Many men and women who regularly suffer from leg cramps at night or even during the day often complain of having more muscle cramps in the colder weather of the winter than during the summer months. While cold weather can bring joint pain and other muscle aches, simply going for a walk in the snow probably isn’t going to make your legs cramp up on their own.

Hyland’s new leg cramp ointment may help prevent muscle spasms in cold weather.

That being said, there is some truth to the claim that people suffering more leg cramps during the winter months. When it’s cold and snowy outside your daily habits and actions are obviously different than during warmer weather. During the winter months you most likely spend more time indoors, get less exercise and do less walking and probably even drink less fluids because you may not feel as thirsty as you would on a hot summer’s day. You may also tend to eat more bread and carbohydrate-rich “comfort foods” instead of fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in potassium. Little habits like this can make a big difference in the number and intensity of the leg cramps you get during the day or night.

If you find your legs cramping up more during the winter months then there are definitely some things you can do to help prevent them. Here are some suggestions:

Walk and Stretch: Walking around your home, standing in place and doing general leg and calf muscle exercises are all good ways to keep the blood flowing to your leg muscles and keeping them from cramping. Try to do chores that require moving or try walking in place instead of sitting on the couch during your favorite TV show. This will not only keep your legs stretched and limber, but it will also burn off a few extra calories.

Hot Showers and Baths: Running hot water over your legs or taking a warm bath is another great way to relax your muscles to keep them from cramping up. While you admittedly can’t sit in the bathtub all day, you may want to consider taking a hot shower or bath before going to bed in an effort to calm and soothe your leg muscles for the long night ahead.

Watch Your Liquid Intake and Diet: It isn’t always easy during the winter months to get fresh vegetables or to eat as well as you might normally, but if you can get to a grocery store you might want to try stocking up on canned or frozen fruit that is high in potassium. And while hot chocolate before bed may taste good, it probably won’t help you avoid a Charley horse at 2AM. Instead, consider the muscle calming power of hot apple cider vinegar or even adding some warm honey to an herbal tea.

If you’re still finding that you’re getting Charley horses and night time cramps more in the winter months then you may want to consider moving to a slightly more medical solution such as using Hyland’s Leg Cramp Pills with Quinine or Hyland’s Leg Cramp Cream. Remember, it’s best to avoid taking any sort of medication until first consulting with your doctor.