The “Sleeper” Ingredient for Healthy Sleep: Magnesium

By Crystal H. Shelton, Senior Scientific Researcher

Magnesium is a very important mineral that often gets overlooked. It is involved in more than 300 enzyme systems and is considered the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, yet many people are still not getting enough of this nutrient in their diets. The average daily intake is far less than the recommended 400 mg, as set by the FDA. Several health conditions are associated with low levels of magnesium, but one that can affect every aspect of your day is sleep.

Studies report that some sleep disturbances are a result of inadequate magnesium in the body. When reviewing sleep quality, researchers have found better sleep quality to be associated with higher levels of magnesium and when these levels are low, muscles are unable to relax fully after contraction, causing cramps to develop and sleep to be disrupted. Specific issues affecting sleep are restless leg syndrome or night terrors. Some authors believe these issues might be due to a magnesium deficiency since the ingredient has such important roles in hydration, muscle relaxation, energy production and the deactivation of adrenaline. It’s also speculated that magnesium deficiency may also be one of the causes of insomnia, estimated to affect more than 1/3 of the population.

Magnesium promotes a healthy sleep quality by easing anxiety and relaxing muscles and nerves. Make sure that your body has the nutrients it requires to get better sleep for better functionality throughout your days!

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23853635
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/9703590