Magnesium and Sleep
Insomnia is certainly a growing problem in this day and age, with more and more people becoming susceptible to stress, either due to work or relationships, they are finding it hard to get a proper good night’s sleep. And these problems can often only get worse if not nipped in the bud as soon as possible, frequently increasing to chronic insomnia.
From lifestyle interventions like reducing your caffeine intake to changing your sleep routine, breaking the cycle of insomnia can be hard. Without intervention from a doctor prescribing those scary sleep pills, efforts can feel like they are falling short. You may have heard the buzz surrounding it, but is magnesium good for sleep?
Magnesium has gained traction as acting as a sleeping aid, assisting in breaking the cycle of insomnia. The mineral has a wide range of effects on the human body from lowering blood pressure, assisting with restless leg syndrome, maintaining muscle function, and helping stress become more manageable, magnesium can also influence the processes that help to promote sleep.
Magnesium Helps Your Body and Brain to Relax
In order to fall asleep, and stay asleep, you need to reach a state of relaxation in your body and your brain. In order to achieve this, magnesium aids the relaxation process on a chemical level. By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, magnesium helps you to feel calm and relaxed before going to sleep.
Magnesium is essential in the regulation of neurotransmitters, the parts that send signals throughout your body’s nervous system and brain. It also aids in the regulation of melatonin, which guides the sleep-wake cycles in your body. This means that, rather than taking melatonin pills to aid with sleep, increasing your intake of magnesium will regulate your body’s natural melatonin to the correct levels for a good night’s sleep.
Magnesium also binds to gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors, which are the neurotransmitters responsible for quieting down nerve activity; and are also the frequent target for sleeping pills that help you to relax.
OHMG water can be your best magnesium supplement for sleep when used as part of a healthy, magnesium-rich, diet. When you have healthy levels of magnesium in your system, it can help to eliminate bad sleep and insomnia, as it is a natural remedy leading to the quieting and relaxation of your nervous system; an essential process that prepares your body and mind for a well-deserved good night’s sleep.
Using Magnesium for Relaxation and Sleep
An increase of magnesium in your diet doesn’t just help get you to sleep, but it also helps you to achieve a deep and restful sleep - essential in bodily recovery.
According to a study cited in the National Library of Medicine, two focus groups were used to study the effects of magnesium on the quality of sleep. One group was given a placebo, and the other had 500mg of magnesium. Results showed that the group given magnesium ended up having better quality sleep, along with higher levels of renin and melatonin, during the study.
The quality of sleep can be attributed to the mineral’s influence on the human body’s nervous system, creating a block between neurons and more excitable molecules which leads to a calmer nervous system overall.
Can Magnesium Cause Insomnia?
Magnesium does not cause insomnia; a magnesium deficiency, however, can. So, how much magnesium is needed for sleep? The daily recommended intake of magnesium is 420mg per day for men, and up to 320mg per day for women. By simply increasing your magnesium intake, it can help lead to a better night’s sleep than you’ve been experiencing prior.
However, there are certain groups of people who are at a higher risk of developing or currently having a magnesium deficiency. These groups include:
People suffering from digestive issues:
Did you know that, if you have issues with your digestive tract, your body could actually not absorb the vitamins and minerals it needs to function at full capacity? This can result in deficiencies which can lead to further problems, such as insomnia from a magnesium deficiency, later down the line.
People with diabetes:
Insulin resistance and diabetes are linked, and this can cause excessive magnesium loss through urine.
People suffering from alcoholism:
A deficiency in magnesium is a common trait in those who suffer from alcoholism, or drink heavily.
Older adults:
It has been found that many older adults typically have a less magnesium-rich diet than younger adults of today. Perhaps something to do with the popularity of the magnesium-rich avocado? Older adults may also be less efficient at absorbing the mineral.
Here at OHMG, we recommend healthy doses of magnesium through diet or supplements to help combat insomnia. You may be wondering when to take magnesium for sleep in order to get the best possible effect.
If you’re set on supplementing, you may be wondering “how long does magnesium take to work for sleep?”. We find that the best time to take magnesium for sleep is 1-2 hours before heading to bed, this is so that it has time to work properly and aid with relaxing your body, helping you drift off to sleep. However, simply adding more magnesium rich foods and drinks like vegan-friendly OHMG water to your diet will naturally help your sleep to recover from insomniac tendencies.
Which Form of Magnesium is Best for Sleep?
Asking ‘what magnesium is good for sleep’ is a difficult question, as just getting more magnesium in your diet aids towards getting better sleep as a natural process of the mineral in our bodies.
As part of a balanced and healthy diet, OHMG water acts as the best magnesium supplement for sleep in the UK. This is because, in a single can, there is as much magnesium as an avocado. Rather than stuffing your face full of avocado toast in order to supplement your low levels of magnesium, OHMG has a range of tantalising vegan-friendly flavours on offer that will make regulating your magnesium intake throughout the day easier than ever.
While magnesium supplements are a good source of magnesium for remedying insomnia, and they do help, which type of magnesium is best for sleep? The best magnesium for sleep comes from natural sources, like foods and drinks. About 50% of the European population do not have enough magnesium in their diet, so you can add certain foods into your diet to naturally improve your sleep cycles.
These foods include:
- Leafy green vegetables like spinach or chard
- Nuts, legumes, and seeds
- Yogurts and milk
- Tofu, soy milk, soy products
- Whole grains and brown rice
- Fortified cereals and similar fortified foods
As it is clear that magnesium deficiencies can impair sleep, the best type of magnesium for sleep is that which comes from whole foods and healthy drinks like OHMG water. As these are both rich sources of magnesium that are also pretty tasty, adding more magnesium into your diet is easier than ever.
How Much Magnesium Should I Take for Sleep?
If you’re set on taking supplements, there is actually an upper limit of 350mg per day that is considered safe. High doses of magnesium can be dangerous, so if you plan on taking more than this recommended dose of magnesium, please do so only after acquiring medical supervision.
However, as mentioned above, you can achieve healthier levels of, and better quality, sleep by simply adding more magnesium into your diet in natural ways. Through food rich in magnesium, and magnesium fortified drinks like OHMG water, you may find that you have better quality sleep more frequently.
OHMG - The Best Source of Magnesium for Sleep
Are you suffering from insomnia, and are looking for a natural way to get a better night’s sleep? Magnesium deficiency is a proven cause of poor sleep in the modern human, as well as stress in the modern age. Studies have shown that magnesium can help you get to sleep quicker, and even improve the quality of your sleep. By introducing more magnesium into your diet by increasing your intake of magnesium rich foods alongside OHMG magnesium infused water, the quality of your sleep can improve for the long term.
OHMG water is available in a great range of flavours. From tantalising raspberry and lemon balm, to peach and rosemary, you can introduce more of the essential mineral into your diet in a delicious way.
