Supplement Series: Magnesium (for the night shift worker)
The content in this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, diet, or supplements prior to making any changes. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you read in this publication (or the internet in general).
Magnesium is one of the most important minerals your body needs to survive, especially if you work the night shift.
Working the night shift makes people more susceptible to a host of health issues including anxiety, brain fog, depression, sleep disorders, and heart disease. In addition to helping mitigate these health problems, magnesium also provides essential support that humans need in order to live.
Here are a few ways magnesium helps night shift workers:
- Magnesium decreases inflammatory markers. Night shift workers have been shown to have elevated inflammatory markers due to sleep deprivation. This increases their risk of developing chronic illnesses and serious health problems like arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease. Magnesium has been shown to reduce inflammatory markers, and people who receive less than the recommended daily amount of magnesium often show signs of inflammation.
- Magnesium promotes heart health. When night shift workers combine unhealthy eating habits with sleep deprivation, it can significantly influence their heart health. Magnesium helps combat this by reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, lowering inflammation, and preventing hypertension and arterial stiffness.
- Magnesium reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. Working nights greatly increases the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Magnesium lowers this risk by influencing glucose oxidation and preventing insulin resistance.
In addition to supporting night shift workers by combating these health issues, magnesium has also been shown to be helpful in addressing anxiety and depression, chronic migraines, and blood pressure.
It is important for everyone, especially night shift workers, to receive enough magnesium in order to receive these health benefits and to prevent themselves from experiencing magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium deficiency has adverse effects on bone and heart health, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, heart rhythm, glucose management, hormone secretion, nerve control, and other important bodily functions.
It is recommended that men between the ages of 18–60 receive between 400–420 mg of magnesium every day. Women between the ages of 18–60 should receive between 310–320 mg of magnesium daily.
Increasing your magnesium intake
If you want to avoid the risk of magnesium deficiency and make sure you are receiving the recommended amount of magnesium that your body needs to function properly, there are a few steps you can take:
Eat magnesium-rich foods
One of the easiest ways to make sure your magnesium levels are up to par is to eat foods that contain high amounts of magnesium.
Here are a few foods that you can include in your diet in order to receive adequate amounts of magnesium each day:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Chard
- Arugula
- Collard greens
- Turnip greens
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds
- Watermelon seeds
- Squash seeds
- Avocados
- Legumes
- Tofu
- Dark chocolate
- Lima beans
- Brown rice
- Black beans
- Soybeans
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Tuna
- Halibut
Eating these foods will naturally boost your magnesium intake. Try meal prepping before your shifts and including some of these foods as a snack or with your pre-shift meal. Snacking on some dark chocolate cacao nibs, a handful of cashews, or a few pumpkin seeds can keep you alert while working and increase your magnesium levels at the same time.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking the recommended 2 liters of water each day is not only beneficial for your mental and physical health, but it is also helpful for your magnesium intake.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, every liter of water contains approximately 10 mg of magnesium. This means men can receive almost 5% of their daily magnesium and women can receive almost 7% of their daily magnesium just from drinking enough water every day.
Take a magnesium supplement
While it is always beneficial to try to receive all of your necessary magnesium through food, taking a magnesium supplement is another way for night shift workers to make sure they are receiving enough magnesium each day.
Although it’s important that your magnesium levels are high enough to prevent you from experiencing the negative effects of magnesium deficiency, you will want to be careful when taking a magnesium supplement so that you are not receiving too much magnesium, which can harm your kidneys and cause other health issues.
Magnesium and the night shift
Working the night shift and keeping unconventional hours can lead to a host of significant health issues. Receiving adequate amounts of magnesium each day can help fight against these health problems and make sure your body is able to function properly day in and day out.
Whether you choose to take a magnesium supplement or you increase your magnesium intake through your diet or water consumption, receiving enough magnesium is critical to your physical health, especially when you’re working nights.
Night Shift Nutrition is a community focused on living your best life, while working nights. We do this by sharing our experiences and science based educations. The point is to not only survive working nights but to thrive! If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of you can apply to join our facebook group or subscribe to our email list.
