That’s hot.
If it’s the foot cramp where your big toe tries to go the opposite direction as the rest of your foot, I do the same thing, I try to point my toes at my head. It works for me.
No, it’s when the arch tightens up; the only thing that’s ever worked for me is getting a sadist to dig a thumb right under the ball of your foot and work down. I hate waking up someone who has vowed to love and cherish me to do that.
Used to have horrendous leg craps in the middle of the night. Eventually (after many many years) determined that they were, for me at least, a stress reaction. Took me a number of years after that to mentally manage them to end the cramps faster, then to almost completely eliminate them.
Awful hard to ‘relax’ the leg in the middle of that much pain, but with practice, it can be done.
Thanks to all. 
I’ve had a number of health problems of late, maybe because of my age (I’m 64). But I’ve had nighttime leg cramps back to my teenage years.
What, do you not have your own thumbs? It doesn’t work if you rub your foot yourself?
This! When I was younger I would get leg cramps on a regular basis. I would lay in bed and suffer as I didn’t know what to do. One of my friends told me to stand on the leg and put all my weight on it. He was right, by putting all my weight on the leg with the cramp it is instantly cured. Try it and hopefully it will work for you.
There is a smart-ass answer to this question, but I just can’t find it …
When it first hits, I go so stiff I can’t even bring my foot up to my hands. Then, I just can’t dig hard enough into the cramp myself - I don’t know if I am too weak, or just can’t inflict the necessary level of pain on myself.
Oh, another thing, staying well-hydrated helps prevent most, for me.
This. Leg or foot cramps go away almost immediately if you get out of bed and stand up.
Magnesium and potassium have done a lot for calf cramps for me. In fact that is one way I know I"m not getting enough potassium, if I flex my calf and it cramps. After I have a day full of high potassium food (5+g in a day) it goes away.
Yeah. This. I eat 1-2 bananas a day. If I forget, and work a lot on my feet, I’m awakened in agony at least once at night.
Bananas. Yes !
if your calf is cramped and you can’t stand then a strap around your foot and pulling back can help.
Easier: lay on your back, put your feet flat on the mattress (knees bent), and lift yourself off the mattress with your legs (basically the same idea as standing, but without the extra time). Think of a “leg push-up.” I’ve gotten so good at this over the years that I can usually stop a cramp in the first couple of seconds while it’s starting–if I don’t make it in time, it’ll still reduce the pain quickly.
If added potassium doesn’t help (or doesn’t help enough), reduce your caffeine intake near bedtime – apparently that’s the second largest cause of them.
My doctor recommended Magnesium tablets to reduce leg cramps. And it does seem to help.
I take medication for Acid Reflex, and that medicine is noted for depriving the body of magnesium.
This. I was plagued by leg cramps before I learned this. Now, they are no big deal. It’s magic.
You might try putting your bare foot on a cold surface (like a tile floor), I’m told that works.
Otherwise, just wait a few episodes and then just stop mentioning it, because it was a stupid character trait and you are much better off without it.
(Sorry, both are references to the early episodes of the Britcom “As Time Goes By”)
My personal remedy is potassium. I use Low Sodium V8 to get my potassium (they use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride for seasoning) because it also has other nutritive benefits and potassium is slightly safer in liquid form on an empty stomach (I take it in the morning).
Roddy
During my younger years with lots of partying, alcohol and lack of sleep I had a lot of leg cramps. Now, I make sure to keep hydrated. I get a large thermos of flavored water and sip/ refill all day at work. I haven’t had even one leg cramp in almost two decades.
I take supplements in the evening - potassium, calcium, magnesium. Drinking a glass of tonic water in the evening also seems to help. Just before you go to bed, take a hot shower and stretch your leg muscles for a little while as the hot water runs on them.
If you still get nailed (and I occasionally do), just stand up and put your weight on the affected leg. As soon as the cramp releases, walk around for a few moments.
Have you recently started taking meds for blood pressure? Leg cramps are a common side effect. If you have, talk to your doc about them.
Tonic water. Quinine helps to relax leg cramps.
Mmmmmm, vodka and tonic. Who cares about a lil cramp?