For insomnia, many experts suggest starting with 200-400 mg of easily absorbed magnesium (like glycinate or citrate) about 30-60 minutes before bed, but it's crucial to start low and consult your doctor, as recommended doses vary, and forms like magnesium oxide might cause digestive issues. Aim for a total daily intake around 300-400mg (or slightly higher in studies for older adults), balancing supplementation with magnesium-rich foods, and be mindful of side effects like diarrhea.
As long as you have healthy kidney function, magnesium supplements should be safe to take, says Dr. Millstine. She recommends 250 to 500 milligrams of magnesium in a single dose at bedtime. Although it is safe to take magnesium along with other sleep aids, it is unlikely to have any additional effect, she says.
Magnesium typically promotes mild relaxation within hours but requires one to two weeks of consistent daily use for noticeable sleep improvements. Clinical studies often track benefits over six to eight weeks for the full effect.
Magnesium is a mineral involved in hundreds of processes in our bodies. One of the things that it does is to help relax our muscles, so magnesium can be effective in promoting relaxation before sleep.
According to recent guidelines, 310-360 milligrams/day of magnesium has been recommended for women and 400-420 mg for men. A clinical study indicated that a daily intake of 500 mg of elemental magnesium supplementation for eight weeks increased sleep duration and decreased sleep latency in the older population.
When taken in doses greater than 350 mg daily, magnesium is possibly unsafe. Large doses might cause too much magnesium to build up in the body, causing serious side effects including an irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, confusion, slowed breathing, coma, and death.
Best Overall
Magnesium L-threonate (MgT) is believed to not only help you fall asleep but also feel well-rested, alert, and functional during the day. People may benefit from this extra boost if they struggle with nightly sleep and the after-effects the following day.
The best form of magnesium for sleep is generally magnesium glycinate (or bisglycinate) because it's highly absorbable, gentle on the stomach, and the attached amino acid glycine has natural calming effects that promote relaxation and better sleep. Other options like magnesium citrate can also help with sleep but may have a laxative effect, while less-absorbable forms like magnesium oxide are usually better for constipation.
Risks of Magnesium Supplements
Magnesium supplements can cause nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Additionally, this mineral often cause softening of stool. Magnesium interactions: Magnesium may not be safe for individuals taking diuretics, heart medications, or antibiotics.
Magnesium deficiency symptoms start mild with fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and headaches, but progress to more severe issues like muscle cramps/spasms, numbness, tingling, anxiety, insomnia, abnormal heart rhythms, and even seizures, affecting nerve, muscle, and brain function crucial for overall health.
Up-to-Date
Magnesium can help you sleep longer, get better quality sleep, and feel less tired. Experts recommend taking no more than 350 milligrams of magnesium for sleep. Magnesium can be found in foods like nuts, leafy greens, whole grains, dairy, and soy products.
While melatonin is best for resetting sleep cycles, magnesium enhances sleep depth and relaxation. Studies suggest that combining both, especially with vitamin B complex, offers significant benefits for insomnia.
However, if you ingest high doses of any magnesium supplement, you might experience side effects, such as diarrhea, gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting and worse. If too much magnesium builds up in your body, as can happen if you have kidney disease, you can have serious side effects.
If you're expecting Magnesium to knock you out like a sleeping pill, you might be waiting a while. While some people feel more relaxed within an hour, studies suggest it takes a few days to a couple of weeks of consistent use to improve sleep quality.
Health Risks from Excessive Magnesium
Although the risk of acquiring too much magnesium from food is low among healthy people, high doses of magnesium from dietary supplements or medications can cause diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping.
You should not mix magnesium with certain antibiotics (tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones), bisphosphonates, diuretics, proton pump inhibitors, some blood pressure drugs, and diabetes medications, as it can block absorption or alter effects, requiring spacing or avoidance. Also, separate magnesium from high doses of zinc, iron, calcium, and high-fiber/phytate/oxalate foods to prevent interference with absorption.
The benefits of magnesium supplementation in healthy individuals aren't clear, but Dr. Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
Many people ask when to take magnesium glycinate for the best effect. You can take it at any time of day, but for sleep and relaxation, taking it 1–2 hours before bed is ideal. For daytime stress or muscle support, you might prefer to take it in the morning or early afternoon.
The Right Magnesium For Better Sleep
Magnesium is a great ally for better sleep, but the right form depends on what you need. Magnesium glycinate is a perfect choice if you're dealing with stress-related sleep issues, while magnesium threonate is best for those feeling mentally overloaded or fatigued.
Magnesium may interact with medications such as antibiotics, diuretics, and heart medications, so a medical review is especially important if you're already on prescription treatments. For those experiencing moderate to severe anxiety, I strongly recommend a full evaluation by a mental health professional.
The Best Types of Magnesium for Deep Sleep
Magnesium L-Threonate's exceptional capacity to traverse the blood-brain barrier makes it a top choice among forms for enhancing sleep quality. It can directly improve cognitive function while also promoting relaxation because of this.
Magnesium deficiency symptoms start mild with fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and headaches, but progress to more severe issues like muscle cramps/spasms, numbness, tingling, anxiety, insomnia, abnormal heart rhythms, and even seizures, affecting nerve, muscle, and brain function crucial for overall health.
But some foods and drinks can make it harder for your body to absorb magnesium or even increase magnesium loss, so timing and pairing matter.
This medication is a mineral supplement used to prevent and treat low amounts of magnesium in the blood. Some brands are also used to treat symptoms of too much stomach acid such as stomach upset, heartburn, and acid indigestion.