I’ve always struggled with low energy and sleep problems. Some nights, I find it difficult to fall asleep, while on others the sleep I do get never feels particularly restful.
Every morning feels like a battle to get out of bed. My Garmin watch, which I wear religiously overnight, regularly tells me I’ve barely had any deep sleep. Given how exhausted I feel when I wake up, it’s hardly surprising.
We’re often told that we should be getting around one to two hours of deep sleep each night, yet my Garmin tells me I’m generally getting less than 20 minutes.
Time and time again, I’ve heard about the potential benefits of magnesium supplements for sleep and relaxation. So, I finally thought it time I bite the bullet and give them a go.
How Does Magnesium Support Sleep?
Magnesium is a mineral that we all need to support hundreds of functions in the body, including energy production, and supporting good sleep. It is thought that magnesium supports sleep because it affects hormones in the brain which help us feel relaxed and sleepy. Research has found that the higher the levels of magnesium we have in the body, the better sleep we tend to have.
Magnesium supplementation may also increase the amount of deep sleep you’re getting, research suggests — something I absolutely can benefit from.
We naturally get magnesium in our diets from leafy green vegetables, some fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and beans. But some of us can really notice a difference from supplementation. And so, I thought I’d give it a go.
My Experience With Magnesium
There are several types of magnesium supplements you can take in different compound forms, such as magnesium glycinate and magnesium L-Threonate.
I took magnesium glycinate, as this tends to be one of the best for sleep and for the nervous system. Research has found that it is gentle on the stomach and can reduce insomnia too.
You can get these in different supplement forms such as pills, capsules and even sprays — I took two 1692mg capsules every night for two weeks.
Call it placebo or not, from the first morning, I instantly felt like my sleep levels were improved. I woke up feeling like energy levels were higher than usual, and when I looked at the analysis of my sleep, I’d had far more deep sleep than usual.
Evidence suggests that you can start to notice sleep-related benefits after the first week or so, and after week one was complete, I certainly felt less need to rely on my coffee intake.
But after a week, things started to slip. I was having a busier work week and my deep sleep slipped again, with my watch telling me I’d had no deep sleep at all some days. It’s important to remember that my watch is never going to be completely reliable at tracking my sleep levels, but it wasn’t a good sign.
And then, by the time the second week was up, I was back to square one and energy levels were on the floor.
I carried on taking the magnesium for another week anyway, and while some nights I’d feel like I’d entered a deep slumber, didn’t see any major differences in my energy levels.
So, Are Magnesium Supplements Worth It?
I have continued to take the capsules (for almost a month now) and I do often feel more rested when taking them, however, I wonder how much of the positive effects I’ve felt is more of a placebo effect.
I think magnesium supplements can be really beneficial for some, which a lot of research confirms. They can be especially helpful if you don’t get enough foods that contain magnesium. But as someone who eats a lot of whole foods and veggies, perhaps magnesium isn’t the problem to my lack of deep sleep and energy levels.
As I still struggle to battle my sleep and energy problems, I’ve come to realise that maybe my lifestyle is the issue, as someone who is busy and often stressed.
Unfortunately, there’s no magical pill that can fix these issues…
