Mineral Delivers Better Sleep TONIGHT
Good, quality sleep is hard to come by these days.
Just look at the 9 million people popping prescription sleep pills.
When I’m working with a patient to help them improve their sleep, I try to avoid sleeping pills if possible. Instead, I focus on lifestyle fixes for sleep problems.
But if you need a little EXTRA help getting good, quality sleep, there’s a natural mineral that can do the trick safely.
Studies show that supplementing with magnesium can tackle sleep problems from two angles. The mineral improves sleep quality and makes it easier to fall asleep.
Research shows that, in seniors, magnesium supplements improve subjective sleep parameters like insomnia severity index score, sleep efficiency, sleep time, sleep onset latency, and early morning awakening.
The mineral also improves objective measures like the concentrations of serum renin (a protein linked to REM sleep), melatonin, and serum cortisol.
There are many reasons why magnesium affects sleep.
The mineral …
- regulates GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps calm your nervous system
- relaxes your muscles by regulating the neurotransmitter N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor
- promotes the sleep hormone melatonin (which often runs low in people with low magnesium)
Magnesium also reduces the stress hormone cortisol, which can help calm your body and promote better sleep.
Together, these effects lead to a calmer, more relaxed state that sets the stage for a more restful night’s sleep.
To increase the magnesium in your diet, eat more spinach, whole grains, beans, and legumes.
If you want to supplement with magnesium, take magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate about 30 minutes before bed.
P.S. Still can’t sleep? Try these powerful and effective insomnia BUSTING tips.
SOURCE:
“The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: a Systematic Review of Available Literature,” Biological Trace Element Research 201(3), February 2022, DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03162-1
