Why Magnesium Could Be the Missing Link for Better Sleep and Stress Relief

Of all the minerals we need, magnesium just may be the one with the longest job description. It's required in more than 300 processes in the body, including nerve function, blood pressure regulation, protein synthesis, and immune support. If you work out a lot, you probably know that magnesium helps with muscle recovery, especially in the form of a nice Epsom salt bath.

"Magnesium is considered an essential nutrient, meaning our body can't make it, but we need it to survive and operate, so we have to obtain it from our environment," says Paul Kriegler, RD, a registered dietitian and the director of products at Life Time. Despite magnesium's importance, many people aren't getting enough of it. According to data from the National Health and Nutrition examination survey, nearly half of U.S. adults don't get enough magnesium. (For the record, you should aim for between 400 and 420 milligrams a day, according to the National Institutes of Health.)

As with any nutrient, it's best to get magnesium through diet versus supplements because you'll be consuming other important nutrients at the same time. Vitamins haven't been shown to make us healthier the way that having a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet does.

It bears repeating that magnesium is needed for many, many different reasons. According to three dietitians we talked to, getting enough magnesium is partially responsible for avoiding feeling tired and moody all the time. It's something a 2020 study in Nutrients and a 2024 study in Frontiers in Public Health suggest too.

While there are a lot of factors that influence sleep and mood, the dietitians we talked to all said that upping your intake of magnesium-rich foods can help protect against depression and anxiety, and also support sleep.

How magnesium impacts mood

If you are experiencing depression and anxiety, upping your magnesium intake isn't going to solve all your problems. It shouldn't even be your first line of defense. That said, there is some scientific evidence that making sure you're meeting the daily recommended amount can help. "Magnesium has a ton of different roles, but one of them is helping with mood regulation," says Mckenzie Dryden, RD, a registered dietitian at HonorHealth Integrative Medicine.

Dryden explains that the main way magnesium impacts mood regulation is by supporting serotonin production, which a 2024 scientific article published in Cureus backs up. "Serotonin is that 'feel good' neurotransmitter that helps prevent anxiety and depression. If we don't get enough magnesium, then we're not going to produce enough serotonin, which can lead to those negative moods," she says.

Besides supporting serotonin production, Dryden says that magnesium also impacts the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA, which are important for reducing stress and promoting calmness. "If we don't get enough magnesium, we're hindering the processes of producing these neurotransmitters," she says. On top of all that, Dryden says that magnesium lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Registered dietitian Serena Pratt, RD, explains that magnesium and GABA work together to lower the body's fight-or-flight response, acting as a calming mineral that supports the nervous system. Kriegler adds that magnesium helps the body settle into the rest-and-digest parasympathetic state instead of jumping into the fight-or-flight state as easily.

If you are prone to experiencing seasonal affective disorder during the winter months, you may be wondering if adding more magnesium-rich foods to your diet can help protect against it. According to all three experts, it's not a great primary solution, but it can help. When it comes to seasonal affective disorder, Kriegler says that what's most important is getting enough vitamin D (according to a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, one in four U.S. adults don't get enough). Magnesium helps with vitamin D absorption, which is why it plays a supporting role.

How magnesium impacts sleep

While magnesium hasn't been proven to improve sleep, as indicated by a 2021 systematic review published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, it can help prime the body for sleep, similarly to how it can support mood. (After all, it's easier to sleep when you feel relaxed versus anxious.) Pratt explains that magnesium boosts GABA production, which calms down the body's nervous system and gets it ready for sleep.