Restless nights are all too common. It’s estimated that over 30% of the population doesn’t get enough quality sleep. This is bad news because a lack of sleep contributes to a variety of health issues, in addition to grumpy moods.
There are plenty of things you can do to ease yourself into a good night’s sleep, like avoiding screens before bed, reducing your caffeine intake and avoiding alcohol before bed. Things in your physical environment can help too, like blacking out your room so it’s nice and dark and making sure the temperature is cool. But what if you’re already doing these things and still having trouble catching some quality zzz’s?
Before you go looking for a sleeping pill, there’s a natural sleep aid that can help you relax into sleep, without a groggy morning wake up. That’s magnesium.
You might have heard of melatonin, which can help you fall asleep (and it’s great for jet lag), but it won’t improve the quality of sleep you get. Magnesium on the other hand, will help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer because it helps your body relax.
That’s because magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant. It will help your body and mind to calm down. It also lowers your blood pressure, which is helpful for moving into a sleep state.
There are different types of magnesium, but the one tested most often for sleep is magnesium glycinate (where the magnesium molecule is attached to the amino acid glycinate).
The daily recommended amount of magnesium is a maximum of 350 mg for sources other than from food. Be cautious with magnesium supplements if you have kidney problems, always consult your doctor. Luckily, you don’t have to take that much to get sleep benefits. A before bed dose of 120 mg of magnesium glycinate has been found to improve your body’s ability to relax into sleep and stay asleep throughout the night, without feeling groggy in the morning.
There are many benefits of a good night’s rest for your mind and body. If you’re ready to embrace a deeper sleep, take full advantage of the support of a magnesium supplement.