What Is The Best Magnesium Supplement For Insomnia?

Is there anything worse than insomnia?

If you’re anything like us, you’ll be keen to avoid the pitfalls of traditional sleeping pills to beat insomnia and will be exploring the world of supplements instead.

And one of our favorites? Magnesium supplements for sleep.

Sleepless nights are bad for our health. They rob us of the crucial sleep we need to maintain a healthy body and mind, maintain our energy levels and keep us on top form for challenging days. Insomnia sufferers are increasingly turning to supplements to solve sleeplessness, and magnesium is one of the most popular and effective of these solutions.

Let’s find out more…

What is Magnesium?

So… what exactly is magnesium? And how can it help you get to sleep?

Magnesium is an essential natural mineral that makes up a part of more than 300 enzymes in the human body. It’s present in many foods, but only at very low levels, so as a result a magnesium deficiency is a common health issue for many people.

Boosting magnesium levels with supplements can relax your muscles, relieve aches and pains, keep you hydrated, and reduce adrenaline production.

Crystallized magnesium (by Warut Roonguthai CC BY-SA 3.0 licence)

Magnesium is also well known for its ability to decrease cortisol levels, making you calmer and less stressed.

These are all important factors when trying to get to sleep and to continue to sleep soundly without waking throughout the night.

In tandem with decreasing cortisol levels, it increases the level of melatonin in the body — a hormone which you need for sleep.

There have been lots of studies recently suggesting that certain magnesium supplementation can significantly increase sleep quality.

Magnesium supplements can be a particularly effective sleep aid for insomniacs and those suffering from muscular pains and cramps, or stress and anxiety sufferers.

Happily, the positive effects of magnesium for sleep are seen quickly in the majority of cases.

Here’s a great video on how good this mineral is for sleep and decreasing stress levels:

What Type and How Much Magnesium for Sleep

Magnesium in citrate, chelate and chloride forms are the most bio-available — which means that they are most effectively absorbed by the body and therefore the best form of magnesium for sleep.

Whenever possible avoid magnesium supplements in oxide and magnesium sulfate form as these can cause stomach irritation and may cause unpleasant side effects such as diarrhea.

Known suffers of digestive problems may prefer to use a skin spray as an alternative to indigestible capsules.

When using magnesium supplements to help you sleep, you should take your tablets or soluble powders about half an hour before going to bed.

Dosages vary, but adults are generally advised to take between 350mg to 500mg a day.

Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should lower this dose to around 300 to 350 mg per day.

Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any supplements in order to avoid any problems when using them in addition to other drugs and supplements, and to prevent any unwanted side effects.

It’s also a good idea to check exactly how many milligrams you should be taking on a daily basis.

Where to Get Magnesium

So, apart from supplements, where else can you find magnesium?

Magnesium is found in dark, leafy greens like spinach

The first place you should be looking is your diet.

Here are the types of food that are rich in magnesium (as well as a host of other vitamins and minerals!):

• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Collard greens
• Kale
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Quinoa
• Lentils
• Beans
• Pumpkin seeds
• Brazil nuts
• Sesame seeds
• Almonds
• Mackerel
• Tuna
• Dark chocolate

Including a widespread of these foods in your diet — not all dark chocolate, mind you! — will mean that you get a sufficient amount of magnesium and shouldn’t need to take in supplementation, unless you are determined to be clinically deficient in it.

Of course, it’s not always easy to get this sort of varied diet — it can be expensive too. That’s where supplements come into play, and what we’re focusing on right now.

Other Benefits of Magnesium

In addition to helping provide good quality sleep, magnesium also plays a crucial role in many other aspects of both mental and physical health.

It’s an essential element in helping to generate energy for your cells and it influences important neurotransmitters.

Magnesium helps keep bones and teeth strong and healthy, and supports muscle function.

Insufficient levels of magnesium in the body can cause mental issues like trouble with concentration levels and memory loss, depression, anxiety and other mood disorders, as well as fatigue.

Upping your magnesium levels on the other hand, boosts the immune system, relieves muscle soreness and cramping, and strengthens the cardiovascular system.

Studies also show that levels of magnesium have an effect on the digestive system. Enhancing magnesium levels in the body can alleviate constipation by relaxing the muscles in the intestinal wall and making stools softer and easier to eliminate. In some cases magnesium has even proven useful for maintaining correct insulin levels in diabetes patients.

Any Drawbacks?

