Zoe Ball and co-host Jo Whiley replied to to a health-related query from a listener named Alison on their podcast, with the former noting that she used to “really struggle” with the same condition
Zoe Ball has opened up about her struggle with a worrying health condition, revealing she discovered a solution that “really helped”. During a recent episode of the Dig It podcast, the BBC Radio 2 presenter and co-host Jo Whiley addressed a question from listener Alison, who revealed she tuned into the show at 3am as she endured sleepless nights.
Alison shared that her sleep quality had “deteriorated” with age. Despite attempting various remedies including medication, sleeping separately, maintaining good sleep hygiene and using meditation apps, nothing had provided relief from her struggle at night. She concluded by asking whether Zoe and Jo had any suggestions.
The broadcaster, who shared a love life insight over the summer, responded: “Alison, darling girl, I feel your pain; that is so frustrating. I used to really struggle to sleep, and yeah, I used to take a lot of sleeping tablets. And again, you shouldn’t really take those for a long period of time because, you know, they can add to your risk of dementia, but then, the worry of not being able to sleep makes you not be able to sleep.
“So, Alison, from me, something which you possibly have tried because it does sound like you might have exhausted all the avenues, once I started taking magnesium at night, I found that really helped.”
Zoe also mentioned that she’d been advised to take baths in magnesium salts, although she confessed that she was unsure how the mineral aids sleep, but it “definitely has made a difference” to her.
Insomnia is a condition characterised by regular sleep issues, with symptoms not only including difficulty falling asleep, but also waking up during the night, lying awake, waking early and struggling to fall back asleep, and finding it hard to nap during the day despite feeling tired, according to the NHS.
The NHS also explains that adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, unlike children, toddlers and babies who require more. Some of the causes of insomnia include depression, anxiety or stress, shift work, temperatures, nicotine, caffeine and alcohol, but it also emphasises that the condition can improve if you address your sleeping habits.
Some of the recommendations included sticking to the same routine when heading to bed and rising in the morning, unwinding roughly an hour before sleep (suggesting reading or having a bath), regular physical activity and ensuring your bedroom remains both dark and quiet. Healthline writes that magnesium could address sleep by alleviating anxiety and depression and helping people calm down.
It notes that magnesium is a common mineral that is vital for our health. Indeed, it is utilised in more than 600 “cellular reactions” in the human body, and, among its reported health benefits, helps with bone health and the function of the brain, heart and muscles. Regarding sleep, magnesium could assist your brain and body in relaxing, it continues.
One of the ways it can do this is by “activating the parasympathetic nervous system”, which the publication notes is in charge of making you relaxed. Magnesium also regulates melatonin (a naturally occurring hormone that has a role in the sleep-wake cycle) – in fact, people with insomnia sometimes take a synthetic version of melatonin to aid sleep.
It could also help in quieting down the nervous system. Meanwhile, insufficient magnesium levels could even lead to issues with sleep, with research indicating that both elevated and depleted levels could create sleep issues.
In other news, Zoe has reportedly welcomed a mystery man into her home, addressing the topic on another episode of her and Jo’s podcast. Zoe, who split from her ex-partner, Michael Reed, two years ago, revealed this while discussing a product she purchased online that she uses to “whack” her legs and underarms.
She claimed it aids circulation and is “quite good” for lymphatic drainage. Apparently, the mystery man, whom she refers to as “the lodger”, spotted her using it
She recalled: “I remember the first time the lodger walked in and saw me doing it, and just sort of turned on his heels.”
Jo then asked the BBC Radio 2 icon if he was “still around”, to which Zoe confirmed that he indeed was. She cryptically mentioned that he was still there at present and “still lodging”, but she did not reveal his identity.
