Criteria
Nocturnal muscle cramps[3]
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine defines three essential criteria for the diagnosis of nocturnal muscle cramps:
A painful sensation in a muscle associated with sudden, involuntary muscle hardness or tightness, indicating a strong muscle contraction.
The painful muscle contractions occur during the time in bed, although they may arise from either wakefulness or sleep.
The pain can be relieved by forceful stretching of the affected muscles, thus releasing the contraction.
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