The 10p tablet that cured my exhaustion and sleepless nights for GOOD. Dozens of studies suggest this miracle pill can help you sleep longer with no downside: This is how it could help YOU

Kendall Platt worked as a crime scene forensic investigator for more than a decade; it was a job he found both rewarding and extremely stressful.

The 40-year-old mother of two says she often lies awake at night thinking about the horrific images she saw that day. Unsurprisingly, his sleep was suffering.

‘Most nights I would have bad dreams and wake up sweating,’ says Kendall, from Reading. ‘And when this happened I would have trouble falling asleep again.’

So when Kendall changed careers to become a professional gardener last year, offering women what she described as gardening therapy, she expected her sleep to improve.

Moreover, desperate for a better night’s sleep, Kendall also reduced the amount of sugar she consumed and stopped looking at her phone an hour before bed.

However, these changes did not have the expected effect.

‘I was still waking up at 3am and lying awake for hours,’ he says. ‘Then the kids were waking up at 6am and I was getting up again, which meant I got very little sleep.’

Then Kendall says he’s found a solution: a 10-penny daily dose of magnesium.

Experts say magnesium is one of the most important nutrients our bodies need, but around one in six Britons don’t get enough.

Magnesium tablets are increasingly being touted as a sleep-enhancing supplement, leading to an explosion in popularity, and this increased interest is primarily driven by social media.

However, many doctors now also recommend magnesium to patients with sleep problems, based on growing evidence that the supplement has a profound effect on rest and energy levels.

Kendall says she first learned about magnesium’s sleep benefits through social media. As a result, she decided to try it by purchasing effervescent magnesium tablets from her local supermarket two months ago. The tablets contain a special form called magnesium glycinate, which is thought to be most effective at improving sleep quality.

Kendall put one of the tablets in water and drank it an hour before bed.

The effect was seen immediately. ‘I started waking up feeling refreshed,’ he says. ‘My sleep has been consistently good for two months.

‘I wake up occasionally at night but I can fall back asleep easily in a way I couldn’t before.

‘I have more energy in the morning getting the kids ready for school. ‘I also have a lot more energy at work.’

But not everyone agrees that magnesium is a panacea for poor sleep.

In fact, some experts believe the supplement has no effect.

So do magnesium supplements really improve sleep and should you take one?

The need for more sleep solutions is clear. Research shows that around a third of Britons suffer from insomnia, meaning they have difficulty sleeping. Meanwhile, a quarter of people say they feel tired most of the time, no matter how much sleep they get.

Experts say it’s this energy level crisis that’s driving magnesium’s growing popularity.

Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, as well as cashews, beans and whole wheat bread. It is very important for muscles, the immune system, bone strength and blood sugar levels.

Magnesium is one of the most important nutrients our bodies need, but around one in six Britons don’t get enough, experts say

The effect of magnesium was seen immediately. ‘I started waking up feeling refreshed,’ he says. ‘My sleep has been consistently good for two months’

A comprehensive 2021 review of dozens of magnesium sleep studies concluded that patients with higher levels of magnesium in their blood tended to sleep longer and had more energy — but the effect was small.

Dr Peters is a consultant neurologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital and the Reborne Longevity clinic, both in London. Oliver Bernath suggests that magnesium’s profound effect on sleep is because it increases levels of a chemical in the brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid, which has a calming effect.

‘I’ve seen a really positive effect of magnesium on my patients with sleep problems,’ he says.

Not all scientists agree. Dr. D., a biologist at the Molecular Biology Laboratory in Cambridge. The only patients who may benefit from taking magnesium supplements are those with very low levels of the nutrient, says John O’Neill.

‘Your body can only hold so much magnesium,’ he says. ‘If a patient’s levels are normal and they are taking supplements, then excess magnesium will be flushed out.’

Instead, Dr. O’Neill claims that patients who find their sleep improved after taking magnesium are more likely to experience a placebo effect; They believe their symptoms have improved, even though the medication has no effect.

‘Most sleep problems stem from life’s stress and anxiety rather than vitamin deficiency,’ he says.

‘Placebo can often be a very powerful treatment. Magnesium is also cheap and very safe, so there is little harm in taking it.’

Kendall says she doesn’t care if the magnesium tablets are a placebo.

‘The impact is clear to me; “It works, but the other steps don’t work,” he says. ‘So to me it’s worth it.’