Shelley Gilbert, a physician assistant at Tidelands Health Family Medicine at Myrtle Beach, often sees patients who are suffering from painful contractions of their leg muscles at night.
"Generally speaking, I see at least one person in the course of the day with complaints of nocturnal leg cramping," she says.
Advancing age has been linked to an increased chance of having nocturnal leg cramps and, although studies vary, roughly 40 percent of people over the age of 50 can expect to experience these nighttime troubles.
Gender does not appear to affect the incidence of nocturnal leg cramping but women who are pregnant have an increased chance of experiencing it.
So what is happening in your muscles when you experience a leg cramp?
"Studies done using an electromyograph, an instrument that detects electrical activity of the muscles, have shown that cramps originate from an over-excitability of the nerves, which renders the muscle unable to relax, causing feelings of intense cramping," Gilbert says.
Finding relief from these nighttime leg cramps is largely based on determining the underlying cause and treating it. Possible causes include diabetes, hypothyroidism, peripheral vascular disease, varicose veins, medication side effects, end-stage renal disease, lumbar stenosis, osteoarthritis and cirrhosis. Other risk factors that may increase your chance of experiencing cramps include flat feet, a sedentary lifestyle, walking on concrete floors without appropriate shoe support, neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease, certain medications, dehydration and low magnesium and potassium levels.
Gilbert stresses that prevention is key, though.
"Stay active, drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy weight," she says.
If you are experiencing painful muscle contractions in your legs when you lay down to rest or find yourself waking up at night with leg cramps, you should speak to your physician, Gilbert says. He or she can help you determine if there is an underlying cause and refer you to a specialist if necessary.