While we’re making magnesium sound like it’s the cat’s pajamas, there are a few things to be aware of before you start taking in a lot of supplements.

It’s really imperative that you follow dosage guidelines on the bottles and talk to your physician about possible interactions if you’re taking any other supplements or medication, especially the following:

• Antibiotics
• Blood pressure medication
• Muscle relaxants
• Water pills

Physicians generally recommend that kidney patients stay away from magnesium supplementation.

If you take too much magnesium — over 350 mg daily for adults — you could risk the following:

1. Low blood pressure
2. Irregular heartbeat
3. Depressed breathing
4. Confusion
5. Death

Side effects when taking safe levels of magnesium are not uncommon. You should be aware of the following when you start a supplement course:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

These side effects are more noticeable when taking magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate forms of the mineral.

Switch to citrate, chelate and chloride forms for the best results and the lowest risk of digestion problems.

Best Magnesium for Sleep

Elemental Magnesium Supplement

American brand Elemental offer 180 vegetarian maximum strength (500 mg) magnesium capsules.

The capsules are a combination of magnesium oxide and citrate which have been blended to be as bioavailable as possible, ensuing that they can be easily digested and rapidly diffused throughout the body.

The high absorption rate gives maximum benefit with minimal side effects, and if you’re not completely satisfied after 30 days Elemental offer a 100% money back guarantee.

• 500 mg
• 180 capsules
• Blend of Magnesium Oxide and Citrate
• Suitable for vegetarians
• Made in the USA in FDA registered and GMP certified facility
• 100% money back guarantee

Triple Calm Magnesium

These supplements are a carefully formulated blend of Magnesium Taurate, Magnesium Malate, and Magnesium Glycerinate.

Designed to be very bioavailable and therefore easily absorbed into the bloodstream, Triple Calm Magnesium 150mg doses have a relaxing effect on the body to help you sleep.

Contains 120, easily digestible, gluten free capsules.

• 150 mg
• 120 capsules
• Blend of Magnesium Taurate, Malate and Glycinerate
• Gluten Free
• Suitable for vegetarians
• Made in the USA

Doctor’s Best High Absorption Magnesium Dietary Supplement

Doctor’s Best use a patented form of magnesium bonded with the amino acids lysine and glycine that makes these 100 mg capsules incredibly easy to digest and absorbable by the bloodstream.

These clinically researched supplements are vegan, GMO and gluten free.

• 100 mg
• 240 capsules
• Elemental magnesium chelated with glycine and lysine
• Vegan
• GMO and gluten free

Natural Vitality Natural Calm Magnesium

Fruity raspberry and lemon flavors make taking your daily dose of magnesium a tasty experience with this anti-stress drink — simply mix with hot or cold water and imbibe!

This all natural powder contains highly bioavailable ionic magnesium citrate, organic fruit flavorings and organic Stevia sweeteners. It’s also vegan and gluten free.

• 325 mg per serving
• 113 servings per container
• Ionic magnesium citrate
• A Better Nutrition ‘Best of Supplements’ award winner
• Vegan
• Non-GMO and gluten free
• No preservatives, artificial colors or flavors

Advanced Magnesium by InnovixLabs

These effective capsules contain magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium malate to maximise absorbability and solubility in your body.

Rigorously tested, these 200 mg Advanced Magnesium capsules are ideal to help you relax and get a good night’s sleep. Plus they’re suitable for vegetarians.

• 200 mg
• 150 capsules
• Blend of magnesium bisglycinate and malate
• Vegetarian and natural
• Magnesium chelated, encapsulated, packaged and tested in the USA
• Tested by in-house and third party labs to guarantee purity
• Gentle on the stomach

Seven Minerals Pure Magnesium Oil Spray

An alternative to capsules, this 100% natural transdermal spray combines liquid Magnesium Chloride and fragrant organic cedarwood, lavender, clary sage and sweet marjoram oils.

To experience the benefits and sleep soundly, massage the oil into your skin before bedtime and let it air dry before sleeping.

This is the perfect magnesium purchase for anyone who suffers from stomach issues after taking the dietary supplements — a much gentler alternative.

• Magnesium oil mined from a 250 million year old Permian Seabead in southern USA
• Made in the USA
• Purified and tested to USP standards and grade
• Non-toxic, unfiltered and undiluted
• 100% satisfaction guarantee

Now that’s everything you need to know about the best magnesium for sleep.

Have you tried magnesium supplements for sleep before?