I appreciate what you shared regarding what helped your cramps.
Magnesium was recommended by an incredible rheumatologist who unfortunately retired after being with him for almost 5 years. What an intelligent man! He was quite versed about incorporating supplements as an integral component in his patients' health, and magnesium became part of what I took after dinner every night. Did help for a few years, with sleep and with reducing the intensity and frequency of cramps.
There were other supplements, such as Vitamin D3 and alpha lipoic acid, all which I take after dinner. While the magnesium is known to help with (among other things) sleep, it can do only so much if there are other health components that can affect and even interfere with its efficacy. And I do juggle quite a number of disorders, including autoimmune ones. Not to mention taking medications which have muscle pain/cramping and insomnia and sleep disturbance as possible side effects. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place right now, trying to find a glaucoma med to replace the Timolol that was prescribed last August '22 when glaucoma resulted from intense uveitis in both eyes. After having been glaucoma-free for 2 years following surgical stents procedure (which eliminated the need for drops), I am dealing with that disorder AGAIN, almost a twelve months now. I'd had glaucoma for years and was having cataract surgery just before the pandemic in '20, so the stents seemed like a great idea at the time; I was led to believe that it would be a permanent solution. Lucky me to have had a "film" develop on the new lenses, requiring a laser "slit" which then made vision 20/20 in the left eye, but despite instilling prednisolone drops post surgery in left eye, things went wrong and excruciating uveitis developed. (I've opted not to have the right eye done, afraid of having another uveitis episode, thus my sight is not as clear in that right eye, and have not only double vision but also color distortions, among other issues.) And within days of the laser procedure on that left eye, uveitis-related glaucoma emerged, much to my total dismay. (After the fact, I learned that this situation is "quite common.") Then bilateral uveitis required the Timolol AND the prednisolone drops, and searching for an ocular immunologist (and thankfully located, via the Uveitis Foundation site). Finally got the uveitis successfully erased with the expertise of the ocular immunologist , but the glaucoma remains....along with a slew of side effects. I've been told that "other glaucoma medications have additional undesirable side effects" but I am desperate at this point: Timolol affects sleep, depression, and quite a number of issues which I experience, along with serious hair loss 😳!!! (The prednisolone also affects hair loss but I've been uveitis free for months, so not taking that medication.) Gee, let's see 🤔... do I accept all of that to keep from going blind, or do I continue trying to find another medication that can do that without my having to endure all the nasty side effects, inclusive of having lost so much hair that I can clearly see my scalp from front to top of head😱? I am both weary and leary...With so much going on, the magnesium is being stymied and I continue taking it "just because." So much to ponder contributes to anxiety that creeps into bed with me nightly...
As for Gatorade: I have a problem with overly sweet drinks/foods, and the few times that conditions required having to drink it, I found it so difficult to swallow without gagging. So Gatorade or related products are just not possible to imbibe on a regular basis. Not trying to be resistant to your suggestion, just stating what I've experienced with overly sweet drinks.