Restless leg syndrome causes a never-ending cycle of sleep deprivation and exhaustion, but magnesium has been found to treat symptoms of the disorder. The syndrome triggers uncontrolled movements of the legs while people sleep. Some people with restless leg syndrome have low magnesium levels.

These five benefits of magnesium show how the essential mineral can help patients with restless leg syndrome:

1. Magnesium supplements and medications with magnesium have been found to reduce or eliminate the movements in many people with restless leg syndrome. This not only decreases the movement, but also improves sleep for patients. According to WebMD, people who have the syndrome have low levels of magnesium, but there are also patients with high levels of the mineral, so magnesium’s full effects on the problem are uncertain.

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2. Magnesium works effectively to treat insomnia. Many people with restless leg syndrome wake up feeling tired because they have been unable to fall into a deep sleep. Researchers have found evidence that low magnesium levels are present in many people suffering from the syndrome. Magnesium is an important factor in regulating sleep, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. The mineral has been used to improve sleep quality for people going through alcohol withdrawal.

3. Along with relaxing the muscles and nerves, magnesium assists calcium to prevent restless leg syndrome. Insufficient calcium levels can cause twitching and spasms. Magnesium helps calcium to bring a balancing effect of muscle contraction and relaxation, explains Dr. Carolyn Dean, a medical advisor for the Nutritional Magnesium Association.

4. Dr. Mark Hyman, who has written about magnesium in best-selling books, praises the effects that make it “the relaxation mineral.” Magnesium boosts energy, stabilizes membranes, and helps the muscles to relax for better emotional and physical feelings that relieve or prevent anxiety.

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5. Magnesium’s involvement with energy production in the body also prepares people for a restful sleep to reduce effects of restless leg syndrome. While the mineral triggers actions in cells and tissues for energy during the day, it also reduces the metabolic process that slows the body down in time for the sleep cycle, according to Ancient Minerals. Magnesium regulates hormones responsible for a sound sleep.

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