Night Cramps and Poor Sleep? Magnesium Deficiency Might Be the Missing Link

Most people assume that their parent's nightly leg cramps and poor sleep is just a part of the aging process. However, these symptoms may be a sign of something more serious.

Magnesium deficiency is a common, and often overlooked cause of restless sleep and leg cramps. Magnesium can impact sleep quality, muscle relaxation and nerve function.

Many older individuals do not get the magnesium that their bodies need which can cause symptoms that are easily ignored until they start disrupting their daily life.

The good news is that magnesium deficiency can be corrected. It is all about understanding the symptoms of magnesium deficiency to identify if it is contributing to a parent's disrupted sleep and night cramps.

Armed with the right knowledge, one can make better decisions for a parent's health.

Why the Body Needs Magnesium

Magnesium is critical for muscle function. Calcium is responsible for muscle fibres contracting, whereas magnesium is responsible for muscle fibres being released. If there is a deficiency, contraction will prevail, which is when muscle spasms start to occur. This is why low magnesium levels are linked to cramps, spasms and twitches in the feet and calves during the night. Additionally, magnesium is a vital component of over 300 enzyme reactions, and plays three central roles.

Nerve signaling is the second process. Magnesium is what prevents nerve cells from firing too often. When there is less amount of magnesium present, nerves can become overexcited. This can manifest itself as restlessness and feelings of tingling or jumpiness, such as in one's legs while trying to sleep.

Magnesium helps GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid), which is a relaxant brain chemical that helps one to calm down and rest. It assists in the regulation of melatonin as well, which is the hormone that controls one's sleep-wake cycles. Research conducted on older adults shows that those who have a low level of magnesium tend to experience sleep that is more shallow and disrupted.

Why Are Older Adults More Susceptible to This?

There are many reasons that can contribute to a deficiency among older adults.

Decreased Consumption

With advanced age, a person's appetite may decrease which would lead them to have smaller and simpler meals over time. Going soft is a common practice among the elderly, as dental issues can lead one to a more processed and refined diet. Sadly enough, this type of diet lacks magnesium.

Reduced Absorption

Seemingly unreasonable, older adults are simply unable to absorb as much magnesium due to age. This concept may be difficult to grasp, but even a senior who eats a satisfactory and standard diet will absorb less of the mineral compared to a younger adult.

Medications

It is common for older adults to experience medication-induced magnesium deficiencies. Many medications prescribed to the elderly tend to either cause a deficiency in magnesium, or increase urine secretion of magnesium. Proton pump inhibitors, diuretics, and certain classes of antibiotics are common contributors to this problem. So, if you have a parent who has been on a PPI for years, that is one risk factor we can identify.

How Health Issues Can Affect Magnesium Levels

A person with type-2 diabetes will lose more magnesium through their kidneys. Some disorders of the digestive system can cause less magnesium to be absorbed. Certain kidney diseases affect the ways the body uses magnesium in both directions; this is why people with kidney issues are advised to not take supplements without first consulting a doctor.

Recognizing Magnesium Deficiency

In most cases, magnesium deficiency does not show any signs. Blood tests do not really reveal mild cases of deficiency, as most of the magnesium in the body is stored in the cells and bones. So, the presence of certain symptoms is often more relevant than a single blood test result.

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Some common symptoms include:

• Leg or foot cramps that occur during the night
• Twitching of eyelids or limbs
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Waking up several times during the night
• Unexplained fatigue
• Feeling irritability and low mood without a clear reason

By identifying a combination of symptoms, a blood test may not be the most useful way of testing. Cramps can occur due to dehydration, nerve compression, poor circulation and certain medications. Poor sleep has a long list of causes, including chronic pain and sleep apnoea. The most critical point is recognizing the presence of multiple. In a senior patient who is on long-term blood pressure or acidity medications, the combination of cramps, fatigue and poor sleep is worth discussing with a doctor.

