Minerals promote healthy sleep? When we think of minerals and trace elements, we certainly don't immediately associate them with our sleep. But in fact, zinc is significantly involved in how and in what quality we sleep at night.
Zinc and its effect
As one of the most important trace elements, zinc contributes to vital metabolic processes and ensures a well-functioning immune system. It is also responsible for regulated hormone and enzyme formation.
Because if we lack zinc, a lot of things in our body get out of balance. Among other things, we feel: Tiredness!
The most important functions of zinc are:
- Functioning immune system
- Well functioning cell metabolism
- Balanced enzyme & hormone production
- Growth.
Zinc as a dietary supplement promotes sleep
Zinc is one of the trace elements that one would least associate with healthy sleep. In fact, however, zinc plays a significant role in ensuring that we sleep well and sufficiently. If the hormone and enzyme formation in our organism gets out of balance, this can be due to a zinc deficiency, which in turn leads back to its importance in relation to sleep. Because when zinc is lacking in our body, the level of sleep-promoting hormones such as serotonin and melatonin decreases.
In fact, clinical studies in mice and humans have shown that zinc supplementation improves both sleep duration and sleep intensity.
Our expert tip for healthy sleep: zinc as a nutritional supplement. Be careful, though, if you have sleep problems you should discuss them with your doctor before you start taking zinc.
Combine these exercises or routines for healthy sleep
Don't have enough sleep tips yet? Then check out these exercises for healthy sleep and make them your new evening routine.
1. Breathe properly
Proper breathing is one of the most important things you can do if you have trouble falling asleep. Place your warm hands on your stomach for relaxed abdominal breathing. Now try to concentrate exclusively on your breathing and direct it into your belly. Feel how your abdominal wall rises and falls with each breath until you fall asleep.
2. Let your thoughts drift away
Imagine that you are sitting in a cinema, watching your thoughts as if they were on a cinema screen. Let the images appear before your eyes, look at them briefly and then switch to the next scene. Just look at the thoughts, but do not judge them. Concentrate on looking and let all the images pass.
3. Muscle tension and relaxation
When you are not relaxed, your facial muscles tense unconsciously. To relax them, consciously tense all your facial muscles with all your strength. Clench your eyes, mouth, eyebrows and nose, hold this tension for about 10 seconds and then relax all the muscles again. Then concentrate on your face and feel how it feels.
Citation
- Cherasse Y, Urade Y. Dietary Zinc Acts as a Sleep Modulator. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Nov 5;18(11):2334. doi: 10.3390/ijms18112334. PMID: 29113075; PMCID: PMC5713303.
- (30.03.22): Mineralstoffe für einen guten Schlaf. In: Smartsleep. (Zuletzt abgerufen am 05.09.22). https://smartsleep.com/blogs/schlafmagazin/mineralstoffe-spurenelemente.
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