It was summer 2021, and my jaw had been clenched tight for almost a year, with no end in sight. As a result, it got sore when I stretched it out and tired when I ate literally anything. I was terrified of what the dentist would think. At first I assumed it was just a symptom of my anxiety, but the teeth grinding unfortunately never subsided, no matter what my emotional state was.
I decided to consult my sister, who is also a teeth grinder, for possible solutions, and she extolled the powers of Natural Vitality’s Calm gummies. On her recommendation, I figured I’d give them a shot in hopes that they would unclench my jaw before I ended up grinding my teeth down to little nubs. Their main active ingredient is magnesium, an essential mineral imperative for lots of bodily functions, and which has potential benefits in supplement form for everything from exercise recovery to mood regulation. I didn’t expect much from these little gumdrop-looking chews, but boy, was I in for a surprise.
Calm Gummies (opens in a new window)
My experience
I never understood how people fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow until I started popping these gummies. Before bed, I ate the recommended four gummies and felt the full mind and body melt take over within minutes. Before I fall asleep is normally my time to reflect on all the embarrassing things I’ve ever done in my life, but I feel like my mind is way more quiet before bedtime with these babies on board. I konk out more quickly than I ever have, and I’ve noticed a big improvement in my quality of sleep.
But more importantly for my clenching and grinding problem, since I started using the gummies, I’ve noticed that my jaw is less fatigued/sore in the mornings after I take them, and I definitely feel relief almost immediately after eating them. I wouldn’t label these as a long-term cure for myself, but they do the trick when I am feeling especially stressed.
They’re raspberry-lemonade flavored, and remind me of the time I ate a whole bottle of Flintstones gummy vitamins in one sitting just because they tasted so good (which I do NOT recommend doing). But be warned: It could be dangerous to have these around during a munchie sesh, because these things are straight up tasty. They stick to my teeth a little bit, but I just try to take them before I brush and it’s not a problem.
Why magnesium?
Magnesium is one of the most abundant chemicals in the human body, and is essential for keeping you loose and relaxed both physically and mentally, due to its natural muscle-relaxing abilities. It’s also been shown in clinical studies to help people deal with insomnia, stress, and depression. I was really hoping the muscle-relaxing aspect would take over and help me loosen up, and I wasn’t disappointed.
These specific magnesium gummies also happen to be vegan and gluten-free. They were developed by Peter Gillham, an esteemed late clinical nutritionist and chemist who believed that food is medicine. In fact, his magnesium supplements were the flagship product of his original company, Life Essentials, which he started in the mid-80’s after he discovered that magnesium deficiency is “the start of most body difficulties.”
My TL;DR:
Ultimately, these gummies really do chill me out and help me relax my jaw at night. (It might be a placebo effect, but I don’t really care either way.) They do the trick for me, and according to reviews, they do the trick for lots of people. They’re tasty and do wonders for my poor little chompers and my now-yoked jaw (hallelujah, the grind has finally stopped). I may need to investigate a longer-term solution to this problem down the road, but for now these are helping my mind and my jaw STFU and *chill* every night.
Nature Vitality’s Calm Gummies are available at iHerb for $21. Pro tip: Get 10% off your first order when you use the promo code 10NEW at checkout.
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