Does Magnesium Actually Help You Sleep?

If #sleeptok is to be believed, magnesium is the key to getting a better night's sleep. But wondering if this is true keeps us up at 3 am. Research shows that magnesium can be beneficial for everything from constipation to blood pressure. So can it also help you sleep better? We asked Raj Dasgupta, MD, chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis, if there’s any truth to the trend. 

What is magnesium?

Magnesium is a nutrient you can find in many foods like seeds and nuts, meat, and dairy products. It helps strengthen your bones, keep your heart healthy, and regulate blood pressure and blood sugar. You can also get magnesium from a supplement — which can be helpful if you find that you’re magnesium deficient. 

When it comes to snoozing, magnesium is thought to work by “relaxing the muscles, calming the nervous system, regulating the circadian rhythm, and producing melatonin, a hormone that helps to promote sleep,” says Dasgupta. 

OK, but does taking magnesium for sleep work?

Well, actually, there’s not enough evidence to definitively say ‘yes.’ “Some studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can improve sleep quality in people with insomnia and restless leg syndrome, while other studies have found no effect,” says Dasgupta. The studies on magnesium for sleep are often small and sometimes inconclusive. Example: One found that magnesium’s impact on sleep was “statistically insignificant.” So more research is needed to determine exactly how effective it is. 

Magnesium is generally safe to try for sleep — but if you’re struggling with getting good sleep, testing out this supplement shouldn’t be your first line of defense, says Dasgupta. Instead, try to…

• Identify and address “any underlying medical conditions” with your doctor that could be interfering with your sleep. If there are no underlying medical conditions… 

• Examine your sleep hygiene. If you don’t have one, establish a relaxing and consistent sleep schedule and nix any habits that could be keeping a good night’s sleep out of reach (drinking caffeine or alcohol before bed or doom-scrolling, for example). 

• If you’re already doing the above, you may need your doctor to perform an exam, blood tests or a sleep study to get to the root of the problem, Dasgupta says. If you want to try magnesium, your doctor can guide you toward a reputable brand and the right dosage. 

theSkimm

We all want a quick fix for sleep — especially when we’re sleep-deprived. But before you reach for the magnesium bottle — or any other supplement — check with your doctor to make sure nothing else is going on first.