The Wizardry Of Magnesium For Better Rest And Unwinding

You might remember wizardry of magnesium from science lessons at school—it emits a brilliant-white light when burned. However, it’s even more brilliant as an aid for better sleep, recovery, and relaxation, say scientists. “Magnesium is an essential chemical element, the fourth most abundant mineral in the body after calcium, potassium, and sodium,” says Carolyn Dean, author of The Magnesium Miracle. “All these minerals are essential but magnesium seems to do the most—it acts as a cell mineral ion gatekeeper, allowing the appropriate amount of the other minerals to enter the cells,” she explains.

Dean cites scientific research that has found 80% of metabolic functions involve magnesium as a cofactor, including facilitating fat metabolism, controlling blood pressure, and normalizing hormone secretion. “That’s huge and unparalleled,” she says, noting that it’s especially significant because many of us are deficient. While the numbers vary, much of the research suggests that at least 20% of us are not getting as much as we need in our diets.

We’re becoming increasingly deficient due to poor diets, which include nutrient-poor ultra-processed foods. Even the magnesium-rich vegetables, such as leafy greens, that we consume offer much less than they did previously. “Over the years our soil has become so over-tilled that the magnesium we usually get from our food has decreased,” clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert, Dr Michael Breus, adds. “Often, supplementation can be a great help to counteract any deficiencies.”

The health benefits of magnesium

Our collective awareness of magnesium’s magic has been equally deficient, until recently. For Dean it’s been a long time coming; in The Magnesium Miracle, she notes that its beneficial properties have been known for over 75 years, even being prescribed to help treat heart disease back in the 1930s.

It wasn’t until the 1980s, when Dr Bella Altura and her husband, Dr Burton Altura, made magnesium the sole focus of their research, that people began to show interest. Conducting over 1000 experiments on the element, the Alturas created the Blood Ionized Magnesium Test to better measure magnesium levels. “When I spoke with them in 1999, they were extremely frustrated that their incredibly important work was not being adopted in clinical practice and mainstream medicine,” Dean says.

Since then, the discourse surrounding magnesium has skyrocketed. Social media has played its part: TikTok is obsessed with sharing different supplements, and which are best for what, and it’s no different for magnesium. Search for it and you’ll discover millions of videos endorsing it as a miracle mineral, linking it to pretty much every condition thinkable.