Hi albiorix,

I am sorry to hear that you haven't had the same effect from the magnesium...

Is the sleep deprivation caused by something that you can control? Could you tell us what is stopping you from getting a good night's sleep? If it's not too private...

Sleep deprivation is really not a good thing for anyone. Especially if it is a long-term problem. It is possible to catch up on your sleep if it is just a one-off thing, but if it is every single night... Hmmm...

Hutchinson has some good ideas, though. I use a sleep "scarf" (I drape a silk scarf over my eyes when it gets too light in our bedroom) and ear plugs to get a decent night's sleep. That helps a lot.

As for melatonin, I've never tried it. I think if the German customs opened a package from iherb.com with melatonin in it, they'd send it back!!! I think it is only allowed on prescription over here, so it would be illegal for me to order it.

The magnesium might need a bit longer to "kick in" in your case, perhaps. If you are very Mg-deficient, then it might take a bit longer for you to notice it. I had a gluten-intolerance problem that I didn't know I had until recently and that was stopping me from absorbing magnesium properly. Once I went off the gluten, after a while I noticed that the magnesium was having more of an effect than it had been. Also, if you have low stomach acid, that can also affect how well you absorb magnesium. To try and raise the acidity of my stomach acid and improve nutrient absorption, I take these:

http://www.iherb.com/Doctor-s-Best-...sules/7353?at=0

Apparently, your stomach acid gets less strong as you age, so I am trying to help it out a bit. I think the acidity goes down from about 40 onwards.

I don't know what your budget is like right now, but you could try them.

Hope you can do something about the sleep problem, though.

amanda