Pain guide · Leg pain

Leg pain at night: cramps, restless legs, nerves, circulation, growing pains, a clot and what helps

Leg pain at night is common, and most of it is one of two things: cramp, a sudden painful tightening, usually in the calf, that passes within minutes, or restless legs, an urge to move with uncomfortable feelings that eases while you move. Leg pain from a nerve in the back, aching veins, burning feet from the nerves and, in children, growing pains are the other usual causes.

A few causes need help quickly, so this guide starts with them: one swollen, throbbing leg, a cold, pale foot that hurts at rest, and leg pain with breathlessness or chest pain, with when to call 999, go to accident and emergency (A&E), or contact the National Health Service's 111 line (NHS 111) or a general practitioner (GP). Then it shows how to tell the causes apart by how they feel and when they come, what the evidence says about stretches, magnesium and quinine, and a plan with a 3D demo of every move: a bedtime routine, daytime walking and leg strength, and a full night's sleep.

3-stage exercise plan When to get help 33 sourcesUpdated 25 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999: calf or leg pain or swelling with breathlessness or chest pain. It could be a clot that has reached the lungs. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): throbbing pain in one leg (rarely both), usually the calf or thigh; swelling in one leg (rarely both); red, blue or darkened skin around the painful area, which may be harder to see on brown or black skin; or swollen veins. This can be a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is more likely after surgery, a hospital stay, 3 or more days in bed, a journey of over 4 hours, pregnancy or a recent birth, cancer, a previous clot, or oestrogen-containing contraception or HRT.
Call 999 or go to A&E: a leg that is suddenly cold, pale, numb, weak or very painful. A sudden loss of blood supply to a leg is a vascular emergency.
Contact a GP immediately (or NHS 111 if you can't): burning leg or foot pain that carries on at rest, pale skin, wounds on the feet or legs that do not heal, or toes that go cold, numb, then red or black. The Global Vascular Guidelines and the Circulation Foundation add that this rest pain is often worse lying down and at night, can wake you, and is often eased by hanging the foot down or getting out of bed.
Call 999 or go to A&E: leg pain with numbness around the genitals or bottom, new trouble starting or controlling peeing, not knowing when you need to poo or losing control of it, sciatica in both legs, or weakness or numbness in both legs that is severe or getting worse. These can be signs of cauda equina syndrome, which needs treating in hospital as soon as possible.
Go to A&E: sudden swelling, redness, heat and pain in the calf; severe pain after an injury, which can mean a broken bone; or you cannot put any weight on the leg.
Same day: leg weakness that is getting worse; new leg pain with a history of cancer, HIV, TB or inflammatory arthritis; or leg pain with a fever, feeling unwell, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss or night sweats.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): a child or teenager with sudden pain in the hip, thigh or knee, or who is limping or can't put any weight on 1 leg. Hip problems in children can sometimes be felt in the thigh or knee.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 for pain, swelling, redness and warmth over a bone, or a very high temperature with feeling generally unwell: it could be a bone infection. Take your child to a GP if they don't want to use a leg and seem irritable: young children don't always get a high temperature with a bone infection.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 for severe pain in 1 joint that started suddenly, swelling around a joint, skin over a joint that has changed colour, or difficulty moving a joint, especially with a high temperature or feeling hot, cold or shivery: it could be a joint infection.
Contact your GP practice urgently, or phone 111 if it's closed, if a leg cramp lasts longer than 10 minutes and doesn't get better when you start to move.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Cramps that disturb your sleep.
Cramps that last longer than 10 minutes.
Cramps with numbness or swelling in the leg.
Restless legs that stop you sleeping, affect your mental health, or haven't eased with the things you can do yourself: see a GP, who can check your iron levels and the medicines you take.
Cramps that began after you started a new medicine: speak to your pharmacist or GP, and don't stop a prescribed medicine unless they advise it.
Pain that comes on when you walk a set distance and goes after a few minutes' rest, especially if you smoke or have diabetes. Exercise treats it well, but it needs a diagnosis first.
Pain in one spot on the shin or a foot bone that you can point to with a fingertip, worse with impact and later present at rest or at night: a possible stress fracture.
Bone pain that is constant or worse at night, especially with a lump, unexplained weight loss, fever or tiredness, or a past history of cancer.
Back pain that doesn't improve after resting, or is worse at night: see a GP.
Pain, tingling or numbness spreading below the knee that isn't settling after a few weeks, is getting worse or stops your normal activities: see a GP.
Pain, tingling or loss of feeling in your feet, loss of balance or weakness, or a cut or ulcer on your foot that isn't getting better: see a GP. These can be early signs of nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy).
See a GP if your child has pain in 1 leg; leg pain in the morning, or when walking or taking part in activities; leg pain bad enough to stop them walking, or that makes them limp; or pain in 1 joint, such as the knee or ankle.
See a GP if your child has a rash, swelling or unusual bruising on the legs, leg pain and a high temperature, is unusually tired or sleepy a lot of the time, or doesn't want to eat or is losing weight.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

