Joints5 min
Night-time leg cramps: stretch, warm oil and a look at your diet
A sudden, painful knot in the calf that jolts you awake is a muscle cramp. Stretching the calf, massaging with warm oil, staying hydrated and eating mineral-rich foods like bananas, curd and leafy greens can make them rarer.
The Ayurvedic view
Night cramps are common with age, pregnancy, dehydration, long standing, unaccustomed exercise and some medicines. Ayurveda describes cramps (khalli) as vata contracting the muscles — typically worse with cold, dryness, fatigue and irregular meals — and recommends warmth, oil and nourishment.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon warm sesame oil
- A glass of water by the bed
- Mineral-rich foods through the day: banana, coconut water, curd, milk, leafy greens, nuts and seeds
How to prepare
- Keep a small bottle of sesame oil and a glass of water near the bed.
How to use
- During a cramp: straighten the leg and pull the toes gently towards you, or stand and press the heel down. Hold until the muscle relaxes.
- Then massage the calf with warm oil in upward strokes.
- Every night, stretch the calves for 30 seconds each side before bed, and massage the legs with oil a few times a week.
Helpful habits
- Drink enough water through the day, especially in summer and after exercise.
- Keep legs warm in winter; loosen tight bedsheets that point the toes downward.
Precautions
- Don't start calcium, magnesium or potassium supplements without checking with your doctor, especially with kidney or heart disease.
- Some medicines (like diuretics and statins) can cause cramps — mention frequent cramps to your doctor.
- Seek care for cramps with swelling, redness or warmth in the calf (possible clot), leg weakness, or cramps that are frequent and severe.
