I tried three types of magnesium to stop sleep anxiety. Here’s what worked, and what didn’t
Magnesium has become a popular over-the-counter sleep aid, with research suggesting it calms the nervous system and helps with sleep regulation. But does it actually send you to sleep and stop sleep anxiety?
I have struggled with sleep anxiety for years, which means I get very worried that I won’t be able to either fall asleep or stay asleep. Once I wake at night, it’s very difficult for me to get back to sleep—it can take about four hours for me to feel tired again, which ends up being half the night. My anxious brain fears this happening, to the point where I can’t sleep. It’s a horrible cycle.
Lack of sleep has a range of long-term health implications if not dealt with, but it also has a huge impact on your hair, skin, eyes — you name it. Your skin can’t glow and your hair can’t grow long and strong. For me, the skin under my eyes went dark, fine lines were more pronounced, and my overall energy was lacking and I couldn’t concentrate. Not only did I feel tired, I looked and sounded tired. And I was sick of it.
After years of taking melatonin supplements (more about that at the end of this post), my partner got a tub of magnesium and suggested I drink it before bed. Here’s what happened.
How magnesium impacts sleep
Higher levels of magnesium in the body can deliver longer sleep times and less tiredness during the day. Studies have also found that magnesium supplementation helped with falling asleep faster and protected against waking up earlier than intended. You can read more about that here.
But not all magnesium supplements are made equal.
Magnesium citrate is a magnesium salt of citric acid. It is largely used as a dietary supplement to provide magnesium, an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in many bodily functions. It can also support muscle function, nerve function, and overall energy production.
Glycinate is an amino acid. It has high bioavailability when combined with magnesium, meaning that the body can absorb and utilise it effectively. It also enhances the absorption of magnesium.
The supplements I tried were in powder form, they were flavoured without sugar, and came with scoop measurements. One scoop was dissolved into a glass of water and consumed before bed.
The brands and varieties listed below are Australian, but I have included links to brands iin tother countries hat effectively do the same thing.
Magnesium Citrate
The first supplement I took was Swisse High Strength Magnesium Powder, which is a magnesium citrate for muscle function, relieving muscle cramps and supporting energy production.
It helps with sleep indirectly because it raises your general magnesium levels—it’s not specially formulated to help you sleep better. In other words, it won’t send you to sleep, but it will promote muscle relaxation to help you have a deeper sleep when you go to bed.
This one did contain glycinate, but not a lot—it was mostly citrate. The total magnesium content per scoop is 300mg. I took it just before bed, but I didn’t expect much of a difference.
At the time, I was having trouble staying asleep.
I was waking up a lot at about 2.30 am and struggling to go back to sleep. It was awful. My sleep quality was better from the first night I took the supplement. I didn’t notice a massive difference, but I did feel more relaxed and less irritable.
On the nights I took it, it wasn’t as hard for me to get to sleep and stay asleep.
Magnesium Glycinate
We ran out of the citrate version and bought the glycinate version instead.
First, we had the Ethical Nutrients Mega Magnesium Night Powder. This was mango passionfruit flavoured and it worked much like the citrate version, though maybe slightly better. If there was a difference, it was small.
We then tried the Bioglan Active Magnesium PM Deep Sleep Powder. Not because we had read about it or anything, but because it was on the shelf in the store. It came in powder form and was citrus-flavoured.
I dissolved one scoop into a glass of water, drank it and went to bed. I had assumed I would have the same reaction to that one as I did with the citrate version—going to sleep would be slightly easier, but I didn’t think too much about it.
I think it changed my life.
The first night, I was tired within about 20 minutes and fell asleep with ease. I woke up to my alarm and felt as though I had been very deeply asleep. I wondered if it was a once-off, but it wasn’t. Every night I took it, I woke up in the morning feeling as though I had been deeply asleep.
It also made me tired, which meant getting to sleep was significantly easier. My sleep anxiety was almost non-existent on the nights when I took it. It felt as though I’d taken melatonin, but without the side effects.
Not all supplements are made equal…
It made sense that the citrate didn’t have a huge impact on sleep because it’s not specifically designed to help you sleep. What I couldn’t work out was why my reaction to the two products with glycinate was so different, until I looked at the dosage for each product.
The magnesium citrate dosage per scoop was 300mg. The Ethical Nutrients magnesium glycinate dosage per scoop was also 300mg. The Bioglan magnesium glycinate dosage per scoop was 350mg. An extra 50mg of glycinate seems to make a massive difference.
| Swisse High Strength | Bioglan Active PM | Ethical Nutrients Mega | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Benefit | Muscle function, energy, tiredness relief | Deep sleep, reduces time to fall asleep | Calm mind, relax muscles, support healthy sleep |
| Specific Sleep Support | Indirect (due to magnesium) | Yes (with California Poppy & Hops) | Yes (with Passionflower & Glycine) |
| Magnesium Form(s) | Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Glycinate (300mg total Mg) | Magnesium Glycinate (350mg total Mg) | Magnesium Glycinate (300mg total Mg) |
| Additional Ingredients | Vitamin C, Zinc, Calcium | California Poppy, Hops | Passionflower, Glycine |
| Flavor | Orange | Citrus | Mango Passion |
| Sweeteners | Monk fruit, Stevia | Sucralose | Stevia |
| Recommended Timing | Any time of day | Evening, 1 hour before bed | Once daily before bed time |
Melatonin supplements
I discovered melatonin in 2017, and it was a game-changer. I couldn’t believe it took me until 2017 to find it, and that more people didn’t use it. Even if I was wide awake at 10 pm, when I wanted to be asleep, melatonin would fix that problem right up, and I’d be asleep within about 30 minutes of taking it. I thought it was magic, until I learned it wasn’t.
Melatonin is a hormone that your body naturally produces to regulate your sleep-wake cycle, or your circadian rhythm. This means melatonin in pill form is basically a hormone. There is limited research into long-term use of melatonin, but there are suggestions that it can impact your hormones overall, it can also have a negative effect on your circadian rhythms. You can also develop a tolerance to it, which means it eventually might not work for you at all.
That is what happened to me. I used to take 2.5mg, but eventually that didn’t do anything. I started taking 5gm and that was better but eventually faded. I took 7.5gm twice and decided I’d had enough. Taking that much hormone isn’t good for you.
Verdict
There’s no competition, magnesium glycinate is the best supplement for sleep. I slept deeply, I wasn’t groggy in the morning, it’s not a hormonal supplement, and there are no side effects.