A sudden, hard, painful tightening in the calf, sometimes the foot or thigh, at night or at rest, lasting seconds to 10 minutes

Cramp, which can leave the muscle sore for up to a day. Usually harmless.

Read: Leg cramps →

An urge to move your legs when you sit or lie still in the evening, with tingling, throbbing or itching feelings that ease while you move

Restless legs syndrome. Our exercise guide for restless legs covers what helps, including why a GP may check your iron.

Sharp or burning pain from the buttock down the back of one leg, with tingling or numbness, worse moving, coughing or sneezing

Usually sciatica, a nerve from the back.

Read: Sciatica →

Burning, tingling, numbness or shooting pains in both feet first, usually there all the time

Possibly peripheral neuropathy, damage to the nerves in the feet, most often from diabetes: see a GP.

Heavy, aching legs after a day on your feet, around visible veins, better with your legs up

Possibly varicose veins.

Severe burning pain in the foot or toes at rest, often waking you, with pale, cold toes or sores that won't heal

The leg may not be getting enough blood: contact a GP immediately, as the warning signs say. The Global Vascular Guidelines and the Circulation Foundation say it's often eased by hanging the foot down or getting out of bed: a reason to get it checked, not a fix.

Calf or thigh pain when you walk, easing within minutes of rest

Possibly claudication, from narrowed leg arteries. It isn't a night pain, but it needs a GP check.

Read: Calf pain when walking →One calf or thigh throbbing and swollen, with red, blue or darker skin or swollen veins

A possible clot: get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

Read: Calf pain →Both legs in a child of 3 to 12, in the shins, calves, thighs or behind the knees, in the evening or at night, gone by the morning

Growing pains, in a child who is otherwise well.

Read: Growing pains →

A child with pain in one leg, pain in the morning, a limp, a swollen joint or a fever

Not the pattern of growing pains: see a GP, or get help the same day, as the warning signs say.

A deep ache in one spot on a bone, constant or worse at night

Bone pain to get checked by a GP, especially with a lump, swelling, weight loss or a fever. A stress fracture hurts with each step at first, then at rest and at night.

Read: Stress fracture →An ache in the knee joint in bed or when you turn over

Often arthritis. Our knee pain at night guide covers it.

Read: Knee pain at night →Hip or outer thigh pain at night, worse lying on that side

Our hip pain at night guide.

Read: Hip pain at night →Shin pain at night

Our shin pain guide maps the causes, including a stress fracture.

Read: Shin pain →Thigh pain at night

Our thigh pain guide maps the causes.

Read: Thigh pain →

Sore muscles a day or two after unusual exercise

Delayed onset muscle soreness, which fades over a few days.

Understand it

Cramp or restless legs: how they feel tells them apartStrong evidence

A cramp is a muscle in the leg suddenly tightening and causing pain, usually in the calf and less often in the foot or thigh. Cramps last from a few seconds to 10 minutes, the muscle can feel sore for up to 24 hours afterwards, and most people have them at night or when resting. The NHS says they're common and usually harmless.

