Can Magnesium Help With Sleep?

If you're someone who struggles to get a good night's sleep, you may want to keep reading. 

Magnesium is typically associated with its health benefits, but have you ever thought about taking it for a better night's sleep? 

This mineral has become a popular 'pre-bed' supplement. In this blog, we'll discuss the potential connection between magnesium and a good night's sleep. 

What is magnesium?

Magnesium is an important mineral that is crucial for the body. It can be found in foods such as:

• Leafy green vegetables such as spinach
• Nuts
• Almonds
• Whole grains

Magnesium's role in the body is to assist more than 300 enzymes to carry various chemical reactions in the body. Some benefits of magnesium are:

• Supports bone health
• Supports reduction of tiredness & fatigue
• Contributes to normal protein synthesis
• Contributes to electrolyte balance

Magnesium and sleep

Research suggests that magnesium could have a positive effect on your sleeping pattern. According to a study, low levels of magnesium are associated with poor sleep and insomnia (1). 

(Click image to browse our magnesium range)

Insomnia 

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that interferes with your quality of sleep. This could be struggling to sleep at night, staying asleep, or waking up too early.

Sleep Foundation: How Magnesium Can Help You Sleep:

Research shows that magnesium may help improve insomnia symptoms. In a study of elderly patients with insomnia, taking 500 mg of magnesium daily for eight weeks improved many subjective and objective measures of insomnia. The patients:

• Fell asleep faster and slept longer
• Increased their sleep efficiency, meaning they spent more time sleeping while they were in bed
• Woke up later and reduced early morning awakening
• Experienced increased concentrations of melatonin, a sleep hormone, and serum renin which plays a role in regulating blood pressure
• Experienced decreased concentrations of serum cortisol, the “stress hormone” (2).

Stress and anxiety 

Stress and anxiety are often linked to a poor night's sleep. A study conducted in 2016 found that supplementing magnesium helped with a better night's sleep by reducing stress and anxiety (3).

It was noted that increasing participants’ daily magnesium intake helped balance their sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. What are the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems? good question. 

The sympathetic nervous system activates the fight or flight response, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system restores the body to a state of calm (4).

What's the best way to get magnesium in your diet?

According to NHS, the recommended intake of magnesium for adults is 300mg a day for men (19 to 64 years) & 270mg a day for women (19 to 64 years) (5).

The best way to get magnesium in your diet is to eat high-magnesium foods. 

For individuals who can't reach the recommended intake through diet, supplementation is another affective way to take magnesium. 

Peak Supps Magnesium collection: 

(click image to shop collection)

IMPORTANT: *If you’re currently taking medication, we would recommend checking with a doctor or medical professional before taking this supplement.

* Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP before trying any remedies.

Be sure to share with anyone who may find this blog interesting! 

Studies & Resources: