Cramps and Jerks: The Agony and the Ecstasy
Don’t you just love hypnagogic jerks? I always smile contentedly when they happen to me as I’m drifting off to sleep. I have a habit of sleeping with one arm outstretched so they happen to me often. But the ones I find hilarious are those that occur when one is really tired but still conscious, such as sitting in front of the computer late at night. I just had one a few minutes ago. This evening I wondered what they were called and looked it up. This is just what I love about the interweb - looking up obscure facts.
However, waking up with leg cramp is not nice at all. Having natural calf muscles like Popeye, I wake up in agony three or four times a year, usually with both legs as hard as rock at the same time. Believe me, I eat plenty of salt too.
Just once, I awoke with really bad cramp in both of my calf muscles, both quad muscles (vastus medialis), and both hamstrings, all at the same time. This was complete agony, as I could not move my legs in any direction to ease the muscle back into relaxation. I couldn’t help but shout out in pain until Jo came into my bedroom saying, “What’s the matter? You got cramp?”. I answer between sobs, “YES, but everywhere!”. It eventually went, with Jo managing to pull my legs, first in one direction and then the other. So far, this is the worst physical pain I have experienced and my legs were not the same for nearly a week.
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