Restless legs syndrome is a strong urge to move your legs, with uncomfortable feelings such as tingling, throbbing or itching, and sometimes pain. It's usually worse at night when you rest, and moving eases it for a while. The NHS notes that leg cramps and peripheral neuropathy can cause similar symptoms, and RLS-UK, the restless legs charity, says that in children restless legs is often mistaken for growing pains.

Sources 1, 2, 3

How common they areEmerging evidence

Night cramps are common and become more common with age. A review says up to 60% of adults report them, and in a US national survey 24% to 25% of adults had mild night cramps and 6% had them more than 5 times a month; surveys measure them differently, so the figures vary. In a survey of 15,391 adults in Europe and the US, 7.2% had restless legs symptoms in a year and 2.7% had them at least twice a week with at least moderate distress, and few of them had been diagnosed.

Sources 4, 5, 6

What causes crampsEmerging evidence

The NHS links cramps with ageing, straining muscles during exercise, pregnancy, some medicines such as statins and water tablets (diuretics), not drinking enough, and liver disease from alcohol, and says the reason for some cramps is unknown. A review adds vascular disease, a narrowed spinal canal and dialysis, and says night cramps are probably caused by muscle fatigue and nerve activity rather than low levels of salts in the blood. For typical cramps, the history and an examination are usually enough; NHS inform says a GP may test blood and urine when cramps come with numbness, swelling or other symptoms.

Sources 1, 4, 7

Restless legs: iron, pregnancy and medicinesEmerging evidence

The NHS links restless legs with iron and a brain chemical called dopamine, and says it's more likely if it runs in your family, in pregnancy, with iron deficiency anaemia or kidney disease, and with some medicines. About 1 in 5 pregnant women develop it, usually in the last 3 months, RLS-UK says; the NHS says it usually goes away after the birth, though RLS-UK says symptoms often carry on afterwards. RLS-UK adds that symptoms gradually get worse over time in about two thirds of people, though it can often be treated successfully once it's diagnosed.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends checking iron in everyone with troublesome restless legs, and treating it if the iron store measure (ferritin) is 75 micrograms per litre or less or the transferrin saturation is below 20%. Those thresholds are expert consensus rather than trial-tested.

Sources 2, 3, 8

Nerves, veins and arteriesStrong evidence

Sciatica causes pain in the bottom and down the back of one leg, often to the foot, with burning, tingling, numbness or weakness, and usually gets better in a few weeks to a few months. Peripheral neuropathy, damage to the nerves in the hands and feet, causes numbness and tingling and burning, stabbing or shooting pain that is usually constant but may come and go (an NHS page past its review date). Varicose vein aching can be worse after standing for a long time and better when you rest with your legs up.

Narrowed leg arteries (peripheral arterial disease, PAD) usually cause pain on walking that eases within minutes of rest. In 1 to 2 in 100 people with PAD a year, the blood supply becomes too poor even at rest, the Circulation Foundation says: severe pain in the foot at rest or in bed that wakes you, often relieved by getting out of bed. The Global Vascular Guidelines describe this rest pain as usually in the forefoot, often worse lying down, eased by hanging the foot down and frequently worse at night. The NHS says a severe burning pain in the legs and feet that continues when you rest means you should contact a GP immediately.

Sources 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Growing pains, and when it's something elseStrong evidence

Growing pains are an aching or throbbing in both legs, in the muscles or joints, in the evening or at night and gone by the morning, in children aged 3 to 12. The NHS says they're harmless, not caused by growing and not a sign of anything serious; they come and go over months or even years, and they're more common in active children and children with very flexible joints. In 1,445 Australian children aged 4 to 6, 36.9% had them.

