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How Can Magnesium Help You Sleep Better?

There is a lot of hype about magnesium as an effective treatment for better sleep. According to many recent studies, this nutrient can promote sleep and help you eliminate insomnia. Taking this nutrient in your diet or through supplements as per your requirement will help your body relax and fall asleep quickly and peacefully. 

If you don’t know much about magnesium and its role in sleep, then this post is for you. Let’s begin with a brief introduction to magnesium. 

What Is Magnesium? 

Magnesium is a nutrient your body needs for almost 600 processes (1). The functioning of many systems in your body depends upon the adequate amount of magnesium, for example, the skeletal system, heart, blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammatory response and energy levels. Without sufficient amounts of magnesium, your body will be unable to carry out these functions normally. 

Daily Recommended Intake of Magnesium 

There are various factors that influence your daily intake of magnesium and these include age, sex, pregnancy and breastfeeding. For adults, the recommended magnesium intake by experts is 300 to 420 milligrams. Magnesium is a nutrient that isn’t produced in the body, so you have to ensure it in your diet to fulfill your magnesium requirement. If you don’t consume food that contains magnesium, you can get this nutrient from supplements. 

Studies say that 48 percent of the magnesium needs of Americans are fulfilled by using supplements. Magnesium deficiency is more common in some people than others and the people that are most affected are: 

  • Older adults 
  • Teenagers 
  • People who drink alcohol too often
  • Diabetes type 2 patients 
  • People suffering from gastrointestinal disorders 

It’s better to get yourself checked by a nutritionist or doctor to determine the ideal magnesium levels you should consume daily. An expert will examine all your health conditions and then recommend a suitable dose. 

How Can Magnesium Help You Sleep Better? 

Let’s discuss the main point now, how can magnesium help you sleep better? Energy production isn’t the only role magnesium plays in your body, as it can also impact your sleeping pattern. The activity of GABA receptors is stimulated when you have adequate amounts of magnesium in the body (2). GABA receptors help your body get over the phase of excitement and achieve a state of homeostasis. So, if you’re trying to relax after a tiring day, balanced magnesium consumption can help you do this and sleep better. 

Studies also reveal the impact of magnesium on your sleep-wake cycle. Magnesium's relaxing and calming properties improve your mood, allowing you to sleep peacefully. It’s also found that high amounts of magnesium can reduce the level of stress hormone (3), cortisol, in the body, which is the primary reason for triggering insomnia. 

How to Use Magnesium for a Peaceful Sleep? 

Considering magnesium's calming and relaxing properties, it’s a good idea to consume some foods rich in magnesium before going to bed. When you’re consuming sufficient magnesium, make sure to stop eating too much before the evening. If you eat too much food before bedtime, you’ll face problems with sleeping quickly. 

Not all magnesium compounds are good to fulfil your magnesium requirements. For example, if you’re using magnesium complexes such as magnesium citrate, magnesium malate and magnesium oxide for your magnesium needs, you might disturb your bowel movements (4). These complexes will make the magnesium readily available, but you surely won’t like to wake up at night due to a disturbed stomach. 

Instead of these magnesium complexes, pair magnesium with two glycine amino acid molecules, also known as magnesium bis-glycinate. This magnesium molecule will provide magnesium to the body as soon as it enters the body without leading to gastrointestinal issues.

How to Get Magnesium Naturally? 

If you don’t want to use supplements for any reason, you can also have your magnesium intake from foods. Here are some common food sources that can help you get magnesium naturally:

  • Leafy green vegetables 
  • Seeds, nuts and legumes
  • Milk 
  • Yoghurt 
  • Soy milk, tofu and other soy products 
  • Whole grains, like brown rice 

Always remember that most of the foods in supermarkets come from monocrop agriculture and those are normally depleted of minerals and vitamins.

Bottom Line 

Magnesium is an important mineral that you can use to promote sleep. It will enhance your sleep quality by calming and relaxing your mind. You can get this vital nutrient from supplements and natural food sources. Just consult your doctor or nutritionist before using anything for magnesium needs! 

References 

  1. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00012.2014?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507254/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/
  4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#en22