Drink plenty of fluids every day. The amount depends on what you eat, gender, activity level, weather, health, age, and medications you take. Stretch before and after using any muscle for an extended period of time. Interrupt any activity that may have caused the cramp and stretch the muscle slightly, gently maintaining the stretch.
You can even massage the muscle as it stretches or after you finish. From why they happen to whether pickle juice can actually stop them, here's everything you need to know about muscle cramps. By doing so, the motor nerves of the peripheral nervous system are activated to trigger muscle contractions necessary for normal muscle movement. Muscles need calcium to function properly, so a lack of calcium in the blood can cause muscle-related complications, such as muscle cramps and irregular heartbeats (1.But if you have muscle cramps frequently, and especially if you have other symptoms of muscle weakness or loss, it's time to see your doctor.
If you're experiencing muscle spasms as a symptom of fibromyalgia, natural muscle relaxants, such as magnesium and cayenne pepper, may help. If your calf muscle cramps in the middle of the night, stand up and slowly put weight on the affected leg to push the heel down and stretch the muscle. Healthy blood levels of vitamin D are vital for muscle function, and a deficiency of this nutrient can cause muscle symptoms, such as muscle pain, spasms and weakness (2). This is different from muscle contractions, a very mild, repetitive contraction of a muscle that can be seen or felt (or not).
In many cases, the muscle contracts to such an extent that the entire limb or body moves physically, especially if they are larger thigh or calf muscles. Muscle cramps are an uncomfortable symptom characterized by painful and involuntary contractions of a muscle or part of a muscle. Therefore, eating Greek yogurt after an intense workout can help to replenish certain nutrients that can prevent exercise-related muscle cramps, as well as boost muscle recovery (1). If all else fails and you continue to have regular muscle cramps, consider getting regular massages to help your muscles relax.
Cramps also occur when a muscle can't relax properly (for example, due to a deficiency of magnesium or potassium in the diet) or when it is irritated by a buildup of lactic acid (which can happen if you don't rest your muscle after a lot of exercise). Try to stretch the affected muscle hard (for example, stretch the calf muscle by flexing your foot up).
