Sleep Better with Magnesium: A Natural Remedy for Insomnia
Sleep Better with Magnesium: A Natural Remedy for Insomnia
There isn’t much that compares to a poor night’s sleep when it comes to ruining your day both physically and mentally. Insufficient sleep will leave you feeling drowsy and sluggish with low energy and moodiness. Your thinking becomes slowed, attention span reduced, and memory worsens. Not to mention an accompanying headache and increased sensitivity to sound, light, and pain.
With all of these negative effects from just one night of poor sleep, it’s no surprise then why long-term sleep deprivation would have a negative impact on physical and mental health, including the exacerbation of other disorders of the body.1,2
Insomnia: An All Too Common Threat to Health
Insomnia, or difficulty falling or staying asleep, is the most common sleep disorder in the US afflicting approximately 40% of adults annually with associated healthcare costs that exceed $100 billion per year. Unfortunately, these rates continue to increase, further burdening the healthcare system and reducing quality of life overall.
Insomnia has a variety of causes. Commonly these include stressful life events, mental health issues like anxiety or depression, medical conditions like asthma or chronic pain, hormonal changes like PMS and pregnancy, travel or shiftwork that disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythms, and stimulant use like caffeine or certain medications.3,4
Common Causes of Insomnia:
ü Stressful life events
ü Travel and shiftwork
ü Medical conditions
ü Nutrient deficiencies
ü Medications
ü Stimulant use
ü Mental health issues
ü Pregnancy, PMS, and menopause
Insomnia can be classified as short-term (less than 3 months) or chronic (3 or more nights per week of insufficient sleep for at least 3 months) and can have detrimental effects on health and well-being especially when experienced over long periods.5
This is because sleep is our body’s daily opportunity to revive and repair itself. Sleep activates a healing state in the body that every cell takes advantage of, which maximizes healing and re-establishes balance. Our immune system is restored, and our brain prioritizes processes like waste removal and memory consolidation for improved cognition, mood, and emotional control.6,7
Common Symptoms of Insomnia:
ü Difficulty falling and staying asleep
ü Not feeling well-rested after a night of sleep
ü Drowsiness and fatigue during the day
ü Moodiness and irritability
ü Problems with concentration and memory
ü Sensitivity to sound, light and pain
If you are someone who struggles with insomnia, it is vital that you take steps to improve your sleep by providing the body with the support it needs, such as quality natural herbs and supplements, while working with a qualified healthcare provider to properly address the cause. Through restoring balance to the system, you are on your way towards reestablishing a restorative sleep state.
How Can Magnesium Help?
Fortunately, insomnia is a disorder that can be effectively addressed through adjustments of lifestyle habits. This is the case for those suffering from insomnia driven by a deficiency in the essential mineral magnesium.
Magnesium is a vital electrolyte used by the body to help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, catalyze the production of energy, proteins, DNA, and bones, and regulate the communication and activity of the nervous, cardiovascular, and muscular systems.
Major Roles of Magnesium in the Body:
ü Energy production
ü Blood glucose control
ü Blood pressure regulation
ü Protein and bone production
ü Melatonin and serotonin production
ü Muscle and nerve communication
ü DNA production
ü Heart rhythm control
ü Immune system support
Magnesium’s role in the regulation of the nervous system and the production of melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone, is theorized to be why it plays a significant role in improving sleep quality and decreasing incidences of insomnia.
Encouragingly, studies have shown that improving available levels of magnesium can improve sleep quality overall and help insomnia-sufferers fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer while minimizing disruptive awakenings.8
Magnesium Sources
The optimal way to get magnesium into your system is through diet as well as through supplements, particularly for those with digestive issues, poor nutritional intake or who prefer a convenient supplemental form. Fortunately, magnesium can be found in most foods with primary sources being meat, fish, seafood, and dairy products.
Other potent sources of magnesium include9:
o Apples
o Bananas
o Lemons
o Peaches
o Green leafy vegetables
o Potatoes
o Nuts
o Alfalfa
o Chamomile
o Dandelion
o Parsley
o Lemongrass
o Garlic
o Whole grains
Magnesium supplements may be found in tablet, capsule, and liquid form, which may offer additional support when combined with other herbs and supplements that support restful sleep. Optimizing levels of magnesium may be your ticket to defeating disorders like insomnia and restoring overall health and well-being.
Medical Disclaimer: The content in this article should not be taken as medical advice or used as a direct recommendation for any treatment or medication. Always consult with a properly licensed healthcare provider before making any changes to your current health and wellness routine.
References
References:
1. Dimitriu, A., & Suni, E. (2023, July 25). Sleep Deprivation: Understanding the Hidden Consequences. SleepFoundation.org. Retrieved from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation
2. Robarda, K. (2020, June 2). How lack of sleep affects your eyesight. SleepEducation.org. Retrieved from: https://sleepeducation.org/lack-sleep-affects-eyesight/
3. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2016, October 15). Insomnia. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167
4. Robinson, J. (2021, July 21). Insomnia. WebMD. Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/insomnia-symptoms-and-causes
5. Insomnia. Dopheide, J. A. (2020, April 12). Insomnia Overview: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Monitoring, and Nonpharmacologic Therapy. The American Journal of Managed Care, 26(4). Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.37765/ajmc.2020.42769
6. Buysse, D.J. (2014, January 1). Sleep Health: Can We Define It? Does It Matter? Sleep. 37(1):9-17. doi: 10.5665/sleep.3298. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3902880/
7. Good Sleep for Good Health. (2021, April). National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/sites/nihNIH/files/2021/April/NIHNiHApr2021.pdf
8. Summer, J. (2023, September 8). How Magnesium Can Help You Sleep. SleepFoundation.org. Retrieved from: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/magnesium
9. Balch, P. A. (2023). Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Sixth Edition. Avery.
