It’s no secret that stress can take a toll on both your physical and mental wellbeing, leading to discomfort, emotional distress, sleep problems, performance issues, and more.
But the reason for all these effects can actually be traced back to one key mineral: magnesium. Stress depletes magnesium levels, and since this mineral plays a role in more than 300 biochemical reactions, chaos ensues in the body.
Why does stress deplete magnesium, though - and is there anything you can do about stress and magnesium depletion? You’ve come to the right place. We’ll cover everything you need to know and help you restore your magnesium levels to get back to living life without limits.
From ways to increase magnesium intake to stress reduction techniques, we’ll share actionable insights below. Take the first step at Flewd Stresscare with our world-renowned magnesium bath soak - relief is just a few clicks away!
Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency
Magnesium is perhaps the most important mineral for human health, influencing physical, emotional, and cognitive wellbeing. Unfortunately, the vast majority of individuals exist in a chronic state of magnesium deficiency. It’s no wonder everyone is so tired and irritable!
Deficiency symptoms often start small but can escalate over time. This is why you don’t realize there’s an issue until it’s a massive problem. Common signs include:
- Muscle cramps and twitches
- Persistent fatigue
- Headaches
- Difficulty sleeping
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Poor concentration
- Delayed muscle recovery
- Physical discomfort
By the time you start feeling the symptoms you’ve likely been deficient in magnesium for some time. It’s not always easy to diagnose the issue as these signs can mimic other conditions.
So, how did this happen - can stress deplete magnesium?
Can Stress Deplete Magnesium?
Yes - we sort of buried the lead at the start, but stress depletes magnesium. The question is, how does stress deplete magnesium? It can be attributed to your body burning through it at an accelerated rate due to heightened demands.
This has to do with stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which further exacerbate depletion and leave your magnesium stores empty. The longer it persists, the greater the risk of falling into a cycle where stress worsens magnesium deficiency.
Don’t sweat it, though. We’ll show you how to deal with both stress and magnesium depletion simultaneously in just a few moments. But let’s take a closer look - why does stress deplete magnesium?
Why Does Stress Deplete Magnesium?
We touched on some of the links between stress and magnesium depletion already, but there are actually a few different ways in which stress depletes magnesium. Those include:
Increased Excretion Through Urine
Cortisol and adrenaline are stress hormones released as part of your body’s fight-or-flight response anytime you feel stressed. While they’re necessary for keeping you alive in the face of real danger, they also wreak havoc internally.
One example of this is in increasing the rate at which magnesium is excreted through urine. It won’t move the needle in one-off instances where your stress levels spike. But when you’re chronically stressed, this can eventually leave your magnesium stores completely drained.
Elevated Cellular Demands During Stress
Stress also forces your cells to work overtime. As you now know, magnesium plays a part in over 300 biochemical reactions, many of which are tied to your body’s stress response. Some of these include regulating blood pressure and calming the nervous system.
This means that when you’re stressed out, your cells have no choice but to use up any available magnesium. Without proper replenishment, your body is left starving for magnesium.
The Vicious Magnesium-Stress Cycle
You may be wondering, does magnesium help with stress? It sure does. The problem, as you now know, is that stress depletes magnesium. This creates a vicious cycle.
You’re stressed, so magnesium levels plummet. This leads to an increase in your body’s stress response, and this spiral continues until the underlying issue is addressed.
Without sufficient magnesium, your body struggles to manage stress effectively, creating a feedback loop where stress depletes magnesium, and magnesium deficiency makes stress feel worse. The only solution is to give your body what it needs - more magnesium!
We’ll show you how in just a few moments. Of course, finding better ways to deal with stress - and limiting sources of stress wherever possible - is also important. But be clear, magnesium isn’t the only nutrient depleted as a direct result of stress.
Other Nutrients Drained By Stress
In the same way in which stress depletes magnesium, it can also use up essential stores of important nutrients, including:
- Vitamin C: Often used by the adrenal glands during the stress response, leaving lower levels for immune function.
- B Vitamins: Support energy production and mood regulation, meaning depletion contributes to fatigue and anxiety.
- Potassium: Helps regulate heart rhythm and muscle contractions.
The answer isn’t as simple as avoiding stress. That’s just unrealistic in this day and age as stress is all around us - relationships, work, health concerns, family, and so many other things you can’t escape can often be sources of stress.
Rather, it’s a matter of increasing magnesium intake while coping with stress in healthy ways.
Tips on Dealing With Stress and Magnesium Depletion
Unfortunately, the solution isn’t as easy as finding a magnesium supplement and putting stress in the past. Oral magnesium supplements are low in bioavailability, so your body can’t really put them to use. They’re also notorious for causing discomforting side effects.
