We have all experienced a night of insomnia. Initially, occasional insomnia is not serious, but poor rest one night, the next, and the following affects physical and mental health.
We talk about insomnia in general terms, when it would be more accurate to distinguish what prevents us from resting properly in order to try to remedy it. Among this extensive list is leg pain at night for no apparent reason. Far from being trivial, suffering from intense leg pain at night or waking up due to cramps in the legs that occur during sleep is a challenge to the quality of life of those who suffer from it, known as restless legs syndrome (RLS).
Why you have intense leg pain at night: possible causes
If you suffer from leg and hip pain at night that persists over time, the first thing you should do is consult your doctor. It could be restless legs syndrome or some injury to the spine, pelvis, or knees. Depending on the diagnosis, the problem may be temporary, chronic, or even uncertain.
Restless legs syndrome is quite unknown regarding its origins, which are believed to be somehow related to neurological disorders. Other neurological problems may present similar symptoms, and you may also experience pain or cramps in the legs due to alterations in blood biochemistry.
It goes without saying that sleeping on an old or low-quality mattress can be the source of your problems, and changing it by choosing a good mattress, such as those with pocket spring cores that we recommend, is an investment in quality of life.
Tips to reduce leg pain while sleeping
Warm shower before bed or dry heat
Taking a warm shower before going to bed helps to relax and relieve muscle tension.
Afterward, depending on what causes the leg pain while sleeping, you may need to apply dry heat or, conversely, a bit of ice to reduce inflammation from a recent injury.
Whatever your case, a warm shower, not excessively hot, is always beneficial.
A good mattress
When facing spine problems and injuries to bones or joints, it is necessary to sleep on a firm mattress, and there is no problem if you choose a mattress firmer than you need, as long as it is adaptable, because there are no mattresses that hinder rest by being too good.
Therefore, if you suffer from leg pain at night and choose a good mattress, the worst that can happen is that the cramps or fatigue do not cease, although you will ensure better rest while you sleep, which will improve your day-to-day life. You will also wake up fewer times during the night because your sleep will be deeper.
Physical therapy exercises or massages
Whether there are joint problems or if you present RLS, you can benefit from practicing some leg and/or trunk stretching exercises a while before going to bed. Not ruling out that you may have a physical problem or an injury that exacerbates the pain in your legs and hips, we believe it is best for a physical therapy professional to guide you on how these stretches should be tailored to your particular case.
If we limit ourselves to restless legs syndrome, some patients improve by applying a light massage to their muscles before going to bed, either with their hands or with the help of some electric device. You can even try combining these massages with certain lotions or liniments to see if you rest better.
Leg pain at night without an apparent cause is doubly exhausting, as it negatively affects rest and undermines the spirits of those who cannot rest for this reason. However, you may also experience discomfort and cramps in your legs while sleeping for other reasons, so we advise you to consult a doctor in search of a diagnosis.
There are tips that always help to rest when leg pain leads to unwanted awakenings or low-quality sleep. We highlight the care of the mattress on which you sleep and everything that helps to relax the leg muscles before going to bed. Lotions, dry heat, or gentle stretching exercises can also be helpful.