When it comes to our health, diet and exercise are often the most discussed elements. But did you know that the quality of your sleep can have a huge impact on your overall wellbeing?
If you're looking to have deeper, more restful sleep, taking a magnesium supplement could be something to consider incorporating into your bedtime routine. There are also lots of ways to increase the amount of magnesium in your diet, especially by eating more foods like leafy greens, seeds and nuts.
Magnesium can improve relaxation and sleep thanks to its ability to influence muscles, hormones and brain activity. It has been shown to support the production of the hormone melatonin, which promotes sleepiness and regulates the circadian rhythm. It also regulates the neurotransmitters in our brains in order to calm the nervous system and encourage relaxation.
Read on for our recommendation of the best magnesium supplements to help with your sleep.
Looking for further guidance? Read our guide on the best magnesium supplements for more information.
Jump to:
- Best magnesium supplements for sleep at a glance
- Best magnesium supplements for sleep 2025
- What's the best way to take magnesium?
- How much magnesium should I take for sleep?
- What type of magnesium is best?
- How we test magnesium supplements
Best magnesium supplements for sleep at a glance
- Best magnesium supplement for sleep to buy in bulk: Vitabright Magnesium Glycinate, £16.99
- Best sustainable magnesium supplement for sleep: Nutrition Geeks Magnesium Glycinate, £9.98
- Best subscription-friendly magnesium supplement for sleep: Heights Magnesium+, £30
- Best affordable magnesium supplement for sleep: ZipVit Magnesium Glycinate, £8.49
- Best ethical magnesium supplement for sleep: Viridian Magnesium Biglycinate, £17.49
- Best everyday magnesium supplement for sleep: New Leaf Magnesium Glycinate, £9.94
Best magnesium supplements for sleep 2025
Vitabright Magnesium Glycinate
- Available from Vitabright (£16.99), Amazon (£17.99)
Best magnesium supplement for sleep for buying in bulk
Star rating: 5/5
Vitabright is brand that we've been consistently impressed by when it comes to its supplements, and the Magnesium Glycinate proved no exception. One bottle contains 180 capsules, enough to last you for three months with the recommended dose of two per day. The capsules are free from fillers and suitable for those on a vegan diet, and two capsules combined contains your daily recommended dose of magnesium.
Available from:
Vitabright (£16.99)
Amazon (£17.99)
Nutrition Geeks Magnesium Glycinate
- Available from Amazon (£9.98)
Best sustainable magnesium supplement for sleep
Star rating: 5/5
If you're looking for an all-rounder magnesium supplement, this could be a good option. As well as magnesium glycinate, recommended to improve sleep, the capsules contain magnesium malate, which can help muscle tension, and citrate, which can help reduce anxiety.
We were impressed that the sachet packaging contains 95% less plastic than a bottle, and also that the capsules are one of the most affordable on this list.
Available from:
Amazon (£9.98)
Heights Magnesium+
- Available from Healf (£30)
Best subscription-friendly magnesium supplement for sleep
Star rating: 4.5/5
You may have seen Heights advertised on social media — it's an online-only subscription service, with flat bottles that are designed to be letterbox-friendly. At £30 for a bottle of 60 capsules, it's by far the most expensive on this list, but there is a money-back offer if you aren't happy with the product.
The dose of two capsules provides your recommended daily intake of magnesium glycinate, and it's suggested you take them in the evening to gain the full sleep benefits.
Available from:
Healf (£30)
ZipVit Magnesium Glycinate
- Available from Amazon (£8.49), ZipVit (£10.99)
Best affordable magnesium supplement for sleep
Star rating: 4/5
This supplement provides a lower dose of magnesium than many in this list, with one capsule a day providing 66% of your recommended daily intake. However, it does contain vitamin B6, which helps your body to absorb more of the the mineral, and it is the most affordable of our recommended magnesium supplements for sleep.
Available from:
Amazon (£8.49)
ZipVit (£10.99)
Viridian Magnesium Biglycinate
- Available from Amazon (£20.95), bodykind (£25.75)
Best ethical magnesium supplement for sleep
Star rating: 3.5/5
Viridian is a brand that prides itself on its ethical ethos, as well as the quality of its supplements, which are formulated by nutritionists and contain fully traceable ingredients. The recommended dosage is 2-4 capsules per day, with two capsules providing 280mg magnesium.
Available from:
Amazon (£20.95)
bodykind (£25.75)
New Leaf Magnesium Glycinate
- Available from Amazon (£9.94), Superdrug (£10.95)
Best everyday magnesium supplement for sleep
Star rating: 3.5/5
In the two capsules that make up your daily dose of this supplement, you'll get 208mg of magnesium. Although the dose may be lower than many other supplements on this list, this supplement fulfils lots of criteria in terms of being free from GMOs and allergens and suitable for vegans.
Each bottle contains a two-month supply.
Available from:
Amazon (£9.94)
Superdrug (£10.95)
What's the best way to take magnesium?
As with most supplements, it's best to take your magnesium with food and water, and you should avoid taking it at the same time as any other mineral supplement.
If you're taking magnesium specifically to help you sleep, take it around two hours before you fall asleep for the best results.
Magnesium can be taken in supplement form as a capsule, a spray or as flakes to use in your bath. Though the supplements in this list are capsules, there is some limited research to show that magnesium may be absorbed when applied to the skin, specifically to areas where there are hair follicles, such as your arms and legs.
How much magnesium should I take for sleep?
For adults aged 19-64, the NHS recommends a daily magnesium intake of 300mg for men and 270mg for women. However, there are a number of factors that will affect how much magnesium you should be looking to supplement, which include your age and life stage, as well as any health or dietary issues you may have.
Something to look out for when choosing a magnesium supplement is the amount of 'elemental magnesium' indicated on the label. Compounds, such as magnesium oxide, won't contain as much as the pure form.
What type of magnesium is best?
You may have seen different types of magnesium on offer in supplement form. It is usually provided in compound form, where the secondary element can provide health benefits in addition to the magnesium.
When it comes to the best magnesium for sleep, the best forms are magnesium glycinate and magnesium chloride. Both can also benefit anxiety and mood, which may prove to help your sleep too.
How we test magnesium supplements
When testing magnesium supplements, our nutritionist Kerry Torrens assessed each product for the benefits and disadvantages of the different forms of magnesium, as well as for recommended doses and the delivery formats.
When scoring the supplements we consider a number of criteria including price per dose, the percentage of recommended daily intake, and how the format and form of the magnesium might impact its delivery to the body.
Each supplement was also reviewed by our team of testers for taste, smell, sustainability of packaging and ease of use.
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