Experts may have differing opinions in terms of whether magnesium can make you sleepy. The answer lies in whether you have a deficiency or excess in your body. We tend to get the magnesium we need through diet, but it has recently been found that many people are deficient in magnesium. This leads to the need for supplements. Know what magnesium can do for our body.

Does Magnesium Make You Sleepy?

Yes it can. It depends on your blood levels and how your body responds to the mineral. Many people use magnesium as a natural sleep aid. Studies show that magnesium reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body. It is also a natural muscle relaxer and has calming effects. It may also help relieve anxiety and balance depressive episodes. People who use magnesium state that it does help increase sleepiness in the evenings.

Take note that too much magnesium may have the opposite effect. While just the right amount can calm and relax you, too much may actually cause you to feel more energetic and awake. Studies are looking at how magnesium affects the neurotransmitters in your brain. What this means is too much magnesium may actually cause you to have severe mood swings, keep you awake at night and/or muscle issues.

What Else Can Magnesium Do to Your Body?

Magnesium has several health effects on your body. When you ask, “Does magnesium make you sleepy?” well, it actually does a lot of things for you. First, let’s take a look at how it works in your body.

Magnesium is a mineral that is present in the soil where our food is grown. Soil that is rich in magnesium creates magnesium rich foods. When it is low in the soil, the foods have lower amounts. We need adequate magnesium for nitric oxide balance, energy production, healthy metabolism, and enzyme functions. We use up magnesium when we use our muscles, go to the restroom, and even making hormones. It can go down even further if we are sick or on antibiotics.

Having adequate magnesium helps prevent:

• High blood pressure
• Kidney damage
• Heart disease
• Liver damage
• Insomnia
• Alzheimer’s and dementia (memory loss)
• Mental health disorders
• Bone loss
• Erectile and female sexual dysfunction
• Leg cramping
• Low immune system
• Restless leg syndrome

Magnesium can also help in many other ways. It may also

• Play a role in controlling multiple sclerosis
• Provide PMS relief
• Promote hormonal balance
• Benefit dental health
• Help balance vitamins, minerals and electrolytes (calcium, potassium, vitamin B and K)
• Provide migraine headache relief

How Much Magnesium Do You Need?

The recommended amount of magnesium that you need each day depends on your age, gender, and any health concerns. The following amounts are the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for healthy individuals:

Age	RDA
Infants birth to 6 months	30 mg
Infants 7 to 12 months	75 mg
Children 1 to 3 years	80 mg
Children 3 to 8 years	130 mg
Children 9 to 13 years	240 mg
Teens 14 to 18 years	400 mg
Adults 19+ years	400 mg

If you have a deficiency, your doctor will advise you how much more magnesium you will need to take to correct the deficiency. Does magnesium make you sleepy when taking extra? This will all depend on the dose you need to be taking and how your body will react.

Sources of Magnesium

The best sources of magnesium are increased foods that are high in the mineral. In some cases, you may need to take supplements. Not all magnesium supplements are alike and some may cause stomach upset. Below is a list of sources and how they work:

Food Sources

Magnesium occurs in high amounts in leafy vegetables, nuts and some water sources. You can also get magnesium from foods that have been fortified. Your body will absorb about 30 to 40 percent of the magnesium you eat in foods. Higher magnesium foods include:

Almonds                    80 mg

Spinach                      78 mg

Peanuts                     63 mg

Cereal (Wheat)         61 mg

Beans                        60 mg

Peanut Butter          50 mg

Bread                        46 mg

Avocado                    44 mg

Potato                       43 mg

Rice, Brown              42 mg

Yogurt                       42 mg

Cereal (Fortified)     40 mg

Oatmeal                    36 mg

Banana                      32 mg

Salmon                      26 mg

Milk                            27 mg

Raisins                      23 mg

Chicken                     22 mg

Beef                           20 mg

Broccoli                     12 mg

Carrots                       7 mg

Rice                            10 mg

Magnesium Supplements

If you are deficient in magnesium, you may need supplements to help stabilize your levels. Enough of a deficiency is too hard to correct with foods alone. Your doctor may suggest a supplement to help you catch up. There are several different types of magnesium supplements like magnesium citrate, magnesium chloride, and magnesium oxide. When you are looking for a supplement you need to find out how much actual magnesium is in it. This is why your doctor may actually prescribe magnesium oxide from the pharmacy. Some over-the-counter brands may contain fillers that dilute the product.

It is important to find a form of magnesium that is well absorbed from your stomach. These types end in -ate like citrate, lactate, and aspartate. It is also important to separate magnesium from zinc which interferes with the absorption.