Taking magnesium for sleep isn't an old wives tale. In fact, this amazing mineral has proven itself to be a natural sleep aid, according to research data.
Magnesium is an essential mineral needed for more than 300 enzyme functions in the human body, including the deactivation of adrenaline, which can induce deeper sleep,
according to The Huffington Post.
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GABA receptors are calming neurotransmitters that tell the brain to shut off so the body can sleep and restore itself. GABA receptors require magnesium to function properly; otherwise, the brain is wound up making it difficult to sleep.
Some of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency may include difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, muscle cramps, cold hands and feet, frequent urination, or small muscle twitches.
In a study
published by the National Institutes of Health, magnesium for sleep was researched in a group of 46 elderly subjects. The treatment group received 500 mg of magnesium for 8 weeks; the control group received a placebo for the same length of time.
Results at the end of the study period revealed magnesium supplementation significantly increased sleep time, sleep efficiency, serum cortisol and melatonin levels, and showed a significant decrease in the time it took to fall asleep with less early morning awakening.
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Experts have found that magnesium in the form of aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride are more readily absorbed and bioavailable than magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate, according to the NIH.
Magnesium levels in food sources have greatly diminished in the U.S. and higher levels of serum magnesium are usually associated with supplementation. This decrease of magnesium from food sources is thought to be caused by industrialized agriculture and the use of pesticides, reduced magnesium levels in the soil, and a diet high in processed foods, s
ays Ancient Minerals, and may explain why there is an increase in sleep disorders from magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium-rich foods are still available, especially through organic farming. Some of these food choices include almonds, bran cereals, cashews, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, halibut, spinach, unsweetened cocoa, cooked quinoa, coffee, boiled soybeans, black-eyed peas, raw parsley, fried eggs, pan-fried bacon, salmon, green leafy vegetables, pasta sauce, potatoes boiled without the skin, milk, apples, oatmeal, whole wheat spaghetti, roasted chicken breast, and tofu.
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