AKA:
Why Magnesium Oil is so good for helping tired, stressed out mums get some more sleep and feel better mentally and physically.
Looking back about 9 years, things weren't going great for me in the Mumiverse. The kids would have been about 6 and 8 years old. I wasn’t sleeping well, I felt anxious lots of the time, and low in mood. Thoughts would go round in my head, like ‘why do I feel so bad? I’ve got healthy kids, a job, a lovely house’ etc. And I was grumpy with the kids so much of the time. Which, of course, made me feel worse.
I ‘medicated’ in ways that didn’t help – staying up late to enjoy ‘me time’ that consisted of watching mind-numbing tv while drinking wine and eating , well, whatever I could get my hands on. Stuff for the kids’ lunch boxes if that’s all there was!
I now know that the ways I was treating my low mood were making it worse for the simple reason that alcohol and processed foods use up your magnesium stores in order to help process all the crap out of your body. Stress, anxiety and lack of sleep also demand a lot of magnesium from our body's supplies. And all three become worse when your magnesium levels are low.
Why does that matter?
Magnesium is necessary to boost your feelgood hormones like serotonin, and control your sleep-wake cycle hormones.
My ‘self care’ was effectively depleting my body of the very mineral it needed to help me feel better. It was making my sleep worse, and my body less able to process toxins.
[Despite knowing this, I’m still a fan of wine and crisps. But at least I get good levels of magnesium each day to make up for it!]
So I was tired, lethargic, and really unmotivated. I’d trundle through the motions each day, looking forward to a relaxing evening. Which wasn’t actually relaxing – I had to keep my brain filled with something, anything, so the negative thoughts wouldn’t pop in there. Which meant I couldn’t switch off my brain at bedtime. So I got less sleep and was therefore too tired to do anything active the next day. Even worse - to keep my brain busy I'd be looking at social media feeds full of amazing mums doing amazing things. What a vicious circle!
The less sleep and exercise I had, the grumpier I was with the kids, and the more they’d play up (or did it just seem that way?) in the hope, perhaps, of getting some good attention from me.
It was only by luck that I discovered the first step in disrupting the circle.
On a trip back to the UK, I tried taking magnesium tablets because I’d read that they might help with jetlag. Which they did. And I also slept better on that whole trip than I had in ages. Now, that could have been due to many things – a new routine, my family looking after me, instead of me being the adult with all the responsibility, the different climate … But I felt I had it sussed – magnesium helped me sleep!
Trouble was, I hated taking those huge tablets. Sometimes they got stuck in my throat and left me with a horrible choking feeling for a good (bad!) 20 minutes. Not conducive to falling asleep feeling relaxed! And if I remembered (I'm pretty crap at remembering to do things I don't enjoy) to take them several days in a row, my guts felt a bit iffy.*
So when I discovered you could get your magnesium through your skin, and that it was actually more effective than tablets* – what joy!
I’ve topped up my magnesium levels with mag oil spray every day since.
I’ve occasionally thought – imagine if I hadn’t discovered this spray, so cheap and simple, that has improved my physical and mental wellbeing and that of the kids? What would family life be like? Would I still be shouting at the kids? Feeling at the end of my tether? Not enjoying our relationship?
The extra magnesium helped calm my brain chatter and helped me sleep better. Which led to me feeling more refreshed and energised (magnesium in itself is also necessary for energy production in your body) the next day.
Which meant I had energy to do things like go for a walk or a swim. I felt happier, more inclined to reach out to friends and meet up for a coffee etc.
I was smiling more.
Seeing the positive in situations that would have previously stressed me out. Things like sudden loud noises (kids dropping toys or shouting) no longer made me jump or feel on edge (magnesium helps to calm your nervous system). When the kids were being a bit raucous, it was easier to stay calm. What a difference! I was a nicer mum to have around. Our family time was happier and more relaxed.
Even better – the kids could use mag oil spray and take Epsom salt baths too. Which was lucky because there was no way they’d agree to take tablets. Bath time was fun – splashing, chatting, playing make believe, telling stories from our imagination. I still have fond memories of those evenings.
They’re probably fond memories because, after a magnesium bath, the kids fell asleep earlier, and stayed in bed a wee bit longer in the morning! They also seemed calmer, and less likely to pick fights with each other.
Taking 10 seconds each day to massage in some magnesium oil really helped me as a mum, and our whole family, to be calmer, happier, and enjoy our time together. And, let me add, it's still VERY useful now they are teenagers and the family dynamic changes often. Every day is a learning day!!
Dionne x
If you'd like to try our Magnesium Oil , we have two varieties - unscented and lavender, which can be really nice to use at bedtime. You're not limited to using it at bedtime - magnesium oil can be used at any time of the day, to help with things like headaches, cramps and muscle stiffness.
We have a special offer running - code TRYMAG gives you 20% off either Magnesium Oil spray. We deliver only within New Zealand at the moment.
* Taking too much magnesium orally can have a laxative effect. Some people find they need high amounts of magnesium to alleviate their issues. But you don't want to solve one problem and end up with another - diarrhea. Sorry for that visual! This is where transdermal magnesium is useful - it doesn't go through your digestive system so is less likely to have this effect. You'll feel the potential benefits faster because it doesn't have to travel through your digestive acids - it absorbs through your skin straight into your body tissues.
NB - This is just my personal experience. There are other ways of getting help and support if you're feeling low or anxious. These NZ-based websites have useful resources:
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