The NHS lists the signs that need a GP instead: pain in 1 leg, pain in the morning or when walking or playing, pain bad enough to stop a child walking or make them limp, pain in 1 joint, a rash, swelling or unusual bruising, a high temperature, unusual tiredness, and not eating or losing weight.

Sources 15, 16

A clot, bone pain and back pain at nightStrong evidence

A clot in a deep leg vein (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT) causes throbbing pain in 1 leg, usually the calf or thigh, with swelling, red, blue or darkened skin around the painful area, or swollen veins, the NHS says; with breathlessness or chest pain, part of it may have reached the lungs. Bone pain that is constant or comes and goes, is worse at night, or comes with a lump, swelling or weight loss you can't explain needs a GP. So does back pain that doesn't improve after resting or is worse at night.

Sources 17, 18, 19, 20

When a test helpsEmerging evidence

For typical cramps, usually no test is needed: a review says the history and an examination are usually enough, and NHS inform says a GP may test blood and urine when there are other symptoms. For troublesome restless legs, a blood test for iron, ideally in the morning and without having taken iron for 24 hours. For possibly narrowed arteries, comparing the blood pressure at the ankle and the arm. For a suspected clot, an ultrasound scan. For sciatica, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) doesn't routinely recommend imaging outside specialist care. A child with typical growing pains needs no tests, but anything that doesn't fit the pattern gets checked.

Sources 4, 7, 8, 14, 21, 17, 22

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

Cramps come and go, and cramps in pregnancy pass after the birth, NHS inform says. In the nightly stretching trial, cramps fell over 6 weeks. Restless legs often comes and goes, and RLS-UK says it gradually worsens in about two thirds of people, though treatment often helps once it's diagnosed. Sciatica usually gets better in a few weeks to a few months, and growing pains come and go over months or years. No one can promise a date.

Sources 1, 7, 23, 3, 9, 15

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Stretching for night cramps: it may help a littleMixed evidence

In 80 adults over 55, calf and hamstring stretches just before sleep for 6 weeks cut night cramps by about 1.2 a night and made them milder, by 1.3 centimetres on a 10 centimetre scale, against no stretching. A Cochrane review rates that as low-certainty evidence for how bad cramps are and very low for how often, and found that calf stretching alone for 12 weeks made little or no difference in people over 60. In 191 people taking quinine, advice to do calf stretches didn't reduce cramps.

The NHS says regular calf stretches may help to reduce cramps but may not stop them completely. So stretching is worth trying, without expecting cramps to stop.

Sources 23, 24, 25, 1

Magnesium doesn't help typical night crampsStrong evidence

A Cochrane review of 11 trials (735 people) found magnesium is unlikely to help typical night cramps in older adults: it made no meaningful difference to how many cramps people had a week (moderate certainty) or to the share who had 25% fewer cramps (high certainty). The evidence in pregnancy is conflicting. A review says night cramps are probably not caused by low salts, and we found no trial of potassium or bananas.

Sources 26, 4

Quinine: a modest benefit, rare serious harms, and only from a GPStrong evidence

Across 23 trials (1,586 people), quinine reduced the number of cramps by about 28% over 2 weeks (low-quality evidence), with more minor side effects, mainly stomach upsets; serious side effects are rare but can be fatal, which is why its use is restricted. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) says it shouldn't be used routinely: only when cramps regularly disrupt sleep, after other causes have been ruled out and stretching hasn't worked, stopping after 4 weeks if it hasn't helped, with a review about every 3 months. We found no evidence that tonic water prevents cramps.

Sources 27, 28, 1

Restless legs: exercise in the day, sleep habits and ironEmerging evidence

In the only trial we found of aerobic and strength exercise for restless legs in people not on dialysis, 41 people were randomised and 23 finished: aerobic exercise and lower-body strength training, 3 days a week for 12 weeks, improved symptoms more than no exercise by the end of the 12 weeks. Our restless legs guide describes the aerobic part as a 30-minute treadmill walk, from its reading of the trial. It's one small trial, and the AASM made no recommendation on exercise because the studies were too limited. The NHS advises exercise during the day, regular sleep times, a warm bath or heat pads before bed, and walking, stretching or massage when symptoms start.

