Magnesium & 5-HTP for sleep support

If you’re feeling run down or exhausted, a good night’s sleep really can do you a world of good. Easier said than done though, right? Sometimes, you might just need a helping hand. Both magnesium and 5-HTP can help reduce fatigue and tiredness, making them the perfect addition to your evening routine. These two sleep-supporting supplements could be just what you need to ensure you’re getting sounder, healthier sleep. But why is this so important?

A good night’s sleep is incredibly important for your mental and physical health. Lack of sleep over time can affect how well you think, react, work and learn. While you're sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. It's forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information, so if you’re sleep deficient, you might have trouble making decisions or solving problems. Getting enough restful sleep ensures your body and mind function properly throughout the day, ensuring you’re performing to the best of your ability.

The magic of Magnesium

Magnesium plays a critical role in energy production, helping our bodies release energy from the food we eat.¹ This goes a long way in reducing tiredness and fatigue. This magic mineral not only helps you fall asleep in the first place, but also helps you enjoy deeper, more restful sleep. Maintaining your intake of magnesium keeps up your levels of GABA, which is a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation. It’s also thought that magnesium plays a role in regulating melatonin, the sleep hormone, helping to maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.²

You already know that to fall asleep and stay asleep, your body and brain need to relax. On a chemical level, magnesium aids this process by activating the parasympathetic nervous system³, the system responsible for calming and relaxing us. If part of you is tight, irritable, crampy, or stiff – whether it’s a body part or even a mood – magnesium can help. It has a soothing effect on your nervous system and muscles, aiding relaxation all over your body.⁴

Your digestive tract can benefit from all this relaxing, too. With magnesium, bowel movements become easier, constipation is eased and your food digests more easily.⁵ Pain can also be relieved, as this relaxation mineral can ease nerve disturbances that lead to cramps and spasms.

Here’s a bit of insider knowledge for you. There are different types of magnesium that you can supplement for better sleep and relaxation. The best one to go for is a chelated version, which is better absorbed by your body. This way, your body will benefit better.

The power of 5-HTP

You might have heard of 5-HTP already if you struggle with your sleep. Formally known as 5-Hydroxytryptophan, it’s another widely used supplement for sleep support. It’s a naturally occurring amino acid that your body uses to produce serotonin, a chemical messenger that send signals between nerve cells. Low serotonin levels are often associated with sleep disorders, anxiety, weight gain and other negative health issues, so increasing your body’s production of serotonin can have some pretty positive benefits.⁶

Serotonin influences sleep and sleep-wake cycles in many ways, one of these being though its relationship with the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin. Healthy serotonin levels are essential for maintaining healthy melatonin levels, and both are crucial for sleep and a well-functioning bio clock.⁷ With its ability to increase serotonin, 5-HTP supports a neurochemical process that can enable high-quality sleep and keep your body’s bio clock in sync.

Serotonin production declines with age, but whatever your age, it can be impacted even more by stress. Low levels of serotonin are most commonly shown by low mood, anxiety, and insomnia.⁸ They can also lead to various other complaints and disorders, so it’s important to keep your levels healthy. 5-HTP keeps your serotonin levels on the up, and in doing so can help combat mood and sleep issues.

5-HTP isn’t found directly in food, so a supplement is the best way to benefit from the positive effects it can have on your sleep and mood. It offers an easy starting point for addressing sleep issues and having a positive impact on your health and wellness.

What to remember

Both magnesium and 5-HTP can help get your body back on track through improving your quality of sleep, and allowing proper relaxation. The right supplements can help improve rest and in turn, your energy levels. So, if you’re in need of a helping hand, you're in the right place.

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