You should know that I am a little bit of a hippie when it comes to medicine. I love, love, love natural remedies. I am also a notoriously bad sleeper. I will try anything to help me sleep. (I’ve written more about about that here – Nine Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep). Of course things like sleeping pills work wonders but I prefer something natural when possible. I’ve tried melatonin, sleep gummies, lavender pillow mists, and so on and so forth. While I was home on The Cape with my parents in December, I met with an herbalist in Brewster. I came home with remedies for sleep + cold prevention, as well as a special tincture for anxiety (a mix of passion flower + lemon balm, for the record).
My mom is the same and gave me a sample of Cook’s Organics Sweet Dreams Magnesium Cream (also from Cape Cod, hooray!) It’s a foot cream, that promises better sleep… or as the website claims, “relax your whole body starting at the tips of your toes.” I will admit – I was pretty skeptical. But also excited to see if it would work. I mean, I will try anything, but would a topically applied product really be able to do much? Alas, the cream worked better than any other natural remedy I’ve tried. I slept like a baby. It isn’t Ambien, but it works. Upon applying the cream to my feet my feet immediately felt a bit tingly and relaxed… and within a few minutes I fell into a deep, blissful sleep. I am not a nutritionist or a scientist – I have no idea how or why it works so well… but it does. If you have a hard time sleeping, I would 100% recommend it. (I found a DIY version as well – note that I haven’t tried it, but it sounds promising.)
So that got me reading up on magnesium. The best of the articles was this one. The author recommends taking 400-500 mg of magnesium at night to help you sleep. It also offers up a more scientific explanation of how/why magnesium helps you to sleep (bottom line – magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer). My old nutritionist (Charles Passler) used to have me take two of these Mag Citrate tablets before bed every night (two tablets contain 200mg of magnesium). While they didn’t make me fall asleep, I did feel more relaxed, + that’s half of what the article recommends. I kind of want to try upping the dosage and seeing what happens. Anyone else? In the meantime, I am loving the foot cream. Softer feet and a good night’s sleep? Yes please.
Have you tried magnesium to help you sleep? I’d love to hear about your experience! Other crazy (or not so crazy!) sleep-better tips are also welcome!!
This post is in no way sponsored. My mom bought me a sample of the cream and upon being convinced, I bought the full size product myself. I make no scientific claims – I am simply sharing what worked for me!
Featured image via here.
Oh my gosh I need to try this! I too can have trouble sleeping and LOVE finding new, natural ways to help! Ordering ASAP. Thanks for the rec 🙂
Oh GOOD! Hope you like it! xx
God knows I need softer feet seeing how cracked my heels are! Excited to check out some of the product recommendations, hopefully they’re right for me.
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
Hope this helps! Softer feet + a good night’s sleep is a great combination! 🙂
Ahh, I will have to try this. Sleep is an ongoing struggle for me! I’ve used a magnesium spray on/off and haven’t really noticed a difference when I do use it.
I hope it helps!!!
I have used magnesium for anxiety…. It is called Calm and you dilute it in water… it works really well for me.
I use Calm as well! It works wonders. Plus, the lemon flavor is kind of nice.
I used to take that as well! It was a little overboard on my stomach but maybe I should give it another try!
So funny you wrote about this today. I started taking magnesium in the summer as part of my supplements thing, but to help with digestion (it draws water into your intestines and can really aid in regularity and keeping a healthy gut). I didn’t know that a happy side effect was better sleep, until Jillian mentioned she’d been taking magnesium to aid in restful sleep. Recently, I started taking it again for that reason alone, and it’s amazing how good the results are. I take one pill before bed and I never wake up during the night when I do. If I don’t take it, I wake up at least twice. It’s crazy! Was just thinking this morning how happy I was to feel so rested with such a simple solution, so it’s such a coincidence you wrote about it too!
That is so great!!! What magnesium supplement do you take?! Or is it listed in your post??
I’d love to hear more about natural remedies.
