Numerous health videos have claimed that magnesium supplements can significantly improve sleep regulation. However, the question remains: do they truly deliver on this promise?

Dr. Karan Rajan, an NHS surgeon and health influencer, frequently shares educational content on his social media platforms. In a recent video, he discussed his personal experience with magnesium, which is often promoted as a sleep aid, and how it helped him fall asleep more quickly. He detailed his observations in the clip.

Does magnesium help you sleep better?

In the video, Dr. Rajan explained that he tested magnesium supplements during a travel period that disrupted his sleep, noting that it typically took him around 30 minutes to fall asleep. He chose magnesium because it "may assist in relaxing muscles, managing cortisol levels, and regulating neurotransmitters such as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which signal the brain to relax."

"After two weeks of nightly magnesium intake, I monitored my sleep patterns. I observed a decrease in my sleep latency—the duration required to fall asleep—while using magnesium. This could be a coincidence, a placebo effect, or simply an improvement in my sleep habits," he stated.

Why are some people magnesium deficient?

According to Dr. Rajan, there are several legitimate physiological factors that can lead to magnesium deficiency, including inadequate dietary intake, increased physiological demands, impaired gut absorption, or heightened urinary excretion due to fluctuating hormone levels, such as estrogen during menstruation or menopause.

Dr. Rajan referenced various studies that examined magnesium supplementation in older adults suffering from insomnia, noting that these studies indicated a reduction in sleep onset latency by approximately 17.36 minutes. However, he also emphasized that the quality of these studies was not particularly robust.

In conclusion, Dr. Rajan noted that while the current research on magnesium's effects on sleep is limited, magnesium is relatively inexpensive and generally safe. Therefore, it may be worth considering as a low-cost option in one's quest for better sleep. Nonetheless, he cautioned that it cannot replace the importance of maintaining consistent sleep schedules, engaging in pre-sleep relaxation, and minimizing blue light exposure in the evening.

What to avoid?

When consuming magnesium, it is essential to keep in mind that excessive doses may elevate the likelihood of experiencing diarrhoea, subsequently affecting your sleep quality. Additionally, the concept of bioavailability is crucial. This term refers to a subset of absorption and indicates the percentage of an administered substance that successfully enters the systemic circulation. According to Dr. Rajan, magnesium glycinate is recommended as it is more effectively absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.

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