Doctors Reveal the Best Magnesium for Sleep After 50—Plus Two Types To Avoid
Find out what kind to take and when to boost the benefits
Key Takeaways
- Magnesium may improve sleep quality by calming the nervous system and regulating GABA.
- Experts say magnesium glycinate and L-threonate are the best types for sound sleep.
- Taking magnesium 30 to 60 minutes before bed may help you fall asleep more easily.
If getting a solid night’s rest has become one of the trickier parts of midlife, you’re in good company. Nearly one in five women have trouble falling or staying asleep, and roughly half of menopausal women report sleep troubles. The good news? A humble mineral you’ve probably heard buzzed about lately may be exactly what your body is missing. Here’s what to know about magnesium for sleep, why it matters more after 50 and how to add it to your routine to reap both the immediate and long-term rewards.
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a role in everything from regulating nerve and muscle function to supporting blood sugar, blood pressure, protein and bone health.
“Magnesium is one of the most important nutritional minerals in our diet,” says 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.”
Woman's World Answers
The catch? At least half of us fall short on getting the recommended 320 mg of magnesium a day, according to double-board-certified physician Amy Shah, MD. Most women get about 200 to 250 mg from food, which leaves a real gap—one that can show up as restless nights or trouble falling asleep.
Why magnesium helps you sleep
Magnesium can help with sleep problems in a few different ways. “It works by helping regulate the neurotransmitter GABA, which is involved in sleep,” explains Jeffrey Chester, DO, medical director at The Ohana. “It helps calm the nervous system, which helps with relaxation before bed.”
Taz Bhatia, MD, founder of the holistic health hub hol+, adds that “the mineral helps calm overactive nerves and relax muscles”—two effects that translate to deeper, more peaceful rest. And a study in Sleep Medicine: X found that adults who took 1 gram of magnesium L-threonate two hours before bedtime for 21 days had better sleep quality, more deep sleep and improved mood, energy and alertness the next day.
“It essentially takes the body from ‘fight or flight’ more to ‘rest and digest’ mode,” says Uma Darji, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician.
Best magnesium for sleep after 50
Not all forms of magnesium are created equal—and the wrong one can send you running to the bathroom instead of drifting off. Here are the two types of magnesium supplements experts recommend most for improving sleep:
- Magnesium glycinate (or bisglycinate). This form of magnesium is bound to the amino acid glycine, making it easily absorbed and gentle on the stomach. Dr. Shah says it helps with “sleep, anxiety, stress—all the things that happen during perimenopause and menopause,” which is why she takes it herself. Dr. Bhatia also recommends magnesium bisglycinate, a highly bioavailable form of the mineral, about an hour before bed to ease into that soft, drifting-off feeling. One option: Clean Program Sleep Well, made with magnesium glycinate and calming L-theanine.
- Magnesium L-threonate. This newer form was created by scientists to cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning more magnesium actually reaches your brain. Research links it to deeper sleep, better memory and greater next-day energy.
Most experts suggest a 200 to 300 mg dose of magnesium glycinate taken about 30 minutes to an hour before bed. Just be sure to get your doctor’s okay first, and take supplements with food to avoid stomach upset.
Two to skip for sleep: magnesium citrate and magnesium hydroxide can act as strong laxatives—helpful for constipation, less helpful when you’re trying to stay in bed.
Foods high in magnesium
Prefer to boost your magnesium levels through your diet? Magnesium-rich picks include:
- Pumpkin seeds: about 74 mg per ounce
- Almonds: about 80 mg per ounce
- Cooked spinach: about 78 mg per half cup
- Black beans: about 60 mg per half cup
- Bananas: about 37 mg in a large banana
- Dark chocolate: about 64 mg per ounce
- Yogurt: about 42 mg in an 8-oz serving
A magnesium-rich bedtime snack—say, a few squares of dark chocolate (such as Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate) or a small handful of almonds—can double as a gentle sleep helper by helping with muscle relaxation and calming the nervous system.
Why magnesium for sleep is so helpful in midlife
“When women reach 50, several biological and lifestyle factors converge, increasing the prevalence of insomnia,” says Michael Genovese, MD, chief medical advisor at Ascendent New York. Declining estrogen and progesterone disrupt the body’s ability to regulate sleep, and hot flashes and night sweats cause frequent awakenings.
Magnesium can help on multiple fronts at once—soothing the nervous system, easing muscle tension and supporting the calm needed for deeper rest. As Dr. Shah has shared, “Many of my patients, including myself, have found magnesium to be a game changer.”
Always check with your doctor before starting a new supplement, especially if you have kidney issues or other health conditions. But for many women, a little more magnesium may be the simple, gentle nudge your body has been waiting for.
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