Does magnesium help with sleep?

Introduction

Magnesium is a mineral that plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including muscle and nerve function, blood sugar control, and blood pressure regulation. Recently, there has been growing interest in its potential benefits for sleep, particularly in older adults who often experience sleep disturbances.

Key Insights

Improvement in Sleep Quality and Duration:
- Magnesium supplementation has been shown to improve sleep quality and reduce sleep onset latency in older adults with insomnia .
- Studies indicate that magnesium can increase slow-wave sleep and enhance sleep efficiency .
Reduction in Sleep Disorders:
- Higher dietary magnesium intake is associated with a decreased likelihood of daytime falling asleep in women.
- Magnesium supplementation has been found to reduce periodic limb movements during sleep and improve sleep efficiency in patients with restless legs syndrome.
Hormonal and Neuroendocrine Effects:
- Magnesium supplementation can lower cortisol levels and increase melatonin and renin levels, which are associated with improved sleep quality .
General Sleep Benefits:
- Magnesium intake is linked to better sleep quality and longer sleep duration in large population studies .
- Magnesium deficiency can lead to increased wakefulness and disrupted sleep patterns, which can be reversed with magnesium reintroduction.

Conclusion

Magnesium supplementation appears to offer several benefits for sleep, particularly in older adults. It can improve sleep quality, reduce sleep onset latency, and enhance slow-wave sleep. Additionally, magnesium's effects on hormonal levels, such as reducing cortisol and increasing melatonin, further support its role in improving sleep. While more high-quality research is needed, current evidence suggests that magnesium can be a useful supplement for those experiencing sleep disturbances.

Does magnesium help with sleep?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Should we use oral magnesium supplementation to improve sleep in the elderly

Oral magnesium supplementation may improve slow-wave sleep and nocturnal hormones in elderly individuals, but does not significantly change total sleep time or wake time.

Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis

Oral magnesium supplementation may improve sleep onset latency time in older adults with insomnia, but the quality of evidence is substandard for making well-informed recommendations.

Magnesium Intake and Sleep Disorder Symptoms: Findings from the Jiangsu Nutrition Study of Chinese Adults at Five-Year Follow-Up

Higher dietary magnesium intake may reduce the likelihood of daytime falling asleep in women, but not in men.

Association of magnesium intake with sleep duration and sleep quality: findings from the CARDIA study.

Magnesium intake is associated with better sleep quality and less short sleep duration in this longitudinal study.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the efficacy of magnesium oxide monohydrate in the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps

Magnesium oxide monohydrate (MOMH) effectively reduces nocturnal leg cramp episodes and improves sleep quality, making it a safe and well-tolerated treatment option.

Therapeutic Effect of Magnesium Supplementation in Improving Quality of Life among Elderly Insomniac Participants

Magnesium supplementation significantly improves insomnia and sleep quality in elderly individuals without showing side effects.

Low Magnesium in Conjunction with High Homocysteine and Less Sleep Accelerates Telomere Attrition in Healthy Elderly Australian

Low magnesium levels negatively impact sleep and telomere attrition rate in healthy elderly individuals, potentially exacerbated by low vitamin B12 and folate levels that raise homocysteine levels.

Magnesium therapy for periodic leg movements-related insomnia and restless legs syndrome: an open pilot study.

Magnesium treatment may be a useful alternative therapy for patients with mild or moderate restless legs syndrome or periodic leg movements-related insomnia.

Effects of a magnesium-deficient diet on sleep organization in rats.

A magnesium-deficient diet leads to disorganized sleep and increased neuronal excitability, suggesting its neuroprotective effect in neurologic disorders and epileptiform activity.

The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

Magnesium supplementation improves insomnia symptoms in elderly individuals, reducing insomnia severity and promoting better sleep quality.

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