For medicines, the AASM recommends iron when the iron tests are low, and gabapentin or pregabalin; it now suggests against the standard use of dopamine medicines such as ropinirole and pramipexole, because over time they can make symptoms worse, and the NHS keeps them for occasional use or when other medicines haven't worked. RLS-UK says no gadget, wrap or bracelet has proved to be a cure.

Sources 29, 8, 2, 30

Sleep habits help either wayEmerging evidence

The NHS advises exercising regularly during the day but not in the 4 hours before bed, relaxing for at least an hour before bed, and going to bed and getting up at the same times; with restless legs, it adds no caffeine after midday, no alcohol for at least 2 hours before bed and no screens right before bed. For insomnia that lasts, a GP may offer cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for insomnia, a talking therapy, and now rarely prescribes sleeping pills. None of this has been tested for leg pain at night as such: it's health-service sleep advice.

Sources 31, 2

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

A mild stretch, a moderate walk, and nothing that sends pain down the legEmerging evidence

Stretches for cramps: a mild, steady pull, never a painful one. During a cramp, ease into the stretch gradually, as our leg cramps guide says (editorial).

Walking and strength work: an easy to moderate effort you can talk through, as our restless legs guide reads the trial, finished well before bedtime. The NHS advises against strenuous exercise late at night with restless legs, and against exercise in the 4 hours before bed if you sleep badly.

Leg symptoms from the back: stop or shrink any movement that sends pain, pins and needles or numbness further down the leg, as our back pain guides advise. For everything else, use the leg hub's rule: mild discomfort that settles within a day is fine, and sharp or building pain stops the session.

Judge the plan by the week, not one night (our suggestion): cramps and restless legs come and go. Pain that wakes you and doesn't change with position, a hot or swollen leg, or a foot that hurts at rest and eases when it hangs down is not a pain-rule question: see the warning signs.

Sources 29, 2, 31

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Tonight: what to do in a cramp, and a bedtime routine

Start now and keep it every night for at least 6 weeks, the length of the stretching trial. During a cramp, stretch and rub the muscle, or stand and put your weight on the leg, as the NHS says; at bedtime, stretch the calves and hamstrings to a mild, steady pull. For restless legs, the bedtime steps below matter more than the stretches. For a child with growing pains, our growing pains guide's routine replaces this one; with leg symptoms from the back, our sciatica guide's plan does.

Wall calf stretch (gastrocnemius) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoWall calf stretch (gastrocnemius)Beginner · A wall

During a cramp, hold until it eases. At bedtime, 3 holds of 20 to 30 s each side, or the NHS version: lean for 2 to 3 s and repeat for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, the last just before bed · Our leg cramps guide's holds (editorial) and the NHS leg cramps page's routine; the trial stretched the calves just before sleep

Easier: Seated calf stretch with a towel · Harder: Heel-on-step calf and hamstring stretch

Soleus wall stretch demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSoleus wall stretchBeginner · A wall

3 holds of 20 to 30 s each side · As in our leg cramps guide (editorial)

Easier: Seated calf stretch with a towel · Harder: Toes-tucked kneeling (toe squat)

Supine hamstring stretch with a strap demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSupine hamstring stretch with a strapBeginner · No equipment

3 holds of 20 to 30 s each side · As in our leg cramps guide; the routine that helped stretched the hamstrings as well as the calves. Back off if it brings burning or tingling down the leg, as the move page says

Easier: Leg-up hamstring stretch · Harder: Contract-relax hamstring stretch (PNF)

Seated calf stretch with a towel demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSeated calf stretch with a towelBeginner · Other / check instructions

In bed during a cramp: pull your toes towards you with a towel and hold until it eases; or 3 holds of 20 to 30 s each side in place of the wall stretches · As in our leg cramps guide

Harder: Wall calf stretch (gastrocnemius)

