Magnesium supplements have become a cornerstone of many people's supplement routines. Photo / Getty Images
Magnesium supplements have become a cornerstone of many people's supplement routines. Photo / Getty Images
Magnesium has been shown to have many health benefits, one being its connection to improved sleep quality.
Magnesium is the mineral of the moment. While it’s easy to get enough of it through our diet, supplements in the forms of pills, liquids and lotions are increasingly popular due to research that suggests it may help us get a better night’s sleep. So, should we all be popping one before bedtime?
What is magnesium and how does it impact sleep?
“Magnesium is found widely in foods including green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, wholemeal bread, nuts and seeds,” says Vicky Pennington, a nutritionist at Boots.
If you’re eating these foods regularly, you’re probably getting enough through your diet. For example, a portion of spinach (112mg), flaxseeds (118mg) and almonds (68mg) would hit both the 270mg of magnesium women need and 300mg intake men are advised to have.
“However, dietary surveys have shown evidence that people are not getting enough magnesium,” says Pennington.
The body needs magnesium to turn the food we need into energy, support the nervous system and make sure the parathyroid glands (which produce hormones for bone health) work normally. It’s also been shown to play a role in sleep, with healthy levels being linked with better sleep quality, longer sleep duration and lower levels of tiredness.
“Research has found magnesium may help regulate melatonin, which is a hormone produced by your body when it’s dark to help bring on sleep,” Pennington explains.
The body needs magnesium to turn the food we eat into energy and support the nervous system. Photo / 123RF
Benefits of magnesium for sleep quality
Deeper investigation is needed in some areas, yet studies have highlighted the health benefits and connection between magnesium and improved sleep, such as:
1) Improving the ability to nod off and sleep duration
“Some studies have demonstrated that magnesium can help in reducing the time that some people take to fall off to sleep, have more sound and sustained sleep and sleep for longer,” says Dr Asad Ali, a consultant with expertise in sleep medicine at Nuffield Health Warwickshire Hospital.
For example, one review which looked at studies that gave some participants magnesium supplements and the others a dummy pill found those taking the mineral fell asleep 17 minutes faster and slept for around 16 minutes longer, on average.
The Canadian researchers behind this paper noted more, better-quality research is needed to confirm this finding. “The evidence is not conclusive at present,” says Ali. “More research and studies are needed, and published reviews have not come strongly in support or against their use.”
2) Alleviating restless leg syndrome
Restless leg syndrome refers to an overwhelming urge to move one’s legs. Symptoms, which can include a crawling or creeping sensation in the feet, calves and thighs, are often worse at night, making it difficult to sleep.
Some research suggests magnesium supplements may help. One small study, which recruited a dozen adults with the condition to take 200mg of magnesium daily for two months, found their symptoms improved.
It’s thought that this may be down to magnesium being a natural calcium-blocker, as calcium causes muscles to contract. However, larger studies are needed to confirm this finding.
3) Reducing insomnia symptoms
While the occasional bad night’s sleep is normal, it can tip into insomnia if you regularly find it difficult to get to sleep, wake up several times during the night or wake up early and can’t get back to sleep.
One study found magnesium could ease insomnia symptoms. Researchers in Iran recruited 46 people in their 60s who completed a quiz on their symptoms and were either given the supplement or a placebo pill for eight weeks. Results show those who took magnesium daily ended up suffering from less severe insomnia.
A separate review from a team at Columbia University, which included around 150 patients, found those who took the supplement found it easier to get to sleep.
Magnesium helps to offset symptoms of insomnia. Photo / 123RF
When should you take magnesium for sleep?
“If you are struggling to get enough from your diet, then a daily magnesium supplement of 400mg or less is recommended,” says Pennington. A higher dose is not better, as too much can lead to diarrhoea and other side effects, she notes, including vomiting, or in extreme and rare cases, muscle weakness, respiratory disease or cardiac arrest.
As well as checking the magnesium content of the food you’re eating, there are warning signs you’re not getting enough magnesium – nausea, weakness, twitching, cramping or an irregular heartbeat are some, as well as sleeping problems, Pennington says.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, you should see a GP or specialist, Ali says. They can refer you for tests, make a diagnosis and recommend treatments, he notes.
“If someone is experiencing symptoms and they want to try magnesium supplements to assess the benefit, they can,” he says. “However, we would encourage them to get in touch with their GP and seek guidance and appropriate help.”
Magnesium is most commonly available in supplement form as tablets, liquid or lotion formulas, says Pennington.
Check the packaging for instructions but, typically, one or two magnesium tablets are advised per day to be consumed with your main meal or plenty of water.
If taking the supplement in liquid form, 20ml is usually advised per day before a meal. When it comes to lotion, 5ml daily is usually recommended for the skin near bedtime.
There are also different magnesium ingredients. Magnesium citrate (magnesium that has been combined with citric acid) and magnesium glycinate (formed from magnesium and glycine) are more easily absorbed by the body, while magnesium oxide (magnesium with salt and oxygen) isn’t absorbed as well. All types are widely found in pharmacies and health stores.
