If you've read the newsletter for a long time, or have talked to me in the store, you might know that I (Carolyn) am not a great sleeper. I've tried lots of things for sleep with varied success (for years I took Irwin Naturals Power to Sleep, though more recently I've switched to Now Brand's Sleep). They help me to fall asleep, but I still had issues with waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep for ages.
I recently read an article with some research studies on magnesium threonate and sleep. It's known for being a type of magnesium that is unique in that it crosses the blood brain barrier, so it's best known for its benefits to mental function. There have been a number of studies, however, on its benefits for sleep, and how it's been shown to help with increasing REM sleep and deep sleep (both of which are usually reduced as we age).
I've started taking it and I can honestly say that it's made a difference for me. I feel like I'm waking up less in the middle of the night, and when I do wake up, it seems to be easier to go back to sleep. I have a smartwatch that tracks my sleep which confirms the changes, and I seem to be getting more "good" sleep ratings on the tracker than the "fair" ratings that I would get pretty consistently.
Magnesium threonate is different from other magnesium not just in its benefits, but in its dosages, which can be confusing. Most of magnesium threonate is the amino acid threonate, it's only about 7% elemental magnesium, though the dosages and recommendations for magnesium threonate are different from regular magnesium since it's meant more for brain function and sleep.
I still take regular magnesium (I take BiOptimizers magnesium because I think it's the best regular magnesium) in addition to magnesium threonate since the magnesium threonate is lower in actual elemental magnesium.
If you have trouble sleeping, especially with waking up in the night, I would recommend giving it a try. Sleep is tricky, but the research on magnesium threonate is sound, and I do feel like it has made a real difference for me.
Stop in and see us at 7228 W. College Drive in Palos Heights so we can answer any questions you might have!