Move on when: After 6 weeks, take stock: keep the routine if cramps are fewer or milder, and see a GP if they still disturb your sleep (our leg cramps guide; the NHS).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

By day: walk and strengthen the legs

From the first week, alongside stage 1, for about 12 weeks: daytime walking and leg strength, finished at least 4 hours before bed if you sleep badly, as the NHS advises. This is mainly for restless legs. The small trial used aerobic exercise and lower-body strength training, 3 days a week for 12 weeks; its abstract gives only how often and for how long, so the 30-minute walk, the effort and the sets below are the doses our restless legs guide uses, from its reading of the trial.

Treadmill walking demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTreadmill walkingBeginner · Cardio machine

30 minutes at an easy to moderate effort (you can still talk), 3 days a week; walking outdoors counts · The dose our restless legs guide uses, from its reading of the trial

Harder: Treadmill jogging

Sit to stand from a chair demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSit to stand from a chairBeginner · A bench or box

1 set of 8 to 12 for the first 2 weeks, then 2 sets, 3 days a week · Our restless legs guide's strength dose, from its reading of the trial

Easier: Sit to stand, pushing on the thighs · Harder: Bodyweight squat

Seated knee extension (chair) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSeated knee extension (chair)Beginner · A bench or box + Something with weight

1 set of 8 to 12 each leg for 2 weeks, then 2 sets, 3 days a week · Our restless legs guide's strength dose; the move page's own dose, 3 sets of 10 to 15, is an editorial alternative

Easier: Quad set (static quads) · Harder: Leg extension

Slow calf raise demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSlow calf raiseBeginner · A wall

1 set of 8 to 12 for 2 weeks, then 2 sets, 3 days a week · Our restless legs guide's strength dose, as in our restless legs exercises workout

Easier: Seated bent-knee calf raise (soleus raise) · Harder: Standing dumbbell calf raise

Glute bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoGlute bridgeBeginner · No equipment

2 sets of 10 · As in our leg pain guide

Easier: Pelvic tilt into bridge · Harder: Single-leg glute bridge

Move on when: Our suggestion: take stock after 6 weeks; the trial measured its benefit at 12. If restless legs still stop you sleeping, see a GP, who can check your iron.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Keep it going: full nights and full days

From about week 6 to 12, and ongoing: keep the bedtime routine on the nights cramps come, keep exercising in the day, and build general leg strength as in our leg pain guide's last stage, while a full night's sleep comes back by the written steps below.

3D demoStep-upBeginner · A step

3 sets of 8 each leg · As in our leg pain guide

Easier: Low step-up · Harder: Dumbbell step-up

Split squat demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSplit squatIntermediate · No equipment

3 sets of 8 each leg · As in our leg pain guide

Easier: Bodyweight squat · Harder: Reverse lunge

Single-leg calf raise from a step demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSingle-leg calf raise from a stepIntermediate · A step + A wall

3 sets of 10 to 15 each leg · As in our leg pain guide; keep a hand on a rail, as the move page says

Easier: Slow calf raise · Harder: Single-leg pogo hops

3D demoTreadmill walkingBeginner · Cardio machine

Build towards 30 minutes on most days, earlier in the day · Editorial

Harder: Treadmill jogging

Move on when: Our suggestion: you're sleeping through most nights, or waking less, and busy days don't bring worse nights. Judge it by the week, not one night, and if nights flare, go back to the stage 1 routine for a week rather than stopping.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Tonight (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show these changes. They come from the NHS and RLS-UK unless marked as our suggestion; no trial has tested a sleeping position for leg pain.

