Put a bar of soap under your bedsheets for a baffling but extraordinary effect

Apple cider vinegar contains calcium and potassium, two minerals known to help relieve muscle cramps. Naturopaths recommend drinking apple cider diluted with warm water and an added teaspoon of honey to prevent nighttime leg cramps. You can also make a warm vinegar compress by soaking a warm cloth in strong vinegar and wrapping the homemade compress around the affected muscle for twenty minutes.

In the height of a muscle cramp, your best option may be to manually manipulate the muscle. To do this, find the center of the cramp and using your thumb or the heel of your hand, press into the tightened muscle. Hold the pressure for ten seconds, release, and then push again. The self massage may be slightly painful, but should not be intolerable. Repeat the massage and soon you should feel the muscle release and relax.

To prevent leg cramps, take short walks regularly throughout the day. Keeping your legs moving can increase blood flow and alleviate leg pain and cramps associated with diabetes and other conditions.

A study by the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada determined that quinine, which is found in tonic water, is effective in reducing the frequency of nocturnal leg cramps. This works because quinine decreases the chances of a muscle contracting.

Potassium is a mineral that plays an important role in controlling muscle contraction. If you have chronic leg cramps, it is possible you have a potassium deficiency. Fix this by eating more potassium-rich foods like bananas, tomato paste, orange juice, white beans, dates, raisins, and papaya.