Calf Cramping at Sleep

I thought we touched the topic before, but would like some inputs again.

Two symptoms at sleep:

1. kick in the air: while I sleep, I make a lower leg reflective kick for some reason.

2. calf cramp: it is not a cramp due to over work or exhaustion. It's like, I sleep, then over stretch my lower leg, then cramp on one calf.


It happens more often if I keep training consistently and high fitness.

Comments?

Take an S-Cap every night before you go to bed.

http://www.succeedscaps.com/main_scaps.html

Whenever the calf cramping while sleeping thing happens to me, it's always related to hydration. Are you running at night?

GregC wrote:Whenever the calf cramping while sleeping thing happens to me, it's always related to hydration. Are you running at night?

No.

I have experienced that a few times and once quite severe that literally could not walk on calf because of the knot forming. I always contributed to dehydration but then I wonder if it was because of doing a quick muscle movement unexpectedly.

Jerry wrote:

GregC wrote:Whenever the calf cramping while sleeping thing happens to me, it's always related to hydration. Are you running at night?

No.

Does it only happen after a day that you ran? It happens to me a lot if I don't rehydrate well enough during the day after a tough/sweaty run.

It has happened to me a couple of times, too. Like the others, I have always attributed it to lack of proper re-hydration.

Jim Lentz wrote:

Jerry wrote:

GregC wrote:Whenever the calf cramping while sleeping thing happens to me, it's always related to hydration. Are you running at night?

No.

Does it only happen after a day that you ran? It happens to me a lot if I don't rehydrate well enough during the day after a tough/sweaty run.

I didn't watch the pattern. On the other hand, I run early morning and giving the amount of diet coke I drink during the day, I wouldn't think dehydration a problem.

I tend not to think so, but will watch if this happens more in the days I try to diet.

I was having this issue a lot last year. Besides the hydration especially after runs I also make sure I've taken in enough sodium. Knock on wood I haven't been having this problem so far this year.

Try Magnesium.......
But you'll have to adjust the mg taken. I can take up 500 mg and have little "issues." Some people take 100mg and they are sitting in the bathroom a few hours later.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium/

Magnesium
Health ProfessionalOther Resources

Magnesium: What is it?
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential to good health. Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in bone. The other half is found predominantly inside cells of body tissues and organs. Only 1% of magnesium is found in blood, but the body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium constant [1].

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis [2-3]. There is an increased interest in the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Dietary magnesium is absorbed in the small intestines. Magnesium is excreted through the kidneys.

For the entire rest of the day on the days that I run my long runs, my calf muscles fire rapidily and uncontrollably. Is is like that or is it actual cramping and knotting??

I've had the same thing before - for me I ate a banana before bed and also made sure I drank someting before bed. During summer, I also eat a ton of salt. Good luck with that...

Nick Morris wrote:For the entire rest of the day on the days that I run my long runs, my calf muscles fire rapidily and uncontrollably. Is is like that or is it actual cramping and knotting??

It's the knotting, not the normal cramping due to muscle overwork. I am really not sure what the word to describe it, but it is not an effect of me finishing a 15k race in a hot day.

The kick actually feels very good though weird.

I know you say its not from dehydration, but it sure sounds like dehydration.

healdgator wrote:I know you say its not from dehydration, but it sure sounds like dehydration.

That and too much Diet Coke (which by the way, dehydrates, Jerry)

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:

healdgator wrote:I know you say its not from dehydration, but it sure sounds like dehydration.

That and too much Diet Coke (which by the way, dehydrates, Jerry)

I'm living it. I knock back probably 10 a day, and I occasionally get cramps at night. Calf, thigh, etc.