1. In a cramp: stretch and rub the muscle, or stand up and put your weight on the leg; paracetamol or ibuprofen can ease soreness afterwards, but they work too slowly to help during the cramp (the NHS).
2. Before bed: the stage 1 stretches (the NHS; the stretching trial). For restless legs, a warm bath or heat pads on your legs (the NHS).
3. With restless legs: no tea, coffee or energy drinks after midday, no alcohol for at least 2 hours before bed, and no big meal or strenuous exercise late at night (the NHS).
4. When restless legs start: walk, stretch or massage your legs, or distract yourself with reading, a game or a puzzle (the NHS).
5. Sleeping position: RLS-UK suggests a pillow between your legs; with sciatica, lie in whatever position eases the leg (our suggestion).
6. Sleep habits: go to bed and get up at the same times, keep the room dark and quiet, no screens right before bed, no daytime naps, and relax for at least an hour before bed (the NHS).
7. Children with growing pains: gently massage the legs, use a covered hot water bottle or heat pack, and give children's paracetamol or ibuprofen; never aspirin under 16 unless a doctor prescribes it (the NHS).

Sources 1, 23, 2, 30, 31, 15

By day (written steps)

These come from the NHS, NHS inform and RLS-UK.

1. Exercise during the day, not strenuously late at night (the NHS); some people find a gentle walk early in the evening helps restless legs (RLS-UK).
2. Long journeys: choose an aisle seat and stop regularly to walk and stretch (RLS-UK). A journey of over 4 hours also makes a clot more likely (the NHS).
3. Medicines: if cramps or restless legs started with a new medicine, ask your pharmacist or GP, and don't stop a prescribed medicine on your own (NHS inform; the NHS).
4. Veins: put your legs up when you can, walk regularly, and don't stand for long or sit for long without your feet raised (the NHS).

Sources 2, 31, 30, 17, 7, 11

A full night's sleep comes back (written steps)

No trial has tested how to bring back a full night's sleep with leg pain. These steps are our suggestion, built on the NHS's sleep advice.

1. Keep a simple note of each night and what you did that day, and judge the plan by the week, not one night.
2. When nights have been steady for 2 weeks, change one thing at a time, such as a later walk, and keep it if the next few nights are no worse.
3. If poor sleep goes on for weeks despite these steps, see a GP: the NHS says a GP may offer CBT for insomnia, and now rarely prescribes sleeping pills.

Source 31

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
Magnesium tablets for typical night cramps	Trials found no meaningful benefit in older adults.	Bedtime calf and hamstring stretches.Try: Supine hamstring stretch with a strap
Quinine without a GP, or tonic water as a treatment	Quinine is only for cramps that regularly disrupt sleep, after other causes are ruled out, because of rare serious side effects; tonic water isn't a treatment.	Stretching first, then talk to your GP.
Stopping a statin, a water tablet or another prescribed medicine on your own	NHS inform says don't stop a prescribed medicine unless your GP advises it.	Ask your pharmacist or GP.
Strenuous exercise late in the evening, with restless legs or poor sleep	The NHS advises against it.	Exercise earlier in the day.Try: Treadmill walking
Caffeine after midday and alcohol close to bedtime, with restless legs	The NHS advises against both.	Decaffeinated drinks, and no alcohol for 2 hours before bed.
Stretching hard into pain during a cramp	The stretch should ease the cramp, not add pain, as our leg cramps guide says.	A gentle, steady pull with a towel.Try: Seated calf stretch with a towel
Rubbing or stretching one hot, swollen, throbbing calf	It can be a clot, which needs a same-day check.	See the warning signs.
Waiting with a cold, pale, painful foot that eases when it hangs down	It can be severe poor circulation, which the NHS says needs a GP immediately.	Contact a GP now, or NHS 111 if you can't.
Telling a child the pain comes from growing	The NHS says growing pains aren't caused by growing and aren't a sign of anything serious.	Reassure them their legs are fine and the ache will be gone by the morning.
Gadgets, wraps or bracelets sold as cures for restless legs	RLS-UK says none has proved to be a cure.	The NHS's self-help steps, and an iron check from your GP.

Routines to follow

Restless legs exercises: a daytime walk and leg strength

A 45-minute daytime session for restless legs, our editorial home version of the one exercise trial: a 30-minute walk, six leg strength moves and three stretches.

