How Magnesium Can Help You Sleep Better
Many people with a magnesium deficiency suffer from insomnia. Women especially are prone to low levels of magnesium. Several studies. View source have shown that increasing your magnesium intake improves your sleep performance.
Not having enough magnesium in your system can cause troubled sleep and even insomnia
Studies have shown that optimal levels of this mineral are needed for normal sleep and that both high and low levels can cause sleep problems. Insufficient magnesium intake is linked to sleep problems. Some populations are particularly at risk of deficiency. Certain groups of people have a higher risk of magnesium deficiency, including:- People with digestive diseases: Issues with your digestive tract can cause your body to not absorb vitamins and minerals properly, resulting in deficiencies.
- People with diabetes: Insulin resistance and diabetes are linked with excess magnesium loss.
- People with alcohol dependence: Deficiency in this mineral is common among those who drink heavily.
- Older adults: Many older adults have less magnesium in their diets than younger adults and may also be less efficient at absorbing it.
Magnesium may help treat anxiety and depression, two mood disorders that can cause sleep problems.
Anxiety and depression can both have a negative impact on sleep. Interestingly, magnesium has been shown to help alleviate both of these mood disorders. This is especially true when there’s a magnesium deficiency, since anxiety, depression and mental confusion are often seen during deficiency. Emerging research also indicates that this mineral could enhance conventional antidepressant treatment and possibly treat anxiety. While how this works isn’t fully understood, it seems to be related to magnesium’s ability to stimulate the calming devices of the nervous system. If your insomnia is related to an underlying mood disorder, then magnesium just might help.how Magnesium Can Help Relax Your Brain and Body
In order to fall asleep and stay asleep, your body and brain need to relax.
On a chemical level, magnesium aids this process by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, the system responsible for getting you calm and relaxed.
First, magnesium regulates neurotransmitters, which send signals throughout the nervous system and brain. It also regulates the hormone melatonin, which guides sleep-wake cycles in your body.
Second, this mineral binds to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. GABA is the neurotransmitter responsible for quieting down nerve activity.
Magnesium helps activate neurotransmitters that are responsible for calming the body and the mind. And by helping to quiet the nervous system, magnesium may help prepare your body and mind for sleep.