Melatonin is a better sleep aid than magnesium, expert says—but neither supplement is a cure-all

Melatonin is a better sleep aid than magnesium, expert says—but neither supplement is a cure-all

A third of Americans are getting “fair” or “poor” sleep at night, according to a 2022 Gallup survey, and the list of remedies people are using for sleep is constantly growing — from sleepy girl mocktails to listening to true crime podcasts before bed.

Two supplements stand out as popular means for Americans to use with the goal of good quality sleep: magnesium and melatonin. But is one more effective than the other?

Between the two, a melatonin supplement is more likely to help you sleep at night than magnesium, according to Shelby Harris, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis.

“Magnesium supplements might be helpful for prompting sleep, but the reality is that this hasn’t been routinely proven in research to know for certain,” Harris tells CNBC Make It.

“Melatonin is the most common natural sleep aid that can help gradually shift the body’s circadian rhythm when taken properly.”

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But experts, including Harris, agree that you’re far better off getting melatonin and magnesium from foods than supplements. You shouldn’t take any new supplement without speaking with your doctor first, Harris notes, because they aren’t closely regulated in the U.S.

And “if a person has an underlying sleep disorder, it’s best to speak with a doctor for proper evaluation and treatment. Melatonin is not effective at treating most sleep disorders.”

Melatonin vs. magnesium: Which one is better for sleep?

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness, according to the National Institutes of Health. It helps your body’s circadian rhythms, also known as your internal clock and prompts your body when it’s time for bed, the NIH states.

Melatonin can be used to “help with delayed sleep phase disorder, jet lag syndrome, shift work sleep disorder and sometimes insomnia,” Harris says.

But there are cons to intaking too much melatonin, she adds. “Taking melatonin for sleep, especially if you take too much, can have negative side effects like nightmares, vivid dreams, headaches and grogginess.”

There isn’t enough evidence to support magnesium supplements for sleep

If you have a magnesium deficiency or aren’t getting enough of the mineral in your diet, magnesium supplements can potentially help you fall asleep, Harris told CNBC Make It in July of 2023. Yet, “it’s not the cure-all that a lot of people are saying it is,” she added.

Magnesium supplements are great at relaxing your muscles and “can help to relieve the symptoms of restless leg syndrome,” Harris says. “Restless leg syndrome is a condition that causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs throughout the night.”

Taking magnesium before bed can also help you wind down, she notes, but “there’s currently not enough research on magnesium and sleep to suggest it as a sleep aid.”

Some potential side effects of taking magnesium supplements are diarrhea, heartbeat irregularities and kidney issues, Harris told CNBC Make It in July of 2023.

Go the natural route for better sleep

“Before taking magnesium or melatonin for sleep, it’s important to establish proper sleep hygiene and habits,” Harris says.

She says developing good sleep hygiene looks like:

• Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule
• Staying off electronic devices before bed
• Prioritizing relaxation before sleeping
• Avoiding caffeine at least eight hours before bed

This “can all be helpful in enhancing your body’s natural melatonin production, thus making it easier to fall asleep,” Harris notes.

If you’d like to get more melatonin or magnesium in your diet to see if they help you sleep better after trying those steps, reach for foods first before supplements, Harris and other experts suggest.

Research shows that these foods are rich in melatonin:

• Nuts, especially walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts
• Salmon
• Eggs
• Tart cherries
• Cow’s milk

Harvard Health Publishing and Harris say these foods have natural doses of magnesium:

• Spinach
• Peanut butter
• Almonds
• Eggs
• Milk
• Some yogurts
• Kidney beans
• Bananas
• Bran flakes
• Baked potatoes (with the skin on)

Harris suggests that her patients have a sugar-free yogurt with almonds or peanut butter at night to sleep better: “I always tell people about an hour before bed. The mix of protein and carbs can be helpful for some people.”

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