If you’ve ever had problems falling asleep, or staying asleep, then you’ve likely tried all that you can think of to help improve your routine. Sometimes, breaking the habit of a bad sleeping pattern can be hard, but it isn’t impossible. Sadly, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to these things and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another, but there are some general tips and advice that have had widespread success.
One of these approaches is the use of magnesium supplements, as it has numerous benefits for the body and can influence some of the processes that help your body prepare for sleep. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the ways that magnesium supplements can help with your sleep.
Help Your Brain and Body Relax
If you struggle to switch off before bedtime, or find that you can’t relax, then you’ve likely tried many different things to help with this. Cutting down on caffeine, reducing screen time, minimising light in the bedroom and taking a warm bath or shower before bed are all general suggestions, but their effectiveness is usually very minimal for people who suffer from extreme insomnia or long periods of not being able to sleep.
Magnesium supplements help to regulate the nervous system, which is the system in your body that makes you calm and relaxed, as it helps to balance the neurotransmitters that send signals from your nervous system through to your brain. By calming and balancing your nervous system, magnesium can help your body recognise the signals for sleep, preparing your body and mind.
Improve Sleep Quality
Around 30-40% of adults have issues with their sleep, but not everyone is an insomniac. A lot of people struggle to stay asleep for periods of time, often waking up every 1-2 hours, or waking up particularly early. Magnesium not only helps you to get to sleep, but it can also help you to stay asleep for longer. This is because magnesium supports the nervous system and this then contributes to deeper, more restful sleep. Magnesium tablets, taken before bedtime, can stimulate calmness within the nervous system, contributing to better and improved sleep quality.
Reduce Restless Leg Syndrome
As well as improving the quality of sleep, taking magnesium supplements can help improve the symptoms of restless leg syndrome. For those suffering from restless leg syndrome, it can be hugely debilitating when it comes to getting sleep, as it causes an overwhelming urge to move and settle your legs.
In the same way that magnesium can help you to feel calm and more relaxed, it can also be used as a natural therapy to reduce the symptoms of restless leg syndrome, enabling you to get a better night’s sleep. Magnesium has also been found to reduce leg cramps and discomfort for pregnant women, and further research has shown that magnesium helps to alleviate leg cramps, aches and pains in adults.
Improve Gut Health
If you suffer from acid reflux or heartburn, then you’ll know all too well the discomfort that it can cause in the evenings or during the night. It can cause you to feel nauseous, uncomfortable or even vomit, impacting your sleep quality. Studies have shown that magnesium can help to relax the muscles in the stomach and intestines, as well as neutralise stomach acid and help promote a healthier digestive tract. If traditional remedies have proved unsuccessful, then taking magnesium in tablet or capsule form before bedtime can minimise symptoms of poor gut health, helping you to get a good night’s sleep.