Noted! I will definitely do my best to talk more about my favs over here! x
Haven’t heard of magnesium foot cream. I used to take Natural Calm magnesium supplement, a drink you mix with water. It singlehandedly changed my sleep from juuunk to great! After awhile I got tired of having the drink every night. Now I take a high quality magnesium supplement pill from Thorne 3x a day which adds up to 99% daily dose. It helps with so much- headaches, muscle cramps, digestion, stress…
Thanks Wendy! I used to take Natural Calm as well – it was a little too much for my digestion. Checking out supplements now!
I’ve heard good things about magnesium for digestion, but not sleep! I’ve been looking for natural sleep-help options. Do you mind listing out the ingredients? The website didn’t provide them. Thanks!
I’m sorry, I am traveling for the next two weeks and don’t have my jar with me! I am sure if you email Cook’s Organics they can provide an ingredient list!
Good idea! Thanks 🙂
Hope it helps!
Thanks for this post. I will be trying this!
Glad to hear it! Hope it works well for you, Holly! xx
Pot. All natural. I’m telling you.
hahahahaha 🙂
I WISH magnesium worked for me! I’ve also read so much about its benefits and was excited to try it but it only made me MORE anxious. The non wine/pill thing that’s worked best for me is meditating! Obsessed with the Headspace sleep meditation — they have you run through your day in your head like you’re watching a movie and that somehow works every time for me.
Aw, no, that is awful!!!!
I love Headspace! x
My chiropractor recommended ‘Myocalm PM’ because I have trouble sleeping in hotels when I travel for work. I was initially skeptical, but it works like a charm is natural — includes magnesium and other natural herbs — and I am asleep with 20-30 minutes of taking the suggested dose and I sleep through the night. I also do not feel groggy or out of it the next morning. I have highly recommend it. Here is the link:
http://www.metagenics.com/mp/products/myocalm-pm
That sounds amazing! I have to try it – thank you!
Thank you for this tip! I am also a straight up terrible sleeper and will try anything. Sweet dreams. 🙂
I hope it helps you!!! xx
I swear by this oil: http://www.saje.com/ca/sleep-well-4307.html
I put it on all my pulse points and under my jaw in addition to the soles of my feet!
Ooooh I need to check this out – thank you!
This is so random, but something I always notice and maybe you didn’t know–the way that you use “alas” isn’t quite right. It means “an expression of grief, pity, or concern”, and the way you tend to use it is more along the lines of “to my surprise”. Haha so obnoxious I know to mention this but I thought you might appreciate it!?
Oh my god – THANK YOU!!!! Always appreciate things like this! xx
I never comment on posts but (a) I need to try this; and (b) “Sleep With Me” podcast has changed my sleeping game. Just a guy telling rambling, nonsensical stories that put you right to sleep! 🙂
Ahhhh that sounds fantastic! Will have to check it out. 🙂
I’m so glad I get your newsletter! I missed this post and I have a terrible time sleeping enough. I just ordered the cream. I really hope it works, I don’t like to use regular medications if I can help it. I think natural is always best! Thank you
Aw, good!!! Let me know how you like the cream – I hope it is helpful!
I used magnesium when I was pregnant — and I’ve been wanting to start again. Thanks for the recommendation!
You are welcome! Hope it’s helpful!!
Thank you for this as I, just like you, am a poor sleeper . . . really appreciate this !
Oh good! (Not that you are a poor sleeper, that I hope it helps!!!) Let me know if it works 🙂
Magnesium is not absorbed topically.
Hi,
I am also taking magnesium at night to sleep and it was recommended by my Nurse Practitioner. I was down the Cape and bought a small jar of Sweet Dreams Magnesium Cream. I am hoping it helps with sleep and anxiety. Thanks. Linda
Oh my gosh, my mom gave me that years ago – it’s fantastic.
Thanks for sharing, Grace! You should try a different Magnesium (there are 3 types) at bedtime and see if that helps. I use 2 of these and find it really helps — https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007LEO4Y6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1