Magnesium, for health, and a good night's sleep
Taking magnesium, a naturally occurring element, can help you physically and mentally and ensure you get a good night's sleep.
Magnesium is involved in many bodily functions and processes. Ensuring you get enough can mean the difference between regular, healthy bowel movements and constipation; a satisfying slumber and a sleepless night; and a healthy, happy mind and depression.
VALI's blog titled "5 Vitamins and Minerals to Avoid Insomnia" mentions magnesium in the context of its ability to relax a person and help them sleep [1]. The blog says:
Magnesium is one of the key minerals that are important in getting a higher quality snooze. ] In fact, it’s sometimes known as the “sleep mineral” – it helps your brain relax and turn off at night. A lack of magnesium may lead to difficulty in getting that much-deserved beauty sleep.
Magnesium is a natural relaxant that eases off adrenaline. It helps promote sleep because it reduces inflammation and tapers down the level of cortisol – the stress hormone infamous for interrupting sleep.
A study of magnesium in elderly people found [2]:
Supplementation of magnesium appears to improve subjective measures of insomnia such as ISI [insomnia severity index] score, sleep efficiency, sleep time and sleep onset latency, early morning awakening, and likewise, insomnia objective measures such as concentration of serum renin, melatonin, and serum cortisol, in elderly people.
In other words, you can have better quality of sleep for a longer period of time if you get a sufficient amount of magnesium.
Foods that contain magnesium include:
- Dark leafy greens (baby spinach, kale, collard greens)
- Nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, cashews, pine nuts, flaxseed, pecans)
- Wheat germ
- Fish (salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel)
- Soybeans
- Banana
- Avocados
- Yogurt
Pay attention to this list because it's estimated half of people don't get enough magnesium in their daily diet.
A doctor discusses the benefits of magnesium.
How else is magnesium healthy?
A Healthline article lists 9 evidence-based benefits of magnesium [3]. They are:
- It is involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions, including energy and protein formation, muscle movements, gene maintenance, and nervous system regulation.
- Studies have shown that magnesium can boost athletic performance in the elderly, the chronically ill, and in athletes themselves. Some studies, though, show no benefit for athletes.
- If you don't get enough magnesium, you may run the risk of becoming clinically depressed. And if you take supplements, it can help overcome depression.
- Getting enough magnesium may ward off type 2 diabetes, and if you have diabetes, it has been known to lower blood sugar levels in some test subjects.
- For people with high blood pressure, it may lower both systolic and diastolic pressure levels. It does not do the same for those with normal blood pressure.
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"Low magnesium intake is linked to chronic inflammation, which is one of the drivers of aging, obesity and chronic disease," Healthline says.
- It can help ward off migraine headaches. In fact, it may even prove to be a treatment when migraines strike.
- "Magnesium supplements may improve insulin resistance in people with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes," Healthline says.
- It may help improve the mood of women with PMS,and also reduce water retention.
Magnesium is in VALI Sleep Well
Magnesium is in VALI Sleep Well natural sleep aid [4], along with eight other naturally occurring substances known to help relax and provide a good night's sleep.
Sleep Well helps you relax and wind down before bedtime, fall asleep fast, experience deep restorative sleep, and wake up ready without the morning grogginess or habit-forming effects of pharmaceutical sleeping pills.
If you've tried Lunesta, Sonata, Ambien, Rozerem and Halcion you may have found some of the following side effects that WebMd lists [5]:
- Burning or tingling in the legs or feet, arms or hands
- Changes in appetite
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty keeping balance
- Dizziness
- Daytime drowsiness
- Dry mouth or throat
- Gas
- Headaches
- Heartburn
- Impairment the next day
- Mental slowing or problems with attention or memory
- Stomachache or tenderness
- Shaking of a part of the body
- Unusual dreams
- Weakness
VALI Sleep Well [6] has none of the chemicals that may induce these side effects.
What does VALI Sleep Well contain?
VALI Sleep Well has nine other ingredients that formulated for calming, sleep-inducing qualities. They are:
- Melatonin, a natural hormone and antioxidant made by the body that helps reset the body’s internal clock and regulate the sleep cycle. It sendsd critical signal to your body that it’s time to sleep.
- 5-HTP, an amino acid, 5-Hydroxytryptophan, that helps the body produce serotonin, which helps regulate the sleep cycle. 5-HTP also improves mood and eases stress and anxiety so you can fall asleep faster.
- GABA, a neurotransmitter that eases anxiety and reduces stress to treat insomnia. Scientists believe it is essential for deep sleep.
- Passion flower extract, an herb that calms and aids falling asleep and maintaining restful sleep.
- Chamomile flower extract, an herb known for its ability to calm stress and anxiety, and relax muscles. It is the main ingredient in "sleepy time" tea.
- Valerian extract, a root extract aids sleep and treats restlessness, nervousness, and anxiety. Sleep Well’s valerian extract is deodorized to minimize the unpleasant smell.
- L-theanine, an amino acid that reduces stress, calms the body, stimulates the production of GABA, and helps you stay asleep longer.
- Lemon balm extract, a member of the mint family, it is a calming herb that reduces stress, anxiety, eases pain, and promotes healthy sleep.
Habits for good sleep hygiene
A good night's sleep starts with sleep hygiene or practices. The first thing is to practice a good routine that works for you that helps you get to sleep. The CDC says [7] good sleep hygiene consists of:
- Going to bed around the same time every night
- Making the bedroom dark, quiet, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature—for both you and the baby, if the baby sleeps in another room
- Removing electronic devices from the bedroom and not using them too soon before sleep
- Avoiding large meals, coffee, and alcohol before going to bed
- And getting exercise in the daytime, but not too soon before bedtime
Conclusion
The calming, anti-anxiety ingredients of VALI Sleep Well can carry over into your daily life. If you're spending sleepless nights, have tried heavy chemical pharmaceutical sleeping pills and don't like their side effects, try VALI Sleep Well.
Sources:
[1] https://www.valiup.com/blogs/vali-blog/vitamins-minerals-avoid-insomnia
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23853635
[3] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-magnesium-benefits
[4] https://www.valiup.com/products/vali-sleep-well-natural-sleep-aid
[5] https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/understanding-the-side-effects-of-sleeping-pills
[7] https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html
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