Does magnesium help you sleep

Key Points

• Magnesium can help you to sleep by calming down your nervous system.
• It may also help relieve muscle cramps and restless leg syndrome.
• You can ingest magnesium through food, tablets or powder.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, adding more magnesium to your diet or taking a magnesium supplement may be beneficial as part of a healthy sleep routine. 

Sounds legitimate, but what does the science say? Does magnesium help you sleep? And what’s the best form of magnesium for optimal absorption?  We chatted with naturopath Gabbie Watt to find out how magnesium may help us unwind at night and get the quality rest we need.

How does magnesium help you sleep?

Magnesium may play a role in lulling us into a slumber. It may do this through a series of fascinating processes that allow our bodies and minds to relax. Gabbie explains how.

“Magnesium plays a role in helping the nervous system into a calm state. It does this by lowering excitatory neurotransmitters, (the brain chemicals that keep you awake).”

Magnesium also helps us produce something called ‘gamma-aminobutyric acid’, or GABA for short. GABA has the oh-so-important job of blocking those excitable chemicals that keep us up at night. It helps us sink into non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep, which makes up about 75% of our total snooze time. Non-REM sleep involves the essential phase of deep sleep, in contrast to REM sleep (which comprises about 25% of our total sleep).

There are also studies to suggest that supplementing magnesium may help to treat insomnia by increasing melatonin production and lowering inflammation. However, at this stage, the research around this is limited. Magnesium supplements will usually only help in the case of a deficiency. Of course, most people would not be aware of their magnesium status, in order to understand if they are deficient. 

You can get your magnesium needs through foods or drinks that are rich in magnesium. These include pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, rolled oats, wholewheat bread, avocado and brown rice.  

Got restless legs?

If you’ve ever found yourself tossing and turning with restless legs – or you share your bed with a partner who spends all night moving their legs around for relief – you’ll know how frustrating this condition can be. 

“Magnesium may help with muscle cramps and restless leg syndrome,” says Gabbie. “Restless leg syndrome can really impact people’s sleep quality, so magnesium may help by calming the muscles and nerves while also aiding sleep in all the other ways discussed.”

Is a magnesium supplement necessary for better sleep?

According to Gabbie, whether you need a magnesium supplement depends on your biology and lifestyle.

“There are many factors to consider,” she says. “Magnesium is an electrolyte, so you may lose some if you’re sweating and not drinking enough water. Some people might have a digestive condition that makes it harder to absorb magnesium. Others might not eat enough magnesium-containing foods like leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.”

However, Gabbie notes that a deficiency usually only occurs after a substantial loss of magnesium. As everyone’s circumstances are different, it’s best to speak with a healthcare professional if you think you might have a magnesium deficiency. Depending on your circumstances, a supplement may be appropriate.

What’s the best magnesium supplement for sleep?

There are many different magnesium supplements on the market, but Gabbie recommends looking for magnesium glycinate if you want the best bang for your buck. Why? Because it all comes down to its form – a combination of magnesium and the amino acid glycine.

Some of the benefits of magnesium glycinate may include:

• easy absorption
• improved mood
• improved sleep quality
• GABA production
• calming the nervous system
• helping with restless leg syndrome in pregnancy

Magnesium supplements are available in various forms, including powders, tablets and topical applications, so what works best? Gabbie says it comes down to your digestion.

“If your digestive system can break down a tablet and that works for you, then that’s great. If not, you can get powders that you can mix with water that are very easily absorbed. There are some topical cream products that contain magnesium  but the evidence isn’t clear yet about skin absorption.”

How can people ensure they’re getting enough magnesium?

For most people, getting enough magnesium through diet alone is simple enough.

Eating foods abundant in magnesium – like leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains – has been shown to support adequate magnesium intake. You can also aid absorption by ensuring you’re getting enough vitamin D and sodium.

You may want to be mindful of consuming diuretics like tea and coffee with food, as they can interfere with magnesium absorption. Calcium, fats, phosphates and phytic acid may also limit the amount of magnesium absorbed through the intestines.

Ultimately, Gabbie says that choosing meals that support magnesium intake is about balance. There’s no need to cut out or limit certain foods unless advised by your healthcare professional.

“It’s just about being mindful about what you’re eating,” says Gabbie. “And make sure you eat foods rich in magnesium to ensure you are getting those important nutrients in your diet.” 

Trouble sleeping? Magnesium may help

There is some evidence to suggest that magnesium can help us achieve a better night’s sleep. Whether by calming the nervous system, aiding the production of GABA or reducing muscle cramps and restless leg syndrome, magnesium has numerous benefits that may help to nod off peacefully.

If you’re having trouble drifting off at night and suspect you need more deep sleep, speak with a healthcare professional. They’ll be able to assess what’s going on and may recommend magnesium if necessary.

Related:

• Do you need to track your sleep?
• 7 sleep aids for a restful night’s sleep
• Why is sleep important and what are the benefits?

Gabbie Watt is a Naturopath and passionate about blending evidence-based practice and traditional natural medicine into her approach. With experience previously working as a Radiation Therapist, Gabbie’s professional background in conventional medicine has been instrumental in shaping her holistic approach to health.

Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board March 2023