, which carries oxygen and muscle-soothing nutrients to tissues, blocking sleep-disrupting leg cramps for up to 86 percent of people.
This article originally appeared in our print magazine, women’s world.
