Sleep Health
Published February 14, 2022
11 minMagnesium for Sleep: Should You Take It?
The ability to naturally sleep is an exceptional gift. But, unfortunately, not everyone has it.
Table of contents
First, What is Magnesium?How Does Magnesium for Sleep Help You?Benefits of Magnesium for SleepWhat Foods Are Rich in Magnesium?Other Sources of MagnesiumWhat Makes You Deficient in Magnesium?What Happens When You Don’t Have Sufficient Magnesium?How to Use Magnesium for Sleep?What Are the Side Effects of Magnesium for Sleep?Frequently Asked Questions
The ability to naturally sleep is an exceptional gift. But, unfortunately, not everyone has it.Many spend their nights tossing and turning in their beds, eagerly waiting for the sweet wave of sleep. But it doesn’t arrive soon. It’s frustrating; we feel you! You must be looking for something effective to get rid of this difficulty. Out of all the suggestions, magnesium looks like an easy option. That leads us to our topic- Magnesium for sleep- should you take it?
First, What is Magnesium?
To maintain a healthy lifestyle, our body requires essential minerals and vitamins. Magnesium is one of them. This is one of the most commonly found minerals on the Earth, and you can find it easily in many food items. According to the National Institute of Health, an average adult male requires 400 mg of magnesium daily. And adult females need 310 mg of it. Magnesium fights inflammation, lowers blood pressure, and gets rid of constipation. But does magnesium help you sleep? Yes, it does. Let’s learn how.How Does Magnesium for Sleep Help You?
Studies have found that people who suffer from magnesium deficiency can have insomnia. Ordinarily, women and the elderly are prone to magnesium deficiency. More than 50% of elders have insomnia, and magnesium has helped them in sleeping better. Increased magnesium intake not only aided in sleeping quickly but also in sleeping for a longer duration.1. GABA Levels and Magnesium
Turning off your brain during the night is a significant problem for many. This can delay your sleeping, but magnesium can help slow your mind by a neurotransmitter called GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric acid). GABA slows down the connection between your brain and nervous system, enabling you to relax and fall asleep quickly. Magnesium helps in maintaining healthy levels of GABA and takes care of your circadian rhythms. Imagine circadian rhythms to be the internal clock of your body. For example, as the sun goes down, your body desires to sleep, and you feel more awake in the mornings.2. Supplemental Magnesium Regulates Stress and Anxiety
Daily consumption of magnesium helps in regulating sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The parasympathetic nervous system can slow down your heart rate and lets you dive into a sweet sleep. At the same time, the sympathetic nervous system leaves you in a heightened state of arousal.When both the system reach their optimal, sleeping quality and mood improves.3. Restless Leg Syndrome
If you feel an uncontrollable urge to move your legs while trying to sleep, you may be suffering from a disorder called restless leg syndrome. It usually happens after being inactive for a long time. People move their legs to get rid of the feeling, which in turn keeps them awake.There is no cure to the disorder till now, but experts claim that magnesium can aid in relieving the sensation.4. Digestion and Gut Health
Digestion and gut health is a constant battle among people around the globe. Digestive problems may make you toss and turn all night. Magnesium can help you as it’s excellent for gut health.5. Depression and Mood
You cannot sleep if you feel sad and devastated. Depression and sadness take a toll on your sleeping schedule. Around 263 million people around the globe face this problem. Magnesium can work effectively in reducing the symptoms of depression, allowing you to sleep harmoniously. Magnesium can do wonders for your body to fall asleep quickly. Let’s read more about the benefits of this magic potion.Benefits of Magnesium for Sleep
Magnesium can take away your pain of sleeping trouble. Here are some benefits of magnesium for sleep:- It Regulates Sleep Quality
- Muscle Health
- Alleviates Your Mood
What Foods Are Rich in Magnesium?
Magnesium is present abundantly in food items, but we consume processed foods in large quantities, which usually have less magnesium content. Here are some food items enriched with magnesium:1. Unprocessed Food
The Processed food strips off the magnesium and other nutrients, leaving it less healthy than it was. Eat whole, unprocessed food to have adequate magnesium intake.2. Water
The easiest thing you can do to add magnesium to your diet is drink water. However, the quantity of magnesium may vary with brand and geographical factors.3. Other Food Items:
- Green leafy vegetables
- Dry Fruits ( Almonds, cashews, raisins, and seeds like sesame, sunflower, pumpkin)
- Peanut butter
- Banana
- Avocado
- Dairy
- Soymilk
- Eggs
- Yogurt
- Tofu
- Dark chocolate
Other Sources of Magnesium
Supplements
When your daily diet cannot help you with magnesium deficiency, supplements come to the rescue.1. Magnesium Glycinate for Sleep
Magnesium Glycinate is among one of the most absorbable forms of magnesium. As a result, taking magnesium before bed promotes a natural sleep cycle to help you rest well.2. Magnesium Citrate for Sleep
Most of the magnesium supplements have magnesium citrate. Magnesium citrate takes care of your muscle cramps and makes your mind and body relaxed.3. Magnesium Oil for Sleep
Relax your muscles and make your skin healthier with magnesium oil. You can also find it in spray bottles as many people use it in bathing solely for relaxing purposes. These are excellent sources of magnesium but make sure you consult a doctor before taking the supplement.What Makes You Deficient in Magnesium?
Experts often say that you can add magnesium easily to your diet. Still, many people suffer deficiency.As we have discussed earlier, the consumption of processed food items has increased tremendously in today’s era. When the food is processed, essential nutrients strip off, leaving the food with limited nutrition. For example, you may think you are eating enough magnesium. But if you are eating processed food, you are not. If you take a properly balanced diet, you don’t have to take supplements for magnesium. But unfortunately, not everybody eats a properly balanced diet, and as a result, falls prey to magnesium deficiency. Due to its omnipresence, It’s rare to have a severe magnesium deficiency. Although if you have the following symptoms, it’s time to go to a doctor:- Muscle twitches
- Cramping
- Depression
- Fatigue
- High blood pressure
What Happens When You Don’t Have Sufficient Magnesium?
A lot can happen. You can have chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, migraine headaches, asthma, colon cancer, and hypertension, and more.- Cardiovascular Disease
- Hypertension
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Osteoporosis
- Migraine
How to Use Magnesium for Sleep?
Your first aim should be to have a balanced diet. A properly balanced diet can prevent you from the trouble of taking magnesium supplements. Consume vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and grains in satisfactory amounts. If you still have difficulty falling asleep, speak to a doctor. If there is a sleeping disorder problem, you may need magnesium as a sleep aid.Make sure magnesium supplements do not interfere with your current medication. You can take magnesium a few hours before bedtime or in the daytime as well.Your current medications affect the time for your magnesium supplements. There should be a long time gap between the two. Take antibiotics 2 hours before magnesium supplements or 5 hours after it. For a better idea, you can consult your doctor about the timing.What Are the Side Effects of Magnesium for Sleep?
Taking magnesium supplements can cause side effects like:- Nausea
- Cramps
- Diarrhea
