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

@lisalucier Thanks. I'll ask at my follow-up app't next month.

@grrranny - I'm sorry this has become such a vexing problem with getting to sleep. Not being able to get to sleep is awful.

Working on hydration when having leg cramps makes sense. I'd do the same.

I also think many people's sleep gets messed up every time the clocks are reset. I don't believe you are alone in that.

You'll notice I moved your recent post here to join with your other posts on the same topic:

- How to Relax and Sleep: Leg cramps and body tension after stroke https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-to-relax-and-sleep/

Hoping you could continue chatting with others in this discussion like @rainerhans @parrot53 @fabia01 about relaxing and getting to sleep post stroke. I'd also like you to meet@johnbishop.

grrranny - what does your neurologist say about these challenges with falling asleep and leg cramps since your stroke? Does he or she have an explanation or a treatment for you? If so, what did they say?

Had so much trouble relaxing enough to sleep last night, I'm very concerned about losing an hour due to Daylight Saving Time.
Whole body tensed-up, and had leg cramps.
Figured I was dehydrated.
Drinking extra water, Gatorade Zero, Diet Tonic water and sodium chloride salt substitute did not help.
Felt miserable all day today. Nearly every day, in fact.
No problems like this before stroke 10 months aqo. Why now, and how long is this going to last???

@lisalucier for sure it's due to my stroke 9 months ago. Never had a problem before that. Last night was one of the worst.

I have foot cramps often, what helps me taken 2 of these, I show the picture, sublingual ( under my tongue).
Restful legs from Hylands ( Amazon)

@grrranny - curious if you trace any of these symptoms of leg cramps or body tension while trying to sleep back to your stroke?

@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.

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.