advice: does a bar of soap under the mattress really help muscle cramps?
there are many people who swear that a bar of soap under their mattress keeps their muscles relaxed at night, but the experts say there's no science behind the theory.
4 minute read
a magnesium supplement is an option for relaxing muscles and promoting a more restful sleep. getty
dear asking for a friend,
a friend told me that putting a bar of soap under my sheets can help with muscle cramps? sounds a bit far-fetched to me.
signed,
cramping up at night
cramping up at night
nocturnal leg cramps are involuntary but painful muscle contractions in one or more of your muscles that can wake you up during the night. that tight, knotted feeling that immobilizes your leg can last several seconds to several minutes.
what’s going on? nighttime leg cramps are related to muscle fatigue and possible nerve problems, and the risk tends to increase with age, according to the mayo clinic. pregnant women are also more likely to experience them.
and a study from the university of alberta’s faculty of medicine and dentistry found that night leg cramps are more frequent in the peak of summer when compared with the mid-winter low, but it’s not understood why this happens.
slipping a bar of soap under your sheets before you go to bed, however, is an unproven folk remedy, although people do it. a twitter poll by “the doctors” back in 2012 revealed that 42 per cent of people say the practice works.
agnes makowski is a toronto physiotherapist who works with patients in the holland bone and joint program at sunnybrook health sciences centre and wears a number of additional hats. she’s an adjunct instructor with the department of physical therapy at the university of toronto, chief physiotherapy advisor for skate canada, and helps athletes boost performance with wheelchair basketball canada and gymnastics canada.
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no science behind soap under the mattress
she’s familiar with cramps that can occur during or after exercise, as well as those that tend to happen when your muscles are relaxed at night in bed.
“there isn’t any science behind the soap, but there is some science behind using epsom salts,” says makowski. not only is a warm bath soothing and comforting, but epsom salts contain magnesium to help relax muscles. she recommends putting one to two cups of epsom salts in your evening bath. “the important thing to know is that cramps are something that can be managed.”
a magnesium supplement is another option for relaxing muscles and promoting a more restful sleep. she recommends natural calm, which, she says, has been screened scientifically for efficacy and comes in a powder form that can be made into a hot tea to sip an hour before bed.
“definitely if people are experiencing [cramps] at nighttime, they may also benefit from doing some light activity in the evening, like cycling on a stationary bike,” she adds. “lower leg and calf muscle stretching can also be very helpful.”
it’s worth noting that certain medications, such as those for blood pressure or diuretics for regulating water retention in the lower legs, can also lead to muscle cramps. these drugs can deplete mineral and electrolyte levels in your body, which is problematic for muscles that need magnesium, potassium, sodium and calcium.
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if you’re experiencing cramping frequently, she also suggests seeing your family doctor for blood work to detect if there are changes at the mineral and electrolyte level, and perhaps consulting a dietitian to recommend foods that can help you incorporate more of these essential nutrients into your diet.
working with a physiotherapist can also be helpful.
“we review patients’ medical history with them because diabetes and nerve-related conditions, for example, can put people at more risk of suffering cramps,” she says. “we also assess a patient’s back to see if back compression may be a factor contributing to muscle cramping.”
but like many aspects of staying healthy, exercise is always a good first step.
makowski herself does cross-training, outdoor running and a staircase workout in her condo, and advises getting your heart rate up for 20 to 30 minutes three to four times a week, as per health canada guidelines, as well as strength training with some form of weight-bearing activity two or three times a week.
“this is important for bone and muscle health,” she stresses. “adding some flexibility training to your fitness plan also helps — we look at ankle flexibility which can reduce the chance of cramping.”
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and since you can experience muscle cramps from overexertion, especially in warmer conditions, it’s important to stay well-hydrated and train for longer duration or higher-intensity activities like running where muscles get overtaxed and neuromuscular control is compromised by the muscle fatigue — which can lead to painful cramps. compression socks can also help improve lower leg circulation during distance activities and air travel, and therefore, prevent cramping.
for immediate relief, makowski recommends walking. “one way to try to reduce the cramp, even though it sounds a little bit silly, is to do a little bit of walking backwards that gives you a very gentle stretch to the muscles of the calf area.”
is there something about health that you (or a friend, wink, wink) have always wondered about but are too embarrassed to ask? send a note to info@healthing.ca. we promise your ‘friend’s’ secret — and identity — is safe with us.
karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.
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