← Return to How to Relax and Sleep: Leg cramps and body tension after stroke

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Profile picture for fabia01 @fabia01

My whole body doesn’t tense up, but I do get leg cramps that keep me awake. I keep a pair of sandals that are easy to slip on near my bed. Putting them on helps a bit. Then I sit on the side of the bed, with my feet planted firmly on the floor, and that helps a bit more.

Then, as soon as I feel able, I walk about 10 or 15 feet, and usually the leg cramps subside and I can go back to sleep.

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Replies to "My whole body doesn’t tense up, but I do get leg cramps that keep me awake...."

@fabia01 I too have trouble sleeping. I find that deep breathing a visualizing somewhere in nature like the beach or the forest will relax my body. The muscle cramps are another problem. I find that being hydrated helps and I keep a bottle of tonic water with quinine next to my bed. Just a sip or two takes the cramps away. Usually that’s after jumping out of bed to stretch out the cramp lol 😂 when I still can’t sleep, I count backwards from 1000. Sometimes it’s all futile and then I give in and read until I feel tired enough to crawl back into bed. Of course by then it’s almost time to get up. Sooo I sometimes take an afternoon nap to make up for the lost sleep. Good luck to all who struggle with insomnia and night cramps.