Choose melatonin for short-term sleep cycle shifts (like jet lag) and magnesium for relaxation, stress, restless legs, or deeper sleep, though some find combining them effective for overall quality, with magnesium often preferred for chronic issues and melatonin for circadian rhythm adjustment, but consult a doctor for personalized advice.
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.
While it's usually fine to take both supplements in the same evening, you'll want to take magnesium an hour or two before you're ready to go to bed, followed by melatonin about 30 minutes before you'd like to fall asleep.
One of the best forms of magnesium is magnesium glycinate, as it's well-absorbed and doesn't typically cause digestive issues like some other forms (such as magnesium citrate, which can have a laxative effect). Always consult with your midwife or healthcare provider before adding new supplements to your routine.
Is it okay to take magnesium every night for sleep? Consult your doctor or a Midi clinician for health advice, but 200-350 mg of magnesium glycinate is considered safe for everyday use for most people.
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.
How long does it usually take for magnesium to work for sleep? 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.
It turns out that magnesium can bind to and either activate or dampen important neurological receptors in our body which have a role to play in sleep. Fluctuating levels of magnesium in the body can also impact how much hormones we produce, like melatonin (the sleep hormone) and cortisol (the stress hormone).
If you're not sure where to begin, magnesium glycinate is an excellent place to start for sleep and anxiety. For sharper thinking or brain-based anxiety, try magnesium L-threonate. And for calming both your mind and body, magnesium taurate offers a gentle, heart-centered approach.
Some good sources of magnesium are:
To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you:
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 usual starting dose is one 2mg slow release tablet taken 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime. Sometimes the dose may gradually be increased to 2 to 3 tablets before bedtime, depending on how well it works and whether you have any side effects. The maximum dose is 5 tablets (10mg) once daily.
As a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, L-tryptophan may work as a melatonin alternative by prompting your body to produce sleep hormones. Studies suggest L-tryptophan supplements help decrease the time spent awake after initially falling asleep (wake after sleep onset) and support a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
When it comes to whether you can take both magnesium and melatonin at the same time, the short answer is yes. Since both supplements have different effects on the body, they can be combined for improved sleep quality. However, be careful not to exceed the recommended doses of either supplement.
Supplementing vitamin B6 may improve sleep quality and duration. A 2019 study also found that taking a supplement of magnesium, melatonin, and vitamin B complex for 3 months improved sleep and helped treat insomnia.
Your body needs magnesium to function normally. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include low appetite, nausea or vomiting, muscle spasms or tremors and abnormal heart rhythms. A blood test or urine test can be used to diagnose magnesium deficiency.
Is It Safe to Take Magnesium Every Day? Magnesium supplements are safe for most people to take daily, but taking more than 350 milligrams may cause side effects. Magnesium supplements can interact with some prescription drugs, so talk with a doctor before beginning magnesium.
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.
Waking up in the middle of the night is called insomnia, and it's a common problem. Mid-sleep awakenings often happen during periods of stress. Sleep aids that you can buy without a prescription rarely offer effective or long-term help for this problem.
Magnesium also plays a vital role in brain health, including stress and anxiety. By blocking stimulating neurotransmitters and binding to calm, restful receptors in the brain, magnesium can help us relax.
Magnesium should not be taken with certain medications, such as blood pressure and diabetes drugs, thyroid medication, and some antibiotics. Magnesium may also interact with other supplements. Bloomberg / Contributor / Getty Images.
Most people who take magnesium consistently every day start to notice changes gradually over time – for example, more restful sleep, fewer muscle twitches or cramps, or feeling a little calmer and less “wired” in the evening.
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.
Melatonin. The hormone melatonin helps control your natural sleep-wake cycle. Some research suggests that melatonin supplements might be helpful in treating jet lag or reducing the time it takes to fall asleep — although the effect is typically mild.