From difficulty sleeping to severe insomnia, sleep disorders are more common than you might first think. There are many different treatments that look to improve sleep disorders from medication to psychological therapies, or even just by improving our ‘sleep hygiene’.

Many of us are guilty of watching TV in bed or spending too much time on phones or tablets, scrolling through our social media newsfeeds and this in itself may be a reason that we don’t get good quality sleep. I’m sure you are aware of the following methods that many people use in an attempt to improve their sleep:

• Having a bedtime routine and fixed bedtimes
• Relaxing before bed (relaxation exercises or reading a book)
• Having a good sleeping environment
• Avoiding naps
• Avoiding caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
• Having a warm bath before bed
• No TVs or electronic gadgets before bed

But what about this one?

• Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential dietary mineral and is the second most prevalent electrolyte (minerals in the body that carry an electric charge) in the body. It is found in many foods such as spinach, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, as well as being available as a dietary supplement. In fact, magnesium deficiency is common and could cause an increase in inflammatory stress induced by other factors such as sleep deprivation. From this, research has now identified that magnesium intake could alleviate chronic inflammatory stress and help to improve our sleep quality.

Magnesium seems to have a sedative-like effect which may play a role in helping us to sleep. One study investigated the effects of magnesium intake on 100 adults with poor sleep quality. They found that increasing magnesium citrate intake to 320mg over a 7 week period improved sleep quality as well as some inflammatory factors.

From the findings of these studies it does seem as though magnesium could be beneficial in improving sleep quality. But despite the similar findings from the few studies in the area, there definitely seems to be a lack of research to fully support this method, and research has yet to identify the effects of magnesium in those with normal sleep function.

If you are considering taking a magnesium supplement before bed, the recommended dosage varies from 200-450mg depending on the type of supplement.  All forms of magnesium supplement seem to reduce deficiency but L-Threonate may be less effective, and oxide and chloride may cause gastrointestinal side-effects so in this case magnesium citrate would be a good choice, though it also can cause side effects in high doses.

So if you struggle with sleep problems and are going to give magnesium a go, you could try, after consultation with a medical professional, consider taking magnesium 30 minutes before bed, to relax and enjoy your sleep.

Adie Blanchard – Researcher

References

Nielsen, F. H., Johnson, L. K., & Zeng, H. (2010). Magnesium supplementation improves indicators of low magnesium status and inflammatory stress in adults older than 51 years with poor quality sleep*.Magnesium Research, 23(4), 158-168.

http://examine.com/supplements/Magnesium/