Take Magnesium to Sleep Like a Baby

Have you been wondering, “Will magnesium help me sleep?” Some of the main health benefits of magnesium make this mineral particularly good at calming you down and relaxing your brain and body. And for those reasons, magnesium is great for helping you to sleep like a baby. In this article, learn about the top 8 reasons why you may want to consider magnesium for sleep support.

I will cover:

• Why is magnesium important in the body?
• 8 benefits of magnesium for better sleep.
• How to get enough magnesium in your diet.
• Key takeaways.
   

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What does magnesium do in the body?

Magnesium is a very important mineral electrolyte.

Magnesium is involved in so many different biochemical reactions in the body. It plays a key role as a co-factor (a helper element) in over 300 different enzymes. This means that it has over 300 separate functions, helping to activate certain reactions and perform important duties in all of your cells and organs. Magnesium is essential for your nerves, muscles, and heart to function properly, for example.

Some of the major health benefits of magnesium include helping your muscles to relax, calming down your nerves, and decreasing stress. All of these benefits help to quiet your nervous system and body. And as a result? Magnesium is great for improving your sleep and supporting insomnia.

Below, I will share with you the top 8 links between magnesium and sleep, and why you may want to consider looking to magnesium for sleep improvement.

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Magnesium for sleep: 8 reasons why it helps you sleep like a baby

As I mentioned above, magnesium can help to calm and quiet your nervous system and body, allowing you to drift off easier and sleep peacefully through the night.

Here are some of the top ways in which magnesium helps you sleep:

1. It increases serotonin

Magnesium increases serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is good for your mood and helps keep your stress levels low; both of these things can help with sleep problems.

But the real benefit here is the link between magnesium and melatonin via serotonin. You see, serotonin increases melatonin, which is the sleep hormone. So by increasing serotonin levels, magnesium can help to increase melatonin as well and help you get better sleep.

2. It regulates GABA

Another magnesium effect on sleep is regulating something called GABA. GABA is a relaxing neurotransmitter. It is a chemical your nerves use to communicate, and it is one that promotes calm. By calming your nervous system, GABA can help you to relax and prepare for rest.

Magnesium increases GABA activity, which is useful if you are trying to calm down and get a restful night’s sleep.

3. It decreases adrenaline

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Adrenaline is part of the fight or flight response of your sympathetic nervous system. When adrenaline is up, you are on high alert. And if you are in adrenal stress mode, good luck drifting off to sleep. It just won’t happen.

Magnesium can help to decrease adrenaline, which is very useful if you are wanting to find calm and fall asleep.

4. It helps your muscles relax

One of the major magnesium benefits for sleep is that it helps all of the muscles in your body to relax. From your skeletal muscles to the muscles in your internal organs, magnesium is able to help them loosen up and relieve any cramping, spasms, or tightness.

If all of your muscles are tight and cramped, you’ll have a hard time sleeping. So whether you need help relieving a calf cramp or help soothing a spasm in your digestive system, this is another reason to rely on magnesium to help you sleep through the night.

For another tip on loosening your muscles for sleep, go here.

5. It decreases inflammation

Have you ever tried to sleep when you are in pain or are dealing with inflammation? It is very difficult. Another reason magnesium benefits sleep is that it can help to lower inflammation in the body. Magnesium decreases something called C-reactive protein, which is a protein that is linked to the inflammatory response.

By lowering inflammation and helping to relieve pain, magnesium supports more restful sleep.

6. It helps restless leg syndrome

If you have restless leg syndrome, then you know that it can drive you completely crazy at night. I used to have this condition, and the only way I could relieve it was to get up in the middle of the night to run and get rid of the excess energy in my legs. It was completely disruptive to my sleep.

Magnesium can help to relieve restless leg syndrome symptoms, allowing you to get the rest you really need.

7. It supports heart problems

Another big connection between magnesium and sleep is related to heart health. Magnesium can help to lessen heart problems like angina and arrhythmias, and it helps to provide more oxygen to the heart.

Try to sleep if you have angina or abnormal heart rhythms – it won’t be easy. The fewer symptoms you have related to your heart, the better you are going to be able to sleep.

8. It reduces PMS cramping

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Relieving PMS cramping is another reason to look to magnesium for sleep. As I discussed above, magnesium helps to relax your muscles and reduce cramping. Menstrual cramps are caused by the muscles in your uterus cramping up, so magnesium can be useful for relieving these symptoms.

And if you aren’t cramping at night, you’ll be able to sleep a lot better.

How to get enough magnesium in your diet

Low magnesium could be one of the reasons you aren’t sleeping well. That is why making sure you have plenty of magnesium in your diet is a great option for supporting insomnia and other sleep problems.

But most people aren’t getting enough magnesium each day. In fact, over 50% of people are deficient in magnesium.

To make things even trickier, you can have a subclinical magnesium deficiency and not even know it. A blood test can come back normal even if you don’t actually have enough magnesium in your body.

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It is crucial to pack your diet full of magnesium-rich foods, especially if you are having trouble sleeping.

Choose high-magnesium foods such as:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Almonds
• Avocados
• Leafy greens
• Dark chocolate
   

Women need 320 mg of magnesium per day, and men need 420 mg. Learn more about healthy, keto-friendly foods high in magnesium here.

Key takeaways

Magnesium is a very important mineral that helps to calm down your brain and body, allowing you to get peaceful rest and a better night’s sleep. From regulating neurotransmitters to relaxing your muscles and supporting your heart, there are many reasons why it is important to consider magnesium for sleep.

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So if you want to sleep better, try looking to magnesium for sleep support. Make sure you are getting the recommended daily amount every single day by eating magnesium-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, spinach, leafy greens, and almonds.

Did you know about the link between magnesium and sleep? Will you consider magnesium to help you sleep? Share your questions and comments with me down below.

Up Next: -

• Calcium and Magnesium Absorption Basics
• 5 Subclinical Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms
• What is Transdermal Magnesium
   

Disclaimer: Our educational content is not meant or intended for medical advice or treatment.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for quality and relevancy.