Many people suffer from sudden, very painful calf cramps, which occur especially often at night and make relaxed sleep impossible. How do these calf cramps occur and what can be done about them?

 

The possible causes are often not easy to determine. Typical causes are circulatory disorders, metabolic disorders and orthopaedic complaints.

In general, calf cramps are often attributed to magnesium deficiency, but in fact magnesium deficiency is only the cause in one in ten cases. 

 

To improve calf cramps in the long term, you should make sure you have a balanced diet and exercise. It is particularly advisable to do gymnastic exercises or go for a walk about half an hour before going to bed to stimulate blood circulation in the legs.

A medication containing quinine sulphate helps to prevent and alleviate the pain. Quinine sulphate has an antispasmodic effect on the calf muscle and thus specifically relieves the pain. 

 

Alternatively, you can try drinking a glass of tonic (tonic water) before going to bed. Tonic contains about 20mg quinine per 200ml. It is important to know that too much quinine can be harmful to your health, so you should pay close attention to the dosage of a medicine containing quinine sulphate and not drink too much tonic.