Foods That Are High in Magnesium

When considering changes in the diet, Indian kitchens are stocked with many staples that can help. Try to incorporate the following daily:

• Legumes: rajma, chana (chickpeas), moong, masoor dal
• Whole grains: bajra, jowar (sorghum), ragi (finger millet), whole wheat, brown rice
• Other foods: bananas, yogurt, dark chocolate, soybeans

The goal is to make practical changes instead of large scale changes. Replace the evening biscuits with a small handful of roasted chickpeas or almonds. Try to have spinach or fenugreek (methi) gujarati curry three times a week. Try eating bajra (pearl millet) or jowar (sorghum) rotis instead of refined flour rotis a few times a week. All of these changes are likely to make a difference, without your having to battle family food customs.

Adults over the age of 50 would need around 320 mg (women) to 420 mg (men) of daily magnesium intake. A cup of cooked spinach provides about 150 mg, and a handful of almonds provides about 80 mg, so a little bit of thoughtful eating is likely to cover most of the requirement.

Should Your Parent Take a Supplement?

Only if their doctor recommends. Here is why we have to be careful.

Magnesium supplements interfere with many medications like some antibiotics, thyroid medications, and blood pressure medications. In the elderly, reduced kidney function is common and is often missed. In such cases, magnesium can build up in the body and become life threatening. Excessive magnesium can also cause diarrhea, which can lead to many other issues in older adults.

If a physician suggests any supplements, magnesium glycinate or citrate will be gentler on the stomach and is better for absorption than magnesium oxide. The physician will want to exclude other possibilities for cramps and inadequate sleep.

Making Your Parent Comfortable During Recovery

Changes in your diet can rectify a deficiency in some weeks. However, some practical and temporary measures remain necessary to minimize disturbances during the night.

1. Calf stretches before bed may help.

   Muscle stretching and firm massage during a cramping episode usually helps the pain. A foot and calf massage can improve blood flow and decrease muscle tension. For seniors and caregivers, the AGEasy Relief Compact Massage Gun can make a strong difference as it offers deep muscle relaxation without the need for a manual massage. For soreness after cramping, the AGEasy Pain Relief Gel or a pain relief patch may help provide relief without another pill.

2. When it comes to sleep, a consistent bedtime, a dark and cool room, and no tea or coffee after 4 pm, all contribute to deeper sleep.

   Comfort is important. If neck pain or acid reflux disturbs your parent's sleep, an orthopedic pillow such as the AGEasy Cervical Pillow cradles the neck in its natural curvature, and a wedge pillow will keep the upper body elevated to reduce reflux, which is a frequent cause of disturbed sleep for seniors.

3. Using Sleep Trackers

   The AGEasy Protec Smartwatch is a sleep cycle tracker that logs and can send this information to a physician. This device can also assist in identifying the cause and timing of sleep disruptions. The fall detection functionality adds additional protection for parents who may have to get out of bed during the night for leg cramps.

When to Consult a Doctor

If your parent takes leg cramps 3 times a week or more, or they have sleep issues lasting weeks, which do not respond to good sleep hygiene, or if the cramps are present with swelling, numbness, or color changes in the skin, please book an appointment. Such symptoms require an assessment by a clinician to determine the possible presence of an issue involving the leg's circulatory or nervous systems. Bring a list of all medications to the doctor's office, including over-the-counter stomach medications.

The Bottom Line

While night cramps and inadequate sleep are frequent complaints of older adults, this does not mean it should be accepted as normal. A magnesium deficiency is often an overlooked cause, but it is easily treatable. This is particularly true for seniors who have been prescribed long-term medications for acid reflux and blood pressure.

Fix this with the diet, consult the physician prior to any supplementation, and use protective measures to ensure your parent's sleep is safe from possible discomfort while the cause is being addressed. In most cases, an improvement in sleep and comfort is achievable.

This article is intended for general knowledge only. Do not make any changes to your parent's diet, medications or supplements without first consulting a physician.