Magnesium (for sleep)
CLimited / mixedMay modestly improve sleep — strongest evidence in older adults with insomnia, weaker in everyone else.
Grade C — Limited / mixed
What it does
Magnesium supports GABA signalling and may improve sleep onset and efficiency, mainly in people who are deficient or older with insomnia. Because sleep drives cognition, it's an indirect lever.
How to take it
200–350 mg elemental magnesium (glycinate or citrate) in the evening. Glycinate is gentler on the gut.
Caveats & safety
Effect is small and most reliable if you're low on magnesium. Oxide form is poorly absorbed (and a laxative). Not a sedative.
The evidence
Abbasi B, et al. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. J Res Med Sci.
2012 · RCT, 46 elderly with insomnia
Improved sleep efficiency, sleep time and onset latency vs placebo.
Effect: Significant improvements on subjective and some objective sleep measures.
Read on PubMed →Should this be in your routine?
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