A muscle cramp is a tightening or contraction of muscle tissue that occurs without conscious control. While many cramps occur during exercise or other physical activity, you can also develop painful, extended cramps while sleeping or lying down in a face-up, or supine, position. A variety of methods may relieve this type of cramping.
Basics
Most nighttime leg cramps occur in the calf muscles, although you may sometimes also developing cramping in the thighs or feet. Cramps that occur while you're in a supine position frequently develop when your toes are pointed downward rather than upward, or when the weight of sheets or covers alters the position of your toes. However, doctors don't know precisely what causes cramping. Potential contributing factors include overexerting your muscles during the day, dehydration, working or standing on concrete, remaining seated for extended amounts of time and sitting with poor posture.
Cramping Severity
Some people only experience mild muscle cramping while sleeping or lying in a supine position. However, in some cases, cramping in these conditions may be severe enough to wake you from a sound sleep and last as long as 10 minutes. You may also experience residual soreness in your affected muscle after a cramp resolves. Most people who get nighttime leg cramps are in their 50s or older. However, you can experience cramping at any age.
Nonmedical Treatment and Prevention
Reduce your chances of developing muscle cramps by keeping your toes pointed upward while sleeping or resting in a supine position. Also, keep your feet free from blankets or sheets that restrict your toes or distort their natural position. Additional steps that can reduce or prevent supine leg cramping include stretching out your calf muscles before you go to bed, riding a stationary bike for several minutes before sleeping, staying well-hydrated during the day, eating potassium-rich foods such as bananas and potatoes, and wearing shoes that fit properly.
If a cramp occurs, try to ease the pain by stretching your toes gently toward your leg, walking around, shaking your leg or taking a warm shower or bath. Also try massaging your affected leg or applying ice or another cold source.
Medical Treatment and Prevention
If you have severe cramps, your doctor may recommend treatment with nonprescription doses of calcium, magnesium or diphenhydramine hydrochloride, better known as Benadryl. In some cases, your doctor may also prescribe any one of a number of medications, including quinine sulfate, muscle relaxants, carbamazepine, verapamil hydrochloride or phenytoin. However, none of the available prescription or nonprescription options are specifically designed to treat muscle cramps, and they may or may not relieve your symptoms. In addition, quinine and other prescription options carry the potential for significant treatment side effects. Consult your doctor for more information on nighttime muscle cramping and/or cramping that occurs while you're in a supine position.
