This stretch works by compressing the leg and effectively massaging it. Be careful not to overstretch and cause greater injury to your leg. Stop stretching if you start to feel pain in your calf.

If you’re unable to completely perform this stretch, simply lean forward and stretch your hands towards your toes as far as you comfortably can.

You should repeat this stretch until the cramp in your calf dissipates. You can also perform this stretch before you go to bed as a preventive measure to better ensure you don’t get leg cramps during the night.

Make sure you pull your leg at the back of your thigh instead of at the knee to make sure you’re adequately stretching your hamstring. If you can’t completely extend your cramped leg as you raise, simply extend it as far as you comfortably can and until you start to feel a stretch.

You can also avoid distorting your toes by hanging your feet over the end of the bed when you sleep so that your toes are pointing down.

If you choose to use an electric heating pad, be sure not to fall asleep while it’s on to avoid the risk of a fire starting. Make sure your heating pad has an automatic shutoff. You might also be able to use heat to relax away your cramps by taking a nice warm bath. [7] X Expert Source Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPHBoard Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor Expert Interview. 13 April 2020. n Make sure to check your leg for swelling before you do this. If your leg is swollen and you are also having pain and cramping, then you may have a blood clot, or deep vein thrombosis. In this case, seek medical attention and do not apply a heating pad.

You may need to get shoes specially fitted and made by a podiatrist. These will cost more than store-bought shoes, but they may help to stop your leg cramps. Sole inserts for shoes are unlikely to help. People who suffer from nighttime leg cramps should also avoid wearing high heels, as these shoes have been linked to leg cramps.

The very small amount of quinine in tonic water is unlikely to cause any side effects.

Good sources of these minerals may include milk, bananas, oranges, apricots, grapes, cabbage, broccoli, sweet potatoes, yogurt, and saltwater fish. Be aware that the research on the causal connection between mineral deficiencies and leg cramps has been mixed, so increasing your consumption of these minerals may not by itself alleviate your night leg cramps. It is best to follow a balanced diet to get adequate amounts rather than to change your diet drastically. If you don’t want to take a magnesium supplement, try adding magnesium or Epsom salts to your bath water. [11] X Expert Source Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPHBoard Certified Pediatrician & Integrative Medicine Doctor Expert Interview. 13 April 2020.

Pregnant women are more likely to benefit from magnesium supplementation, which is critical to normal bodily function. For older or non-nursing adult women, studies show that magnesium supplements are far less conclusive. Be sure not to begin to take any supplement without your doctor’s approval, especially if you are pregnant. Your doctor may determine that you can consume an adequate amount of magnesium simply by changing your diet.

If you’re not sure whether you’re drinking enough water, check the transparency of your urine. Clear urine signals adequate hydration, while yellowish urine or urinating infrequently signals less adequate hydration. Avoid drinking too much alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption robs the body of water, making the possibility for cramping that much worse.

If your doctor feels you should be on calcium channel blockers, they will give you a prescription along with specific dosage information. The side effects of calcium channel blockers may include drowsiness, increased appetite, weight gain, and breathing difficulty (within the first few doses if you have an allergy to the medication). Note that people taking calcium channel blockers should not eat grapefruit, drink grapefruit juice, or consume alcohol while on the medication.

If you take one of these drugs and experience leg cramps at night, talk to your doctor about taking a diuretic.

Talk to your doctor if you have an abnormal blood pressure reading while taking an anti-hypertensive medication. They may recommend changing the dose or taking you off of the medication.

Tell your doctor if your leg cramps started just as you began taking a new medication. More often than not, they can find other medicines to treat high cholesterol. Ask your doctor if you may be able to control your cholesterol levels with diet. Also, make sure that you are only taking 1 medication if it is needed to control your cholesterol. Commonly prescribed statins include Lipitor, Lescol, and Crestor. Commonly prescribed fibrates include Bezalip, Lipidil, and Lopid.

This class of drugs includes Abilify, Thorazine, and Risperdal. Some antipsychotics can cause serious side effects. If you’re experiencing muscle spasms and other impacts on your physical movement, such as twitching or difficulty walking, from antipsychotics, tell your doctor immediately.