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Food

08th Aug 2016

Upping your intake of this mineral could help you get a better sleep

If you find yourself staring at the clock at all hours, read on.

Cathy Donohue

Insomnia is a b*tch.

Even though I’ve tried a ridiculous amount of recommended remedies, (herbal tea, meditation, pillow spray et al), I’m often starting at the ceiling at four o’clock pondering life.

So, anytime I come across a theory that’s aimed at improving sleep quality or even getting to sleep in the first place, I feel compelled to share it with the world.

Spotted on ELLE UK, Shawn Stevenson, nutritional expert, and sleep specialist is of the opinion that many people are deficient in magnesium.

The mineral, which helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, is also important for maintaining the health of your nervous system and when you’re not getting enough, stress levels can peak.

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More avocado? Okay so…

When this happens, whatever chance you did have at sleeping is gone out the window and it’s a bit of a vicious circle.

Getting enough magnesium also helps relieve muscle tension, ideal for when you’re heading for the land of nod.

If you feel your magnesium levels might be low, up your intake of leafy greens, seeds, fish and avocado and maybe, just maybe, you’ll start to notice an improvement in your sleeping patterns.

Seeing as avocado has seen a huge surge in popularity in recent times, getting people to eat more shouldn’t be too difficult a task. Unless of course, you can’t abide the stuff, to be fair it’s not for everyone.

The fact that one mineral could make a difference to a sleeping pattern that well, has no pattern, gives a cynic like me zero hope but hey, at this stage, I’ll try anything for a decent night’s kip.