This supplement can help you sleep better

2024-11-10 10:34:00, Shëndeti CNA

A recent study found that middle-aged men and women who suffered from poor sleep had an average brain age that was three years older than those who slept well. Researchers also found a link between sleeping less than six hours a night and developing Alzheimer's disease. But a common, inexpensive mineral may be able to treat sleep problems and maintain brain health.

According to USA TODAY, one study found that adults who took 500 milligrams of the mineral magnesium before bed had better sleep quality than participants who took a placebo. The magnesium group also had higher levels of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep.

Magnesium is essential for sleep, says mindbodygreen. Over 300 body functions depend on magnesium and relaxation is one of them.

"When we're stressed, we use our body's magnesium reserves," explains Dr. Heather Moday, founder of the Moday Center for Functional and Integrative Medicine in Philadelphia.

"That's one reason why I've been experimenting with taking magnesium for better, more restful sleep for years."

She says magnesium supports muscle relaxation and balances the release of adrenaline and cortisol to regulate the stress response.

Since magnesium helps relax muscles, it can help with restless legs syndrome, which affects sleep quality.

While more research needs to be done on how magnesium can help us sleep better, experts say natural remedies like the mineral are safer, less addictive, and have fewer side effects than other sleep aids such as it's sleeping pills.

There are many types of magnesium supplements to choose from. Josh Redd, a chiropractor and founder of RedRiver Health and Wellness Center in Utah recommends taking magnesium glycinate, which is gentle on the stomach. Magnesium citrate is another good option because it relaxes muscles.

The National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements recommends that adult men get between 400 and 420 milligrams of magnesium per day. Adult women should aim for between 310 and 320 milligrams each day. The best food sources are almonds, peanuts and cashews, plus seeds, soy milk and leafy greens like spinach.

The Office of Dietary Supplements states that "too much dietary magnesium does not pose a health risk in healthy individuals because the kidneys eliminate excess amounts in the urine."

But the agency warns that taking high doses of supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea./ CNA