Magnesium vs. melatonin: which supplement is best for sleep?

Getting a good night's sleep sounds simple, but for many of us, it's anything but. If you're struggling with falling asleep or staying asleep, it's likely that you've started to look into some supplements that can help you get the rest you need to feel refreshed and ready to go in the morning.

Magnesium and melatonin are both commonly recommended for healthy sleep support. Whether your doctor has recommended that you look into supplementation to help with your sleep or you've done some research and are curious about adding supplements to your nighttime routine, we're here to help. In this article, we'll explore how certain supplements can support healthy sleep, the differences between magnesium vs melatonin for sleep, and how we can help you get insights from your sleep data that lead to a better night's rest.

Magnesium for sleep

Involved in more than 300 biochemical processes in the body, magnesium is a vital mineral that supports the body's energy production, muscle relaxation, and nerve function. There are many food-based sources of magnesium (including avocados, almonds, and bananas), but many of us struggle to get the amount of magnesium we need to fully support our nervous system. Magnesium supplementation can help.

Magnesium is vitally important for sleep, as it works to regulate certain neurotransmitters in the brain, including GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA helps to calm the mind and body, reducing stress while promoting relaxation. Many people find that supplementing with magnesium makes it easier to fall and stay asleep.

While magnesium is a good fit for many people who struggle with falling and staying asleep, it can be especially helpful for people who are experiencing a magnesium deficiency. Symptoms of a magnesium deficiency can include fatigue during daytime hours, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, muscle cramps, and restless legs.

Magnesium supplements come in several forms, including tablets and powders that can be mixed into hot or cold liquids. Magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate are typically recommended, as these forms of magnesium are especially known for their calming effects. It's recommended that men get 400-420 mg of magnesium per day, while it's recommended that women get 310-360 mg per day.

Melatonin for sleep

Naturally produced by the body, melatonin is a hormone that's produced by the brain's pineal gland in response to darkness. Melatonin helps to regulate the body's circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) by letting the body know when it's time to sleep. Exposure to artificial light can disrupt the body's natural melatonin production, as can irregular sleep schedules.

When the body's natural melatonin production is disrupted, supplementation can help to restore healthy sleep cycles. Melatonin supplementation can help you adjust to a new time zone, fall asleep when living or spending time in an area with unusual amounts of daylight, or to manage sleep when working shifts on an atypical schedule. People who experience delayed sleep phase syndrome may also benefit from melatonin supplementation.

It can take some time to find the right melatonin dosage to help you fall and stay asleep without leaving you feeling groggy the next day. It's recommended to take 1 to 5 mg about half an hour before bed. Melatonin is available in gummy, tincture, capsule, and pill form.

Can you use magnesium and melatonin together?

Most people can use magnesium and melatonin together to maximize the likelihood of getting a good night's sleep. The two supplements have a complementary effect. As magnesium works to reduce the body's stress levels while calming the mind, melatonin signals to both the brain and the body that it's time to rest.

Be sure to follow the recommended dosages for each supplement, as taking too much melatonin can cause drowsiness, and taking too much magnesium can cause digestive issues. While it's usually fine to take both supplements in the same evening, you'll want to take magnesium an hour or two before you're ready to go to bed, followed by melatonin about 30 minutes before you'd like to fall asleep.

Which supplement should you use for better sleep?

Deciding between melatonin and magnesium depends heavily on your personal needs.

If you're struggling to sleep due to stress or anxiety, or if you're looking for a natural way to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality, magnesium is the way to go. If you're experiencing painful cramps after exercise, or you're dealing with restless legs, magnesium is also a good choice, as it helps to calm the nervous system and help your body relax.

Melatonin is better used for short-term sleep problems, such as adjusting to a new schedule or time zone, or for helping with occasional sleeplessness. While melatonin is not considered addictive, it has been shown to reduce the amount of time that it takes you to fall asleep. If you get used to taking melatonin at night, the extended time that it takes you to fall asleep can make it harder to rest.

smart sleep tips

Whether you choose to use supplements to support your sleep or not, implementing pre-sleep practices to calm your body and mind can help you improve the quality of your shut-eye.

Try these smart sleep tips:

• Create a routine. Taking time for your body and mind to wind down can make it easier for you to fall and stay asleep. Whether you choose to take a bath or a shower, spend some time reading a book, meditate, or spritz lavender oil on your pillow, create a routine that you can stick to.
• Just say no to screens before bed. An hour or two before you go to bed, it's important to stop looking at screens (including TVs, computers, and cell phones). By eliminating blue light in the late evening hours, you're signaling to your brain that it's time to prepare for sleep.
• Create a calming environment. Keep your bedroom free and clear of clutter (including laundry, work, etc.). Keep your room slightly cool and as quiet and dark as possible. If you live in an area where noise is inevitable, you might find it helpful to play a white noise machine.
• Keep a schedule. Try to go to sleep at roughly the same time during the week and on the weekends, and try to keep wake up times similar as well. Doing so can help your body stick to a natural sleep and wake rhythm.

Tracking sleep debt with Evidation

At Evidation, we understand the importance of getting great sleep, and our team is constantly working to deliver the insights you need to get the best rest possible. When you choose to share your sleep data with us, we use it to calculate your sleep debt score. Just like monetary debt, sleep debt adds up over time. By understanding your sleep debt, you can gain insight into how your nightly rest affects your well-being and use this information to make informed decisions that benefit your overall health.

Understanding your sleep regularity index

We also calculate your sleep regularity index, or SRI. This score is an indication of the consistency and regularity of your sleep-wake schedule, and can help you understand how the times you go to bed and wake up can affect your overall well-being. Once we calculate your SRI, we'll provide you with actionable tips you can take to boost your sleep hygiene.

At Evidation, we're here to help you feel your best

Whether you're looking to improve your sleep, get more exercise, boost your nutrition, or otherwise optimize your health, Evidation is here to help. With your permission, we use your health data to help you understand how multiple facets of your well-being—like sleep, nutrition, exercise, mood, stress management, etc.—coexist and interact. We provide you with personalized, content-based insights that allow you to make informed decisions that support your wellness. We're excited to support you and help you become your healthiest, happiest self. Click here to learn more about what we do and download our free app today.