The Best Time To Take Magnesium for Sleep, Stress Relief and Fewer Side Effects
Plus discover what types of this essential mineral are best for your needs
There’s been a lot of buzz about magnesium on social media lately, including “hacks” for the best time to take it. But does timing really matter as much as we think it does? (Spoiler alert: It can.) But first, what exactly does magnesium do for the body? This essential mineral plays a vital role in regulating nerve and muscle function, blood sugar and blood pressure as well as creating protein, bone and DNA.
“Magnesium is one of the most important nutritional minerals in our diet,” adds Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of From Fatigued to Fantastic. “It is critical for over 300 different functions in the body. It is especially important for calm energy production, supporting healthy heart and nerve function and avoiding excess insulin, which is the major cause of obesity and diabetes in the United States.”
Woman's World Answers
How much magnesium do you need per day?
The recommended daily amount for women is 310 to 320 mg per day. Many Americans don’t get enough magnesium in their diet, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have a magnesium deficiency or need a supplement. “There’s a lot of hype built up around magnesium supplementation, but the hype does not seem to match the level of research we have to support its use,” says Brett Singer MS, RD, a sports dietitian at the Memorial Hermann Rockets Sports Medicine Institute.
In fact, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a 2024 memo as a result of social media trends around magnesium, noting that magnesium in dietary supplements and medications shouldn’t be consumed in high doses above the upper limit unless recommended by your doctor. Too-high magnesium levels can cause diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramping or even irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest.
Who benefits from taking magnesium?
Magnesium may be beneficial for older adults, those with gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease or celiac disease or people with type 2 diabetes. Some studies also point toward magnesium supplements helping with sleep, stress, bone health and muscle recovery. Talk to your doctor to find out if magnesium is right for you.
The best time to take magnesium for sleep
Everything from magnesium sprays to “sleepy girl mocktails” have been touted online to help induce sweet Zzzs. But what does the research say about the best time to take magnesium for sleep? Although Singer notes there are several studies looking at magnesium supplementation and sleep, he points to a study in Sleep Medicine: X that looked at adults taking magnesium two hours before bed each night.
In that study, participants who took 1 gram of magnesium L-threonate (a supplement form of magnesium designed to cross the blood-brain barrier) daily for 21 days before bed had improved sleep quality, especially deep sleep. Plus they noticed improved mood, energy, alertness and productivity.
“It essentially takes the body from ‘fight or flight’ more to ‘rest and digest’ mode,” explains Uma Darji, MD, a Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician.
The best time to take magnesium for stress
While it sounds appealing to pop a magnesium supplement to reduce anxiety in minutes, the science is a bit more nuanced than that. A review in Nutrients found that magnesium may have a benefit for subjective anxiety, though researchers cautioned existing evidence is poor.
“A more recent study used either 1 or 1.5 grams of magnesium-L-threonate in older adults, with dosing based on body weight, and showed improved stress scores with supplementation,” says Singer.
In that study, published in EC Nutrition, a group of adults ages 50 to 70 years who took magnesium L-threonate for 12 weeks saw significant improvement in their fear levels at weeks six and 12. That said, it’s worth noting that this study was sponsored by a magnesium supplement manufacturer.
In general, studies show that magnesium may help calm the nervous system and regulate stress signals, per a review in Nutrients. As for the best time to take magnesium for stress, current research points toward consistent supplementation for managing stress levels and a calming effect rather than a one-time fix when you’re feeling jittery.
The best time to take magnesium for bone health
Magnesium has been found to increase bone mineral density and decrease fracture risk, according to a review of 28 studies in Biometals. Most of these studies looked at magnesium in the form of magnesium citrate, magnesium carbonate or magnesium oxide, with doses ranging between 250 and 1,800 mg.
“Most of our magnesium is stored in bone,” adds Dr. Darji. “[Magnesium] helps with bone density [and] helps regulate the hormones that tell the body where to put calcium.”
While research doesn’t have a clear answer to the best time of day to take magnesium for bone health, the review looked at studies that looked at the longer-term benefits—meaning as long as you take it consistently every day, you’ll reap the rewards.
The best time to take magnesium for muscle tension
Magnesium can be particularly helpful for people with tight muscles or cramps. “It can essentially help turn off muscle contractions,” says Dr. Darji.
Magnesium plays a role in muscle recovery in part by blocking calcium uptake, which helps the muscles relax after a workout, per the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA). One review in the Journal of Translational Medicine found that magnesium supplementation reduced muscle soreness, improved performance and recovery and protected against muscle damage.
“Based on this, the researchers concluded that taking a magnesium supplement two hours before training may help reduce muscle soreness,” says Singer. The study authors noted that this applies to people who do intense exercise and need 10 to 20 percent higher magnesium than sedentary people.
If you want to try it for yourself, talk to your doctor, who may recommend magnesium sulfate (which can be taken orally, but is also found in topical uses like Epsom salts). This is often used for muscle recovery, but magnesium chloride and magnesium citrate are other options, per ISSA.
Magnesium side effects to watch for
Dr. Teitelbaum says he often finds that people tolerate magnesium well with minimal side effects. However, both he and Dr. Darji note that when side effects do occur, the most common issue is gastrointestinal distress, specifically diarrhea.
“A lot of people get diarrhea or loose stools especially with magnesium oxide or magnesium citrate, which is why they can be used as a laxative,” says Dr. Darji. “Magnesium helps pull water into the intestine to help move your bowels. It can also cause stomach cramping or nausea if taken on an empty stomach. Those with kidney disease also have to be really careful as well, as it can’t be cleared well if your kidneys are functioning properly.”
Adds Dr. Teitelbaum, “Those on dialysis or with severe kidney failure know that they should only supplement magnesium if it is being monitored by their physician.”
When it comes to the best time to take magnesium to avoid side effects, Dr. Darji says timing matters less than taking magnesium with food, which helps most people tolerate it better.
What type of magnesium supplement is best?
Broadly speaking, there isn’t one “best” form of magnesium. But as you can tell, studies typically use magnesium L-threonate when looking at sleep and stress, since it can cross the blood-brain barrier.
Meanwhile, some research shows that the following forms of magnesium are more easily absorbed and bioavailable (compared to, say, magnesium oxide or magnesium sulfate), per the NIH:
- Magnesium aspartate
- Magnesium citrate
- Magnesium lactate
- Magnesium chloride
If you’re interested in taking magnesium supplements, ask your doctor if they’re the right fit for your needs, and if so, which type is best for you.
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