A good night’s sleep is one of life’s authentic delights, an excellent therapeutic condition. The necessity of a good night’s sleep can’t be overemphasized; it is as necessary as eating healthy meals and working out. However, many people fail to see the healing powers in a regular observance of taking frequent naps and hitting the sack early.
It would help if you didn’t let busy schedules and constant appointments get in the way of taking regular periods of rest and sleep. Health should be prioritized above all else.
Surprisingly, many health defects that people usually use pharmaceuticals to treat may be resolved by getting enough sleep.
Unfortunately, sleep quality has considerably diminished as people sleep less than they did before. In this piece, we shall be looking at how sleep quality can improve with magnesium-related diets and how the body can be relieved from anxiety and depression.
Magnesium´s Effect on Sleep Quality
Many people have insomnia but trying to reverse such a severe health condition. Altering your sleep routines and cutting down on your caffeine intake might do the trick, but sometimes their effectiveness can disappoint.
As much as supplements can help, you might want to try out a variety of magnesium-dense foods instead. Magnesium is a mineral that has proven to be the best potential sleep catalyst, and you can use it to reach dreamland sooner than you expected quickly!
Its effects on the body are considered to induce processes that lead to sleep. Magnesium is one of the Earth’s most common minerals, and, interestingly, it is involved in over 600 cellular body reactions. Given its necessitous benefits, it is needed by every organ and cell.
It enhances bone health, lowers blood pressure, and also alleviates constipation.
In addition to all the great benefits magnesium contains, it can also be functional in inducing sleep and treating sleep conditions. Foods you can eat which are rich in magnesium include:
- Avocados
- Nuts (brazil nuts, almonds, cashews)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, soybeans)
- Tofu
- Bananas
- Leafy Greens (kale spinach, turnip greens, collard greens)
These types of food are packed with magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral, and magnesium-rich foods should always have a place on your plate. Aside from improving your sleep quality, they also have many other bodily functions.
For those that have sleep conditions or want to improve their sleep quality, here’s what magnesium can do for you!
It Helps Relax The Body and Brain
Reaching a balanced sleep means that the body and the brain get a state of relaxation. This process is chemically induced by magnesium while the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. This is the system that helps you reach a state of calmness and relaxation.
Magnesium helps in the appropriate regulation of neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are responsible for sending signals to the brain and the entire nervous system. Magnesium is also helpful in the control of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin helps guide the sleeping and waking cycles of the body.
By helping to keep the nervous system relaxed, the body can then prepare for rest and sleep. Some hours after dinner, you can have a banana and a glass of nut milk before bed. These magnesium-dense foods can help improve your sleep quality and perhaps serve as a nice dessert after a good meal.
You can also ensure you include legumes, avocados, leafy greens, and other magnesium-dense foods in your daily diet and get the recommended daily intake.
It Could Help in The Alleviation of Anxiety and Depression
If you suffer from anxiety and depression, it’s normal to have trouble sleeping. However, the correct dose of magnesium-dense food can relieve these health complications and get you the sleep you need.
Not having enough magnesium in your body can cause mental confusion, depression, and anxiety, exemplifying how essential the presence of magnesium is to the body. Research indicates that magnesium contains relaxing properties that help stimulate the nervous system.
So, if your inability to sleep is linked to an underlying mood disorder, magnesium could be the solution. As mentioned earlier, try to reserve a place for magnesium-dense foods on your plate. Having enough of it could help improve your sleep quality.
Magnesium RDA for Adults
The recommended magnesium dietary allowance for men and women is 400-420 mg and 310-360 mg. Magnesium-rich foods give you plenty to choose from, like green veggies, cereals, and fruits. Magnesium supplements help, but getting magnesium regularly from food is better.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a specifically recommended intake of Magnesium supplements to treat insomnia because very few studies have tested their effect on the condition. Since it has been proven that magnesium deficiency can affect sleep, you should try as much as possible to eat adequate amounts of magnesium-dense foods.
Magnesium-Rich Snacks Before Sleep
Before bedtime, having a magnesium-rich snack can help you enjoy your sleep better. Here are some snacks you can choose before bedtime:
Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolates are very rich in magnesium, and they also possess alkaloids, which improve your mood and make you feel good.
Nut Milk: A glass of nut milk could also help you feel relaxed before bedtime.
Banana: Bananas are very rich in potassium and magnesium. You could have a few of them before sleeping at night.
Tart Cherry Juice: A class of this magnesium-rich juice before sleeping is known to enhance sleep.
Final Thoughts
In summary, magnesium is one of the essential nutrients for the body. If you are suffering from sleep disorders such as insomnia or intend to improve the quality of your sleep, you should try upping your magnesium intake.
