Sleep and stress: how to break the cycle with a fixed evening routine
Busy during the day, restless in the evening and even more tired the next day: sound familiar? Stress and sleep affect each other. In this article you'll read how that works, how a fixed evening routine brings more calm to your evening, and why many people add a glass of magnesium to it.
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How sleep and stress affect each other
Your body follows a fixed daily rhythm. In the morning the stress hormone cortisol is at its highest, so you wake up and feel alert. It drops during the day, and in the evening it is low so you can wind down. In busy periods that rhythm is easily disrupted: you're tired, but your mind keeps running in the evening.
If you sleep worse, you start the next day with fewer reserves, and so the cycle keeps itself going. Read more about the daily rhythm of cortisol in Cortisol and stress: what it does to your body.
The basics: five evening habits
- Fixed times: go to bed and get up at around the same time every day, weekends included.
- Screens off: put your phone and laptop away an hour before bedtime. Less light and fewer stimuli make it easier to switch off.
- Dark, cool and quiet: most people sleep best in a dark bedroom of around 17–19 °C.
- No caffeine after 2 pm: caffeine stays in your body for hours. Half of a 4 pm coffee is still there at 10 pm.
- A calm ending: reading, a warm shower, stretching or journaling. Work email and social media do exactly the opposite.
Magnesium as a fixed part of your evening routine
Magnesium is a mineral your body needs every day. It is found in nuts, seeds, pulses, wholegrain products and green vegetables, among others. It is officially established that magnesium contributes to:
- normal functioning of the nervous system;
- normal psychological function;
- normal muscle function;
- the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Many people make magnesium a fixed moment at the end of the day: a glass of water, sitting down for a moment, closing off the day. That ritual is at least as valuable as the glass itself.
Plantforce Vegan Ionic Magnesium
- 250 mg magnesium per teaspoon (67% of the reference intake).
- A powder of magnesium carbonate from seawater and citric acid from sugar beet. In water it forms ionic magnesium citrate.
- No capsules: you simply stir it into a glass of water.
- Vegan, 60 daily servings per tub.
- In two flavours: Passion Fruit and Natural.
Save: 3 tubs, more than six months
Want to make it a fixed habit? With the value pack of 3 tubs (Passion Fruit or Natural) you have magnesium for about 6 months, at a lower price than buying separately.
Frequently asked questions about sleep, stress and magnesium
When is the best time to take magnesium?
When is the best time to take magnesium?
Any time of day is fine. Many people make it a fixed part of their evening routine: a teaspoon of Plantforce Magnesium in a glass of water. Follow the dosage on the label.
Can I take magnesium every day?
Can I take magnesium every day?
Yes, within the recommended daily amount on the label. EFSA uses 250 mg per day as the safe upper limit for magnesium from supplements. One teaspoon of Plantforce Magnesium provides exactly those 250 mg, so don't combine it with other magnesium supplements.
Why do I often wake up at night?
Why do I often wake up at night?
There can be many reasons, such as stress, alcohol in the evening, a late heavy meal or an irregular sleep rhythm. Start with the basics: fixed times, no alcohol just before bed and a calm evening routine. If you keep waking up often over a longer period, discuss it with your GP.
Does a warm drink fit into my evening routine?
Does a warm drink fit into my evening routine?
Definitely. A cup of herbal tea or a mug of warm bone broth is a pleasant fixed moment to end the day for many people. Skip coffee, black tea and other caffeinated drinks in the evening.
What if my sleep doesn't improve?
What if my sleep doesn't improve?
If you keep sleeping badly for a longer period despite a fixed evening routine, or notice that it affects your daily functioning, discuss it with your GP. Sleep problems can have many causes that are worth looking into.
An example evening routine
How to wind down towards the night in one hour
- 9.00 pm – Screens off. Check your last messages and put your phone in another room.
- 9.15 pm – Warm shower, stretching or gentle yoga.
- 9.30 pm – A glass of water with a teaspoon of Plantforce Magnesium, or a mug of warm bone broth.
- 9.40 pm – Reading on paper, journaling or a breathing exercise.
- 10.15 pm – Off to bed, in a dark, cool and quiet bedroom.
Feel free to shift the times to what suits you. What matters is the fixed order, every evening. Give a new routine a few weeks to settle in.
Ready to get started? Choose Plantforce Vegan Magnesium or the value pack of 3 tubs: more than six months of magnesium.
Disclaimer: This article is for information only and does not replace medical advice. A food supplement is not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor or pharmacist. Do not exceed the recommended daily amount. Keep out of reach of young children.
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Vegan Ionic Magnesium Passion Fruit – 150 g
Choose your option
Vegan Ionic Magnesium – Passion Fruit – 3×150 g – Value Pack
Choose your option
Vegan Ionic Magnesium Natural – 150 g
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Astamax 6 mg – 120 softgels
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