We talk about this in our comparison of transdermal magnesium vs oral. So, does magnesium soak into skin? Yes, and at a very high rate of absorption with very few side effects! That’s why we want to introduce you to the magnesium soak benefits below.
Replenishing Magnesium Levels
While diet is a great starting point, foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains often aren’t enough to meet your body’s needs during high-stress periods. You need something more, like our stress relief bath soak.
Wait, what is a bath soak? While the bath soak vs bath bomb are commonly lumped together, they’re very different. A bath soak isn’t about fizzy, fun colors. Rather, it’s about providing therapeutic benefits.
So, how does taking a bath relieve stress? Why is magnesium soak good for you when you’re feeling stressed out? Magnesium itself plays a role, of course, in helping relax both your body and mind.
But the optimal magnesium bath soak recipe includes other vitamins, minerals, and nootropics that all work in synergy to support a healthier stress response and restore your body’s magnesium levels.
Here at Flewd Stresscare we’ve developed the best magnesium bath soak. Our products have helped more than 100,000 people free themselves from the shackles of stress to live a healthier, happier life. Here’s what’s included in our Stresscare Trio:
- Muscle bath soak: Vitamins C & D with Omega-3s help reduce annoying neck aches, unknot tight muscles, and combat aching shoulder tension.
- Anxiety bath soak: Complex B Vitamins and Zinc work in synergy to reduce negative feels, calm a racing pulse, and unwind your mind.
- Sleep bath soak: Vitamins A & E with L-Carnitine help you sink into a dreamy, blissful state, reducing wandering thoughts and helping you get a good night’s rest.
Each has its own unique scent that further supports relaxation. All our soaks provide benefits for up to 5 days, and you don’t have to worry about parabens or other toxic ingredients. They’re cruelty-free, vegan, and 99% natural.
Our blog has more tips on how to use bath soak, like how much bath soak to use and how long to soak in magnesium bath. It’s easy, though. Fill your tub with warm water, empty the soak contents, and relax for 15-30 minutes. You can shower afterwards to rinse off, but not required.
Use these stress-busting soaks up to 3 times a week and you’ll be amazed at what a difference they can make in how you feel physically and mentally. Put stress on notice today!
Pairing With Stress Management Techniques
Magnesium is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to stress management. There are so many other practices you can use to help keep its harmful effects at bay.
Activities like mindfulness meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises help reduce cortisol levels and create a calm environment for your body to absorb magnesium and heal.
You should prioritize self-care and you-time each and every day, even if it’s just a quiet evening with a book or a peaceful soak in the tub. These techniques will give your nervous system the reset it needs.
Monitoring Magnesium Intake
Consistency is key to managing magnesium levels. It’s not a one-and-done type of thing. As stated already, use our soaks up to 3 times a week. Technically, you can use them daily if you want - but this could be considered overkill.
Complimentary Nutrients
Magnesium works synergistically with other nutrients, so addressing stress means taking a more rounded approach. Here are some other nutrients you should be targeting as well:
- B Vitamins: Supports energy production and calms the nervous system.
- Vitamin D: Enhances magnesium absorption and promotes a healthy mood balance.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Helps regulate inflammation so magnesium can be more effective at calming muscles and nerves.
Say Goodbye to Sources of Stress
Stress is an inevitable part of life. Trying to get rid of it altogether is like playing a game of whack-a-mole. Sure, you can quit your job if your boss is giving you stress - but then you’ll be stressed about finding a new job.
The point is that you’ll never be able to live a life without any source of stress. It’s just not realistic. That doesn’t mean you can’t weed out toxic relationships, stop putting unrealistic expectations on yourself, or change your environment to mitigate sources of stress, though.
Whatever is causing you stress, see if there’s a way you can address the underlying cause rather than trying to mask the symptoms. It won’t always be possible, but in some cases, it will be!
Final Thoughts on Why Stress Depletes Magnesium
So, can stress deplete magnesium? The answer is a clear, commanding yes. A better question is why does stress deplete magnesium?
Hopefully, this overview of why stress depletes magnesium has left you with a solid grasp of what’s going on internally when you’re stressed. The short answer is stress forces your body to use up all its available magnesium stores for the response at hand, often leaving them empty.
Our blog has additional resources on topics like:
- Homemade bath soak for sore muscles without epsom salt
- Magnesium soak vs epsom salt
- Healing bath recipes
- Are hot baths good for sore muscles
- Disadvantages of bath bombs
- Can stress cause muscle soreness
- Does a hot bath help anxiety
But now you know the solution for stress and magnesium depletion is as simple as indulging in a relaxing magnesium soak a few times a week. Don’t let stress drain your deserves and steal your lust for life. Spoil yourself at Flewd Stresscare today and put this problem in the past!
