I have always been fortunate to be a deep sleeper. I’m the kind of person that sleeps like a log, and can fall asleep pretty quickly. I realize that there are so many people that have issues with falling and staying asleep, and it can get more difficult as we mature. From parenting, to stress, to late-night screens, to simply growing older, there are a zillion reasons why we aren’t getting enough sleep. And I mean deep, restorative, meaningful sleep.

So much magic happens during the 7-8 hours of sleep — we really do need it. Nutritional, medical, physical, and mental fitness are just a few things the body works on during deep sleep. Over the last year I have learned that I might be a good sleeper, but good sleep can still be hard to come by. I have definitely (and regrettably) upped my screen time and well, parenthood can always throw a wrench in the works too.

My Secret Weapon: Magnesium Supplements

A secret weapon I have added to my arsenal has been magnesium supplements. I have heard about its benefits for years, and decided to give it a try. I have been using it for about 5 months and it is truly worth the hype.

The first brand I began to try was YouTheory’s Sleep Powder, with magnesium, melatonin and L-Glycine. It has a lemon-lime flavor and it works great in my Sleepy Girl Mocktail. That’s actually why I got it in the first place! It dissolves nicely into any liquid, and all you need is a scoop.

If you’re looking for magnesium without the “sleep” label, I absolutely swear by Cymbiotika’s Magnesium L-Threonate, which is packaged in a pouch. I enjoy it right from the pouch (its consistency reminds me of a gel/syrup) and has a yummy vanilla cream flavor. I don’t find myself necessarily getting sleepy from this type of magnesium, but my body is noticeably more relaxed and my mind is calmed, too. I feel at ease — hard to explain, but it’s almost like all of my anxiety evaporates away slowly. Cymbiotika’s Magnesium L-Threonate is a best-seller and developed by MIT scientists If you use this link to purchase, you’ll get $20 off your first order of $150 or more.

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How I Feel After Using:

Youtheory: I feel ready to sleep! Not gonna lie, my eyelids get heavy. I try to stir this into my drink and enjoy within 2 hours of going to bed. When I sleep, I notice less tossing and turning and I wake up really refreshed.

Cymbiotika: I feel relaxed! I am not having trouble keeping my eyes open, but my mind is quieted and my muscles feel heavy (in a good way). I also notice less tossing and turning during sleep, and I feel refreshed once awake. I have also tried this during daytime hours and it doesn’t knock me out - rather, it clears my head and relaxes me.

Conclusions

I absolutely love how I feel when I take magnesium. It’s not something I am “addicted to” or take every single night, but when I don’t take it, I almost feel like I anticipate rest differently. I encourage you to give it a try, and let me know in the comments if you like how it makes you feel, too! I love taking it at the very beginning of my nightly routine and it makes my wind-down so much more enjoyable.

ciao, xo

filed under: self-care

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