Magnesium is a bonafide anti-stress mineral. It helps to balance blood sugar, optimize circulation and blood pressure, relax tense muscles, reduce pain, and calm the nervous system. Yet, because it has so many functions, it tends to get depleted from our bodies rather fast.

Magnesium deficiency is likely the number one mineral deficiency in our world today. Estimates show that upwards of 80 percent of the population in the United States is deficient in magnesium. And, some experts say that these numbers are actually conservative. Chances are, you’re not getting enough magnesium into your system, and getting your magnesium levels up can almost instantly reduce your body’s stress load and improve the quality of your sleep.

Not only is magnesium important for optimizing your sleep, it’s critical to your health and longevity overall. A study published in The Journal of Intensive Care Medicine showed that people deficient in magnesium were twice as likely to die prematurely. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to clock out before my time. Optimizing your magnesium levels can be key to living a long, healthy life.

When discussing magnesium, Dr. Mark Hyman states that, “This critical mineral is actually responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions and is found in all of your tissues—but mainly in your bones, muscles, and brain. You must have it for your cells to make energy, for many different chemical pumps to work, to stabilize membranes, and to help muscles relax.”

Magnesium levels can be a serious problem or a serious benefit depending where you are in the spectrum. This is definitely not something to take lightly.

In addition to the proven impact magnesium has on your body, research shows that one of the central symptoms of magnesium deficiency is chronic insomnia. This is valuable information to know because simply getting your magnesium levels up can have a huge impact on your sleep quality very quickly.

Get It Up the Smart Way

Supplementation may not be the best method to get your magnesium levels up. Research has shown that a large percentage of magnesium is lost in the digestive process. So, what do we typically do to compensate? Take more, of course!

The problems is that taking too much of a low-budget internal magnesium supplement can have you sprinting to the bathroom faster than Usain Bolt. Magnesium actually pulls more water to your bowels, which can lead to one or many unexpected bathroom breaks.

Quality is everything when it comes to your magnesium sources. High quality supplementation can be helpful in small amounts, as well as a diet high in magnesium-rich foods. But, the most effective method of safely and effectively boosting your magnesium levels is through topical application onto your skin.

The understanding that your body can absorb magnesium transdermally (through the skin) has been known for hundreds of years. Have you ever heard that taking a bath in epsom salts was great for eliminating pain, reducing stress, and helpful for a good nights sleep? Epsom salt is actually a form of magnesium called magnesium sulfate.

Today, radically better forms of topical magnesium have been developed. Things like magnesium bath flakes and standard magnesium oils are usually 20 percent absorbable at best. The topical magnesium that I use and that I recommend for my clients is 100 percent bioavailable, is 100 percent pure, and the stuff just flat-out works. A night hardly ever goes by that I don’t rub this magnesium into my skin, because I’ve consistently found that my sleep quality is even better when I use it.

Again, because a large percentage of magnesium is lost in the digestive process, the ideal form of magnesium is transdermal from supercritical extracts. You can find more information on this topical magnesium at www.TheShawnStevensonModel.com/magnesium.

Anti-Stress Mineral Power Tip #1

Keep the Magnesium Infusion right by your bedside and apply it right before you hop into the covers. The best places to apply it are:

Anywhere that you are sore (hopefully you’re following my exercise advice, covered in Chapter 11!).

In the center of your chest (a major “chakra” position aligned with your heart - one of the most magnesium dependent organs in your body).

Around your neck and shoulders (where many people carry a lot of their stress).

Spray it on liberally and massage it in. Four to six sprays per area is a great baseline to go with.

Anti-Stress Mineral Power Tip #2

Incorporate magnesium-rich foods in your diet too. A study done by James Penland at the Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota found that a diet high in magnesium and low in aluminum was associated with deeper, uninterrupted sleep. Green leafy veggies, seeds like pumpkin and sesame, and superfoods like spirulina and Brazil nuts can provide very concentrated sources of magnesium for you.