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It is generally known, and there is broad agreement among experts, that quality sleep is one of the most important prerequisites for a person’s overall health.
A number of factors can affect sleep quality, especially
- chronic stress
- inappropriate room temperature, usually higher than it should be
- consumption of heavy meals before bedtime, but sometimes, unfortunately, also
- restless legs syndrome, and
- night cramps in the legs.
Restless legs syndrome and leg cramps most often occur at night, greatly negatively affecting sleep and are often accompanied by painful episodes. It is therefore good to know how we can help ourselves when these problems occur.
Restless legs syndrome
In the case of this syndrome it is a neurological disorder that is not uncommon in our population. The affected person has an almost irresistible urge to move the legs, and that in a resting state, most often when lying down, and this urge is usually accompanied by unpleasant tingling, pulsing in the legs, and similar sensations. The direct cause of this condition is not known, but it occurs more often in people who suffer from diabetes or take certain medications, for example antidepressants or antipsychotics. This disorder is also more commonly encountered in pregnant women, especially in the last trimester.
Night leg cramps
Night cramps, especially of the calf muscles, affect people regardless of age or gender. There can be multiple causes and it always depends on the circumstances of each individual case. Sometimes the cause will be overload of a muscle group, for example during training of an active athlete; other times it may be the result of excessive muscle exertion, excessive alcohol consumption; cramps can also accompany diabetes or decreased thyroid function.
A simple aid when these problems occur
If the above problems occur you can of course seek professional medical help. In addition to treatment, there are also natural methods that can relieve you. These include, for example, increased fluid intake and warm baths. However, you might not have thought that soap can also help you, ideally a natural one with lavender essential oil.
Simply place the soap under the sheet, and it then releases active substances during the night that help the body to overall calm down and relax and to a better, more restful sleep.
