I have written posts about magnesium deficiency and sodium deficiency causing insomnia. Which one is it?
They both caused my insomnia because they were both depleted from heavy workout and sweating. (Alcohol depletes Mg by the way) I would like to add dehydration from sodium deficiency to insomnia causes as well.
You might wonder, is working-out or sweating a lot bad if they deplete minerals and cause insomnia?
My answer is, it can be bad if you don’t replenish them. I have stressed the fact that I am sweaty. Being sweaty with daily workout routine would require you to supplement Mg if you want to stay healthy. If you don’t add much salt to your meals, adding salt is necessary as well. So, a person like me would need to supplement Mg and add salt into food or water. I add salt and Mg into my gym water. I cannot live without this special gym water now.
So, if you are sweaty and workout regularly, and have insomnia on top of it, the chances that Mg and salt can improve your sleep is very high.
There are some people who don’t sweat at all. I have seen them. While I am soaked in sweat, dying for AC, some people never have to experience the misery. They can just enjoy hot humid summer with no problem. I doubt that you are one of them because you are reading my blog. Those people lose much less minerals than me, therefore they have much less need to replenish minerals. We really need to understand that there is a huge gap between non sweaty and sweaty people because when it comes to nutrients, we often hear RDI, recommended daily intake for “average people”.
If there is a very high chance that we lose at least 2-3 times of Mg and salt than average, should we sweaties still stick to the RDI? Definitely not.
People used to tell me that perhaps I take too much Mg, and it may not be good for me. When I started adding 3g of salt into my gym water, my mom was worried that I was getting too much salt. (Yes she was just being a mother, and yes I am aware that too much salt can be deadly. I only add about 3g of salt, sometimes more, other times less)
My question is, how do we know our optimal amount for Mg and Sodium while each person needs different amount? I figured out my optimal dose from trial and error which went on for several months. My insomnia eventually disappeared, and I know this means my Mg and Sodium levels are both better now than before. Disappearance of insomnia is a clear sign that I am healthier.
If I had listened to everyone and not taken as much Mg and Sodium as I have been taking for almost a year now, I would probably still have my insomnia now.
d'med 