If you’re suffering from leg cramps, there is a high chance that your daily habits and lifestyle choices are the root cause. Leg cramps can be incredibly unpleasant, especially when they prevent you from falling asleep at night. With that said, if you get frequent leg cramps, you might want to assess your habits and lifestyle choices. However, leg cramps can also be an indicator that the veins in your legs are developing problems, which is why you might need to see a specialist first.
Let’s explore some of the common habits that cause frequent leg cramps.
Insufficient Hydration
One of the most common factors that contributes to cramps is a lack of hydration. If you don’t drink enough water throughout the day, there is a high chance that you will experience leg cramps during the night. This is particularly true if you work out regularly or if you are an athlete. With that said, we recommend increasing your water intake. If the leg cramps are caused by dehydration, you will start noticing a reduction in your leg cramps along with the severity, to the point that they might go away completely. Start drinking water and aim to consume at least eight cups of water daily.
Insufficient Nutrients
The human body needs all sorts of nutrients to function properly. For instance, if you include magnesium in your daily diet or take supplements, it can cause Leg cramp relief. Before you take any supplements, it’s important to talk to your healthcare advisor so that you know about the specific vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your body lacks.
Nonetheless, the greatest culprit is usually a lack of magnesium and not getting enough potassium. If you don’t have these nutrients in your system, your brain and muscles will struggle to communicate properly with each other, which can cause sudden and uncontrollable muscle spasms.
So, while it’s important to get your supplements right, it is equally important to focus on the diet that you consume and make healthier choices for a healthier body.
Too Much Sitting
A modern workplace requires employers to sit at their desks for extensive hours, which can cause poor circulation and further lead to compromises in the legs, especially the thighs and calves. If you have a desktop that requires you to sit for 7 to 8 hours, we recommend getting up every other hour and walking or stretching for at least 15 minutes before sitting down again. If you can’t frequently get up, we recommend that you change your sitting position so that you can minimize various types of leg cramps.
Stretch before Working Out
Now, if you actually do work out and you still have leg cramps, you might wonder why that is so. We are here to tell you that even if you go for a morning jog or you hit the gym, but you don’t prepare your body before exercising, then leg cramps are prone to happen. With that said, make sure that you always stretch and hydrate before you start your workout. It’s equally important to get some carbs in your system before you indulge in any heavy exercises because if you don’t, your leg muscles are prone to pay the price.
Final Thoughts
Your lifestyle is a collection of habits that you have formed over time. The best part about habits is that you can swap bad habits with better ones and improve the quality of your life.
