Plants use it to make chlorophyll. You put a cup of it in your bath to soothe aching muscles. You may even brave a glass of its perfumed bitterness when your colon refuses to behave. At first glance it may seem like "just another mineral" — one of those many names in the fine print of your multivitamin ingredient list. However, this has got to be one of the most underestimated and influential of minerals: magnesium.
Magnesium may be better known for maintaining healthy cardiovascular function, regulating blood pressure, reducing muscle cramps and restless legs, and even keeping blood glucose and cholesterol levels in check. Surprisingly, it's less known for its effects on the brain and nervous system. Magnesium is a common go-to supplement for insomnia, stress and stabilising mood.
How often do you have those nights when your spiteful brain decides to wake up just as your body begs to go to sleep? It wreaks havoc with your thoughts, sending them on a carnival ride of twists and turns, while you watch the clock helplessly as the minutes tick by. A high dose of magnesium before bed may just be the brain-whisperer you need to turn down the noise of your mind and sink into a quiet, restful night's sleep.
Magnesium has a calming effect on the nervous system due to its effect on GABA, an amino acid which acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. If you know the jittery feeling of anxiety all too well, or feel overwhelmed by the weight of the stress you're under, this may be the mineral that helps you breathe easier again.
There are many different supplement forms of magnesium. The ones worth focusing on are magnesium chelate, easily absorbed by the body, and magnesium glycinate, the choice for sleep-related issues. To increase your magnesium intake through diet, go for the leafy greens, legumes, nuts and seeds.
A word of caution: always follow the dosage instructions given by your healthcare practitioner — as anyone brave enough to down a glass of Epsom salts (magnesium citrate) would know, an overdose of magnesium may cause diarrhoea.
Why stress through life like a bouncing ball that can't be caught? Be kind to your nervous system and give it the help it needs. You may just be calmly, pleasantly surprised.