Quote Originally Posted by easterbird
I've read some stuff on a few forum about cramping but most of it seems to apply to during or immediately after exercise. Last Sunday I did 70 miles for the first time. Felt great,could have done more, ate appropriatelt and drank about a gallon of liquid before ,during and immediately after. Used some of the liquid as gatorade enduarnce mixed w iced teas(splenda stuff). Finsihed ride at 3 pm and had pizza and salad for dinner with lots of salt. When I settled down to sleep at about 11 pm the cramps started in my thighs(where I felt no tiredness or any sign before WHAM...cramp). I read all kinds of stuff, more salt(I ate more by 1/2 tsp full!),took Tums for Cal/mag,drank ovaltine in milk. After about 2 hours I was able to sleep.
Today worked in garden for several hours hauling mulch and weeding, then rode 39 miles. Drank lots of liquids including the gatorade endurance stuff, Had a salty mexican dinner and just settled in to bed ...WHAM my thighs are cramping. I can't believe it's just salt that's doing this delayed cramps. I will order some endurlyte tabs or something but just wondering if anyone has pinpointed for themselves which chemical induces this late night stuff?
Soaking in a hot tub might help. Blood pumping to the surface to give off heat, cleaning up lactic acids and feeding muscle cells with oxygen along the way ...? (UK elephant or her bf may correct me here; they know lots of physiology). Whatever the mechanism, I find it deals with cramps well, often better than stretching. And it's relaxing and sleep-enducing.