45 minBeginner10 movesCardio machine, A bench or box

Post-run stretches

Seven stretches for after a run: calves, soleus, quads, hip flexors, hamstrings and glutes.

10 minBeginner7 movesA wall

Bedtime stretch routine

A slow, 10-minute floor routine to unwind before sleep: child's pose, twists, happy baby and slow breathing.

10 minBeginner7 movesFirm cushion, A wall

Claudication walking workout: walk-rest-walk

The walk-rest-walk session for leg pain from narrowed arteries: walk until the pain is close to the most you can bear, rest until it goes, repeat to 30 minutes.

45 minBeginner8 movesA wall, Cardio machine

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why do my legs hurt at night?

Most often it's cramp, a sudden painful tightening, usually in the calf, or restless legs, an urge to move with uncomfortable feelings that eases when you move. A nerve from the back, varicose veins, nerve damage in the feet and, in children, growing pains are other common causes.

Is it cramp or restless legs?

A cramp is a hard, painful tightening that comes on suddenly and passes within seconds to 10 minutes, often leaving the muscle sore. Restless legs is an urge to move, with tingling, throbbing or itching feelings, when you're still in the evening or at night; moving eases it, but it comes back when you stop.

Why does leg pain get worse at night?

Cramps and restless legs mostly come when you're resting, which for most people is at night. Pain that is there all night whatever position you lie in, or that comes with a fever, weight loss or a swollen leg, isn't that pattern and needs checking.

What helps night cramps?

During a cramp, stretch and rub the muscle, or stand on the leg. Calf and hamstring stretches every night before bed may make cramps milder, though they may not stop them, and magnesium doesn't help typical night cramps.

Can poor circulation cause leg pain at night?

Yes, when it's severe. A burning pain in the foot or toes at rest, with pale, cold toes or sores that won't heal, means you should contact a GP immediately, or NHS 111 if you can't. The Global Vascular Guidelines add that this pain is often worse lying down and at night, and eased by hanging the foot out of bed.

Could leg pain at night be a blood clot?

It can, if one leg is throbbing and swollen, with red, blue or darkened skin or swollen veins. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 the same day, and call 999 if you're also breathless or have chest pain.

My child's legs hurt at night: is it growing pains?

Probably, if it's an ache in both legs in the evening or at night that's gone by the morning, in a child of 3 to 12 who is well and active. See a GP if the pain is in one leg, in the morning or with activity, causes a limp, or comes with swelling, a rash, a high temperature, tiredness or weight loss.

Can sciatica cause leg pain at night?

Sciatica can hurt at any time, down the back of one leg with tingling or numbness, and is often worse moving, sneezing or coughing. Back pain that doesn't improve with rest or is worse at night needs a GP, and numbness around your bottom or new bladder or bowel problems needs a 999 call.

Does magnesium or potassium help?

For typical night cramps, magnesium made no meaningful difference in trials, and a review says cramps probably aren't caused by low salts. We found no trial of potassium. For restless legs, a GP may check your iron instead.

Is quinine safe for leg cramps?

It reduces cramps modestly but can have rare serious side effects, so in the UK it's only for cramps that regularly disrupt sleep, after other causes are ruled out and stretching hasn't helped, with a 4-week trial. Only take it if your GP prescribes it, and don't count on tonic water.

What helps restless legs at night?

Exercise during the day, regular sleep times, a warm bath before bed, and no caffeine after midday or alcohol near bedtime, the NHS says; walk, stretch or massage your legs when it starts. An exercise and leg-strength programme eased symptoms in a small trial, and a GP can check your iron.

When should I see a doctor about leg pain at night?

See a GP if cramps disturb your sleep, last longer than 10 minutes or come with numbness or swelling, or if restless legs stop you sleeping. Get urgent help for one swollen, throbbing leg, a cold or pale foot that hurts at rest, or leg pain with breathlessness or chest pain.

Related exercise guides

Exercises for restless legs

Other pain guides

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.