There are lots of times throughout our lives when our sleep might take a hit: after becoming parents, going through periods of major change or stress, or the development of a new health condition.
NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan recently experienced a bout of struggling to drift off while travelling, so he tried magnesium supplements to see whether it would help him fall asleep faster.
“For a few nights it was taking me more than 30 minutes to fall asleep,” said the doctor, which wasn’t normal for him.
“Magnesium is often marketed as a sleep aid because it might help to relax muscles, lower cortisol and regulate neurotransmitters like gaba which tell your brain to chill out,” explained the surgeon in one of his health explainer videos on social media.
“In two weeks of taking nightly magnesium I tracked my own sleep data. I noticed that my sleep latency – the time it takes to fall asleep – dropped while taking magnesium.”
He noted that it could just be down to coincidence, a placebo or better sleeping habits, and concluded that he’s since stopped taking the supplements as his sleep habits are “back on track”.
What do studies suggest?
Dr Rajan said research into magnesium and sleep is “poor” but “we know it’s a crucial nutrient linked to various physiological processes”.
Having higher levels of magnesium in the body has been associated with better sleep, longer sleep tiredness and less daytime sleepiness, according to The Sleep Foundation.
One study which analysed the use of magnesium in older adults when compared to a placebo found those who had a magnesium supplement fell asleep 17 minutes faster than those in the placebo group.
The length of time they stayed asleep also increased by 16 minutes – not a massive difference, but not to be sniffed at.
Another small study in older adults found “significant increases” in sleep time and sleep efficiency as well as the ability to fall asleep faster in the magnesium supplement group compared to the placebo group.
How much magnesium do we need?
Typically, adult men (aged 19-64 years old) should have around 300mg of magnesium each day, while women of the same age should have 270mg each day.
A deficiency can result in symptoms such as nausea, weakness, twitching, cramping or an irregular heartbeat, according to the NHS.
Magnesium can be found in a range of foods such as spinach, nuts and wholemeal bread, and most people should be able to get enough through a healthy, balanced diet.
You can also opt for supplements, though the NHS advises to keep levels to below 400mg a day to avoid unpleasant symptoms like diarrhoea and potentially “harmful” effects.