Zoe Ball has opened up about her struggle with insomnia, revealing that taking magnesium supplements has significantly improved her sleep. The BBC Radio 2 presenter discussed the issue on the Dig It podcast alongside co-host Jo Whiley, responding to a listener named Alison who described her own sleepless nights.
Ball admitted that she used to rely heavily on sleeping tablets but became concerned about their long-term effects, including the potential risk of dementia. She told Alison: 'I feel your pain. I used to really struggle to sleep, and I used to take a lot of sleeping tablets. But then, the worry of not being able to sleep makes you not be able to sleep.'
The broadcaster said that taking magnesium at night 'really helped' and that she had also been advised to take baths in magnesium salts. Although she was unsure of the exact mechanism, she noted that magnesium 'definitely has made a difference' to her sleep quality.
According to the NHS, insomnia is characterised by regular difficulty falling asleep, waking up during the night, or waking early and struggling to get back to sleep. Healthline reports that magnesium may aid sleep by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and regulating melatonin, a hormone that controls the sleep-wake cycle.
In a separate episode, Ball also mentioned a 'lodger' who witnessed her using a product for lymphatic drainage, describing his reaction as turning 'on his heels'. The reference came as she discussed a tool she uses to 'whack' her legs and underarms to aid circulation.
