A leg cramp can be excruciatingly painful, especially if it comes in the middle of the night. Here’s what you can do to get it under control.

Leg cramps are prevalent in the summer, and they can be caused by dehydration or misuse of muscle. While they usually go away on their own, if they occur frequently, they should not be disregarded because there could be an underlying issue causing them.

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A muscle cramp can occur unexpectedly in the middle of the night or during a workout, resulting in significant discomfort in the thigh or calf muscles. Though the specific cause is unknown in many cases, excessive exercise, insufficient water consumption, or dietary inadequacies, particularly in hot weather, can all contribute to this problem.

“Leg cramps are common in the summer due to the heat. The hot heat promotes dehydration, and if we don’t drink enough water throughout the day, we may get cramps as well as feel lethargic and exhausted” according to Avanti Deshpande, a nutritionist, in a recent Instagram post.

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While muscle cramps usually go away on their own, if they are making your life difficult, causing your leg to swell, and occur regularly, you should see a doctor.

You can also try some home remedies in case you get a sudden leg cramp.

-Relax and lightly stretch the muscle. You can also lightly massage it.

-Try using a heating pad on the affected area.

-If you wake up in the middle of the night with a leg cramp, rise and put weight on the affected leg while resting your heel on the floor to stretch the muscle.

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Here are two drinks that can help you avoid leg cramps.

1. Lemon juice + salt + water

According to nutritionist Avanti Deshpande, lemon juice is abundant in vitamin C, rock salt or pink salt are high in potassium, sulphur, magnesium, and sodium. These elements will replenish the electrolytes that have been lost.

2. Coconut Water

According to Deshpaande, coconut water is the most natural form of electrolytes and is high in potassium and magnesium, which will relieve cramps.