Can Magnesium Really Help With Stress And Sleep?

There are many reasons why you might not be getting enough sleep, but, thanks to the rigours of modern life, stress is almost certainly one of the main culprits. Did you know magnesium can not only help you to de-stress but it can also help you to achieve that elusive good night’s sleep too…

Why Is Sleep So Important?

Getting good quality sleep regularly is one of the most important things we can do for our overall health and wellbeing. It’s responsible for so much when it comes to our body including our immune, respiratory, endocrine and nervous system. It’s also needed for maintaining healthy skin and re-energising our brain cells at the end of the day. Unsurprisingly, healthy sleep patterns also play a big part in regulating our mood. “The benefits of sleep include improved mood, stress reduction, lower prevalence of depression and anxiety, better relationships and a higher frustration tolerance,” says Courtney Bancroft who runs a New York-based private practice focusing on sleep wellness and insomnia.

How Does Stress Affect Sleep?

It’s no surprise stress levels are on the up – particularly after the year we’ve just had. “Elevated stress levels cause higher rates of stress hormones (such as epinephrine/adrenaline and cortisol) to be produced in the bloodstream,” adds Courtney. “These are all in charge of our ‘fight or flight’ response that occurs in the sympathetic branch of our central nervous system (CNS) and when they increase, our body and brain get signals that our safety is threatened. It is this response that can stop us from sleeping and even make our dreams more vivid.”

Not only does this stop us from relaxing and switching off at night, which is crucial for a restful night, it can also mean these hormone levels remain high and never get a chance to return to a normal level. This creates a vicious circle of increased stress and bad sleep which can result in exhaustion and even chronic sleep disorders. Over time, your immunity is likely to be weakened too and you could be at a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.

How Can Magnesium Help Reduce Stress And Aid Sleep?

There are several other things which can cause a sleepless night such as alcohol and caffeine intake and a poor diet, but I think we can all agree that stress is one of the biggest culprits. “When we’re stressed, our magnesium levels naturally drops and it’s this, according to Courtney, which is the problem when it comes to rectifying sleep issues. “Technically it’s the deficiency of magnesium that can be a contributor to poor or troubled sleep,” she says. “Magnesium is a natural mineral that activates the other brand of our CNS (the parasympathetic nervous system), Magnesium helps to regulate the neurotransmitters and hormones in our body and specifically binds to the receptors which aid in calming and quietening the nervous system.” Low levels of magnesium can also trigger the death or serotonin which is the feel-good chemical that is used by our body to synthesize melatonin. Melatonin is an incredibly important hormone which kickstarts our sleep cycle and helps us to achieve a relaxed and restorative night’s sleep.

Let Us Help You...

We’d always advise visiting your GP about any serious and prolonged stress or sleep issues but getting into good habits and prioritising your wellbeing can really help. Upping your magnesium intake via the foods you eat can really help, as can a few of our products

Try Our Magnesium Body Butters

With five different formulas, we’ve got one for every wellbeing need but our favourite for inducing a good night’s sleep has to be the Bedtime Hero. Blended with our Scent to Sleep fragrance which includes chamomile, ylang ylang and cedarwood, it’s great for calming the mind as well as soothing and nourishing your skin too. Containing 88g of magnesium per 5ml, this hardworking formula allows for effective absorption of magnesium through the skin.

Or Our Real Luxury Essential Oil Blend

Known to be effective in helping to reduce anxiety, improve mood and lower cortisol levels, essential oils are an important part of any wellbeing toolkit thanks to their ability to trigger a change in the way we feel. Using them frequently can help your brain to associate them with feelings of sleepiness and they can quickly become a symbol for bedtime. This calming blend contains lavender, jasmine and Brazilian rosewood and is ideal for dropping in your bath or into your Wellbeing Pod.

Or Our Perfect Night’s Sleep Bath Foam

Did you know that taking a warm bath can increase your body temperature and help to regulate your circadian rhythm which can be disrupted by stress? Bathing regularly is also thought to be linked in an increase in neurotransmitters such as serotonin which promote happiness. This Bath Foam will really help you to prepare for a better night. It’s no surprise this one’s a consistent bestseller of ours.