Sleep & relaxation - magnesium

Magnesium as a dietary supplement is often recommended for better sleep. This nutrient and mineral plays a major role in sleep regulation. Current research shows that magnesium supplements can help the body relax and even improve insomnia symptoms.

Why is magnesium important?

Magnesium is a nutrient and mineral that is important for more than 300 processes in the body. Magnesium maintains a healthy immune system, regulates muscle and nerve function, ensures stable blood pressure and keeps your bones strong. Magnesium also helps manage blood sugar levels and is needed for protein and energy production. To name a few of the minerals' important roles in the body.

The health claims that may be made for magnesium are as follows :

• Magnesium helps to reduce fatigue and exhaustion
• Magnesium contributes to electrolyte balance
• Magnesium contributes to normal energy metabolism
• Magnesium contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system
• Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function
• Magnesium contributes to normal protein synthesis
• Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function
• Magnesium contributes to maintaining a normal bone structure
• Magnesium helps maintain normal teeth
• Magnesium has a role in the cell division process

Why is magnesium important for sleep?

Adding extra magnesium to your diet has the potential to help you sleep better. While scientists know that magnesium plays an important role in sleep regulation, they do not fully understand the effect of magnesium on sleep. What is clear from the research, however, is that a lack of magnesium affects sleep negatively.

A serious lack of magnesium in the body is rare. However, some of the signs of insufficient magnesium in your diet are muscle weakness and fatigue. Low levels of magnesium are associated with poor sleep quality and insomnia.

Anxiety and depression also correlate with low magnesium levels, and both anxiety and depression can in turn contribute to insomnia.

What is the best magnesium supplement for insomnia?

COLLAGEN - SLEEP & RELAX WITH KSM-66 ASHWAGANDHA ® contains ashwagandha, magnesium, GABA, vitamin C and 7440 mg PEPTAN B® collagen per daily dose.

• Magnesium helps to reduce fatigue and exhaustion.
• Ashwagandha (KSM66®) helps improve the body's resistance to stress, helps the body deal with stress , and helps you recover from stressful events.
• Ashwagandha (KSM66®) helps maintain mental balance and emotional stability.
• Ashwagandha (KSM66®) supports falling asleep.
• Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of fatigue and exhaustion.

Can magnesium improve sleep?

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder where you have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both. People suffering from insomnia experience a lack of energy and do not feel rested in the morning. They may also struggle with excessive daytime sleepiness, irritability, anxiety or depression.

Research shows that magnesium can help improve sleep. In a study on elderly patients suffering from insomnia, who took 500 mg of magnesium daily for eight weeks, the following results were obtained:

• Fell asleep faster and slept longer
• Increased their “sleep efficiency,” meaning they spent more time sleeping while in bed
• Woke up later and reduced early morning awakenings
• Experienced increased concentrations of melatonin (a sleep hormone), and serum renin which plays a role in regulating blood pressure
• Experienced decreased concentrations of serum cortisol, the "stress hormone"

Other studies have also produced similar results.

Is magnesium good for restless leg syndrome?

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disease that causes unpleasant and sometimes painful crawling in the legs and/or arms. Depending on the mechanism of onset, RLS can be divided into primary and secondary forms of the disease. Restless leg syndrome (RLS) often has its peak in the evening when you are more rested before it is time to sleep. The feeling makes it difficult to fall asleep, and these people often wake up at night from ants crawling in their legs and arms, so that the night's sleep is disturbed.

Research shows mixed results when using magnesium to treat patients with RLS. A small study found that sleep quality increased from 75%-85% when RLS patients took magnesium for 4-6 weeks.

Other studies have shown that magnesium can reduce leg cramps during pregnancy.

What are the benefits of a dietary supplement with magnesium apart from contributing to better sleep?

In addition to improving sleep, magnesium supplements can be used to treat other health conditions:

• Osteoporosis: Magnesium is an important component in the bone building process. Preliminary research shows that magnesium supplements may reduce bone loss caused by osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is due to the fact that the balance between the breakdown and the build-up of the body's skeleton is disturbed, so that more bone is broken down than is regenerated.
• Cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure: Research shows that magnesium can reduce the risk of stroke or heart disease. However, the participants in these studies received a variety of nutrients, so the results cannot be attributed to magnesium alone. In addition, research shows that magnesium can reduce blood pressure, but only minimally.
• Type 2 diabetes: Because magnesium plays a role in the breakdown of sugars in the body, you are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you get a high amount of magnesium through your diet. Researchers currently have insufficient evidence to prove that magnesium is effective in managing type 2 diabetes if you already have the disease.
• Migraines and headaches: People with low levels of magnesium are more likely to experience headaches or migraines. Limited studies have shown that magnesium can reduce the frequency and duration of migraines/headaches. Magnesium can be effective as a migraine treatment, and can be considered as a possible preventive measure. However, since the effective level of magnesium for migraine treatment is higher than the upper standard limit, you should only take magnesium for migraine with the guidance of your doctor.

Can magnesium affect the neurotransmitter GABA?

Some people suffer from insomnia because they can't seem to turn off their brain at night. Magnesium helps slow down your thinking by regulating a neurotransmitter called GABA.

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is an important amino acid that plays a key role in your overall sleep health. One of GABA's primary functions is essentially to help your brain wind down for the night. This neurotransmitter slows down communication between your brain and central nervous system, helping you relax, de-stress and ultimately fall asleep.

Magnesium helps your body maintain healthy levels of GABA, enabling quality sleep. Additionally, GABA can help calm both body and mind as you prepare for sleep.

Are there risks with taking too much magnesium?

Magnesium supplements, when taken in appropriate doses, pose few risks. The kidneys of healthy individuals can eliminate extra magnesium in the urine. However, if you take extremely high doses of magnesium, you may experience:

• Diarrhea
• Cramps
• Nausea

Additionally, extremely high intakes of magnesium can lead to irregular heartbeats. However, taking magnesium with food can reduce the likelihood of these symptoms.

Magnesium can also interact with certain medications. Consult your doctor and review your current medications before taking magnesium from supplements.

What is melatonin and does it work the same way as magnesium?

Magnesium and melatonin have different functions in the body. Magnesium is a mineral that regulates various body processes, while melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep patterns.

Magnesium helps the body to relax. Magnesium reduces stress and helps you sleep longer. However, melatonin helps you fall asleep faster. Both magnesium and melatonin can be used to treat insomnia, sometimes even in combination.

How much magnesium should you eat every day?

Recommended intake for adults is 280 mg for women and 350 mg for men - magnesium daily.

Certain groups are at higher risk of insufficient magnesium levels:

• Older adults
• Teenagers
• People with type 2 diabetes
• People who drink too much alcohol
• People with gastrointestinal disorders

Which foods contain magnesium?

You can find magnesium naturally in many foods, including:

• Leafy greens, such as spinach
• Nuts, legumes and seeds, including cashews, almonds, peas and beans
• Yoghurt and milk
• Tofu, soy milk and other soy products
• Whole grains, like brown rice