How Magnesium Can Improve Your Sleep

Canadians are just not getting enough quality sleep and I hear this from patients regularly at my naturopathic clinic in Toronto.

There are many factors influencing how well and for how long you sleep.

However, there are building blocks your body needs when it comes to falling and staying asleep.

Magnesium is one of the minerals essential for sleep. Ensuring your body has enough magnesium may be the key to improving your sleep quality.

From stress to physical discomfort, better nutrition can help reduce factors that interfere with sleep.

According to Statistics Canada, one in three Canadians is getting less sleep than they need¹.

Today, we’re going to look into the role magnesium plays in regard to your health and why it’s so crucial when it comes to sleeping well.

What Is Magnesium?

There are seven essential macro-minerals your body needs in abundance, and magnesium is one of them.

(The other six are calcium, potassium, sulphur, phosphorus, sodium, and chloride)

Magnesium is essential to all cells and it’s not produced in the body, which means that diet is your primary source of magnesium.

Foods high in this mineral include:

• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes
• Dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collard greens
• Meat and dairy products
• Whole grains
• Vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, squash, artichokes
• Coffee

A general rule of thumb is that foods high in fibre tend to be high in magnesium as well.

Magnesium deficiency is very common in adults, with more than a third of Canadians over the age of 19 failing to meet the recommended minimum intake².

Chronic magnesium deficiency has been linked with a number of illnesses, including osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

General Health Benefits Of Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral- it’s necessary for multiple bodily systems and functions.

One of its key roles is enabling the healthy function of enzymes, which are protein molecules needed for metabolic processes that keep you alive.

In fact, magnesium is essential to over 300 different enzymes.

Alongside this important purpose, magnesium is responsible for:

• Bone development and the prevention of bone loss
• Regulating cholesterol production, blood glucose levels, and blood pressure
• Energy production
• Maintaining fluid balance
• Transporting essential minerals such as potassium and calcium
• Assisting muscles and nerves
• Maintaining proper heart rhythm
• Regulating stress-related hormones and your body’s stress-response system

Overall, you can see how crucial this mineral is for your body to function at its best.

The health benefits that result from an adequate consumption of magnesium are wide-reaching, but one of the key ways magnesium benefits your health is by improving your sleep.

How Magnesium Helps You Sleep

Quality sleep is necessary for not only brain function, but also the overall wellbeing of your body.

Let’s look at some of the ways magnesium works within your body to help you get consistent and quality sleep.

1. Magnesium Deficiency Is Linked With Insomnia

Insomnia is a common symptom of a magnesium deficiency.

If you’re deficient in this mineral, you may wake frequently and be unable to reach the deeper levels of sleep.

This will leave you feeling restless throughout the day, which can impact your ability to perform regular daily functions.

Insomnia is particularly common in older adults, with nearly 50% experiencing this sleep condition — and magnesium deficiencies are also more common in this population.

Magnesium supplements have been shown to improve multiple measures of insomnia in elderly people, including time spent asleep, sleep efficiency, and time spent falling asleep³.

2. Magnesium Can Help Manage Chronic Pain

Many chronic conditions cause various kinds of pain, which can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts for at least 12 weeks.

Magnesium plays a role in chronic pain by reducing inflammation, improving mobility, and lessening pain intensity.

It has proven to have an analgesic effect on both acute and chronic pain in humans⁴.

Low levels of magnesium have also been linked to an increase of pain symptoms, specifically headaches and symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.

Supplemental magnesium can help relieve migraines, improve pain points, and reduce chronic lower back pain.

Proper sleep can be elusive when you have a chronic pain condition.

Ask your naturopathic doctor for more details on magnesium as a natural treatment option for chronic pain.

3. Magnesium Can Help Relieve PMS Symptoms

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, can come with some uncomfortable and often painful symptoms including cramping, mood swings, anxiety, and bloating.

These symptoms can often interfere with work, relationships, mental health, and, most importantly for the purpose of this article, sleep quality.

Sleeping deeply and restfully can feel out of reach when you’re experiencing pain and anxiety as a result of PMS; however, magnesium may be your natural solution.

In research conducted on how magnesium affects PMS severity, it was concluded that magnesium supplements (especially in tandem with vitamin B6) were very effective and showed a significant decrease in symptoms⁵.

4. Magnesium Increases GABA Levels

Magnesium helps relieve sleeplessness by maintaining proper GABA levels and assisting its function.

GABA, or gamma aminobutyric acid, is a naturally occurring amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter.

It reduces the activity of your brain neurons and central nervous system, which reduces stress and allows you to get deep, restful sleep.

GABA also affects your vision, motor control, and anxiety levels.

The magnesium ions in your body can occupy GABA receptors and help facilitate neurotransmission, thereby helping this important amino acid to do its job.

Magnesium also increases GABA levels, making it easier for you to relax.

5. Magnesium Can Help Reduce Hyperactivity In Children

It’s already difficult enough to get children to bed, but what if they can’t fall asleep due to hyperactivity?

Magnesium can help your child achieve restful sleep by decreasing hyperactivity and improving cognitive function.

Research has shown a connection between low magnesium and hyperactivity in children, specifically children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)⁶.

The inverse has also proven to be true, that children without ADHD have statistically higher levels of magnesium.

1. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2017009/article/54857-eng.htm
2. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-nutrition-surveillance/health-nutrition-surveys/canadian-community-health-survey-cchs/canadian-adults-meet-their-nutrient-requirements-through-food-intake-alone-health-canada-2012.html
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27978803
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22069417
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30807974

Book An Appointment With Nardini Naturopathic

Considering the key role magnesium plays in sleep quality, it’s important that you ensure you’re consuming enough of this essential mineral every day.

Supplementation can be an excellent option, but you should always consult with your naturopath before adding any new supplement to your lifestyle.

To achieve better sleep through natural means, contact me, Dr. Pat Nardini, at Nardini Naturopathic.

I would love to work with you to determine how we can get your sleep schedule back on track.

Magnesium can be a powerful tool in your quest for restful sleep, and it’s within your reach.

Book an appointment with Nardini Naturopathic today.