Find out if magnesium supplements really help you fall asleep.
Having trouble falling asleep at night is no fun. If you’ve used social media to find tips for falling asleep, you’re certainly not alone. Trying to go through all the common suggestions (like melatonin diffuser pens and strategically timed snacks) to find one that’s actually worth trying can take a lot of effort.
As you do your research, you should eventually come across posts about taking magnesium for sleep. Please check the
What is Magnesium? What is your relationship with sleep?
According to Dr. Shelby Harris, director of sleep health at Sleepopolis.com and a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in sleep medicine, magnesium is a naturally occurring mineral in the body that plays a role in a variety of bodily functions. Involved. “This mineral plays a role in the body’s energy production, cardiovascular system, and nervous system,” she says. , helps relieve pain caused by headaches.
On how minerals are involved in sequestering zzz, read: “Magnesium supports deep, restorative sleep by maintaining healthy levels of GABA, a sleep-promoting neurotransmitter. It plays a role,” says Dr. Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist and founder of TheSleepDoctor. .com. People with low magnesium levels tend to experience restless sleep and wake up multiple times during the night. You experience magnesium deficiency because you take hormone replacement therapy or certain types of medications such as birth control pills, antibiotics, antacids, corticosteroids, and blood pressure medications. In such a case, improve the quality of sleep with supplements.
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Does taking a magnesium supplement for sleep help?
At this time, the ability of magnesium supplements to promote sleep has not been vouched for by existing research, says Harris. has not been routinely proven to be certain in research.
That said, the studies that do exist are promising. “Studies have shown that supplementing with magnesium can improve sleep quality, especially in people who sleep poorly,” Breus says. It may be helpful for both humans and those with occasional sleep disorders.
“Magnesium can also help with insomnia associated with the sleep disorder restless legs syndrome,” Breus says. (Restless leg syndrome, or ICYDK, is “a condition that causes unpleasant sensations in the legs and is common at rest and at night,” says Harris.)
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How to Take Magnesium for Sleep
Before you start taking magnesium supplements for sleep, we recommend checking with your healthcare professional. A medical professional can help you make sure it’s a good option for you and help you choose the best magnesium for sleep supplements from the many different types of magnesium salts, says Harris.
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It is generally considered safe to take magnesium once a day. ~400 milligrams, with recommended doses of 280-300 mg per day for adults and teenage women. Mayo Clinic. Ideally, take the supplement about 30 minutes before bed, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
It is worth noting that taking supplements can have adverse effects. Taking more than 350 mg of magnesium at one time can cause loose stools and diarrhea, and magnesium supplements can cause side effects such as antibiotics. May affect absorption of some drugs.
If you’re magnesium deficient, getting the mineral from food is preferable to taking magnesium supplements, and eating magnesium-rich foods before bed may help you relax, says Harris. foods include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, broccoli, oranges, and sardines. says. “The benefits of eating a balanced diet can greatly affect your overall health and well-being.”
If you’ve seen social media posts about taking magnesium supplements and wondered what the fuss is all about, know that their popularity is checking out. Given that, magnesium supplements may be helpful for those who are not getting enough quality sleep.
