Assessment of Calcium and Magnesium Concentrations in Groundwater as Supplements for Sleep Related Ailments

Calcium and Magnesium are essential to human health. Studies by National Sleep Foundation (NSF), have confirmed these elements as being effective in the treatment of Insomnia. One of the sources of these elements is hard water. In this study, thirty five groundwater samples were collected using EPA standard procedures and analyzed using standard analytical technique. The results showed that 97.14% of the samples are very hard. Values recorded for calcium and magnesium ranged from 3.1±0.26 mg/l to 1524±131.06 mg/l with a mean value of 586.01mg/l and 21±0.59 mg/l to 1375±38.5 mg/l with a mean value of 342.83 mg/l, respectively. This indicates that groundwater from the study area could be a good source of calcium and magnesium for inhabitants of the area. The World Health Organization reported that, while the concentrations of calcium and magnesium in drinking-water vary astonishingly from one supply to another, mineral-rich drinking-waters may provide substantial contributions to total intakes of these elements in some populations or population subgroups. It may also be safer compared to most sleeping pills which when taken over long periods of time, can have multiple side effects. Some pills were also reported to have impaired memory and performance on the job and homes.