SAN ANTONIO — Sleep affects every aspect of our lives from the home, to work, school and random interactions with other people. In tonight's Verify we look into a natural sleep aid that is all the rage.
Nearly 70 million Americans have some kind of sleep disorder. Insomnia is number one with 30 percent of adults experiencing it, at least short term. One out of every 10 people is said to suffer from chronic insomnia.
THE QUESTION
Can magnesium really help you sleep?
THE SOURCES
- Dr. Vincent Mysliwiec, a professor of research and director of sleep medicine at UT Health San Antonio
- Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, a neuroscientist and the head sleep expert at Wesper, a sleep disorder diagnostics company.
THE ANSWER
TRUE
WHAT WE FOUND
Dr. Mysliwiec told us magnesium could help you sleep but we need more medical research.
"There are a few of these studies which have shown that magnesium can improve the sleep of typically elderly individuals and those greater than 60 years of age. But the evidence is not really robust or strong," Mysliwiec said.
Rohrscheib said taking magnesium can boost your body's melatonin levels.
"Clinical studies have shown that low magnesium levels reduce the activity of the area of the brain that produces melatonin. Thus, ensuring that your magnesium levels are healthy may help to keep melatonin availability high," Rohrscheib said in a recent article on Yahoo News.
So yes, it is true. Magnesium can really help you sleep.
Doctors went on to say magnesium has other benefits like muscle relaxation and lower cortisol levels, but as a sleep settlement it could take a little longer to work.