You get night cramps?

There can’t be many people who haven’t suffered a painful cramp. They occur most commonly in the calf muscles – but why do they seem to strike so often at night?

The seizures can be triggered by a whole host of factors, from pregnancy and a calcium deficiency to liver disease and dehydration.

And a recent study at the University of Arizona even found they are linked to ageing, being unemployed, sleeping too little and being depressed.

Scientists think that abnormal nerve activity during sleep, or a sudden restriction in blood flow to the calf muscles, may explain night-time cramps.

Over-exercising in the day can also trigger the spasms at night.

The secret to halting them is to straighten the leg and bend the foot up towards the knee, or take a hot shower to relax the muscles.