The Best Type of Magnesium for Sleep, According to Experts#

If you go hard at the gym, it’s important not to overlook recovery. Stretching, foam rolling, and hanging out in the sauna can all help reduce muscle soreness. You’ve probably heard rumblings about magnesium supplements helping too. Not only does the micronutrient play a crucial role in muscle function, but it also supports sleep—another key for crushing your workouts.

But shopping for the right magnesium product specifically for workout recovery is tricky. Not only are there different types of magnesium, but there are also different modalities. Beyond capsule supplements, different topical magnesium products, including oils, lotions, and sprays have multiplied in the marketplace recently.

But which is best to help you recover from a workout and, ideally, get a good night’s sleep? We talked to a doctor, pharmacist, and dietitian who have all studied the mineral to get advice on which products work best.

What exactly does magnesium do?#

If you’re going to spend money on a nutritional supplement, it helps to have a basic understanding of how it works. Brace yourself: This micronutrient does a lot.

Here’s a run-down of magnesium’s job description, according to Stella Volpe, PhD, RDN, a registered dietitian and professor at Virginia Tech: It helps make protein, supports bone health by activating vitamin D (crucial for calcium absorption), and regulates blood sugar concentrations.

That’s not even getting into how it supports muscle recovery and sleep. Sports medicine doctor and Sunrider International chief medical advisor Reuben Chen, MD, explains that magnesium supports workout recovery by relaxing the muscles, reducing post-exercise cramping, and restoring energy at the cellular level.

“Magnesium also helps ease soreness, while keeping the nervous system calm and balanced, allowing your body to recover faster,” he says. Dr. Volpe adds to this, saying that magnesium helps reduce inflammation—another way it supports workout recovery.

As for sleep, Dr. Chen explains that magnesium calms the nervous system, priming the body for rest. “It also helps regulate melatonin, the hormone that guides our sleep-wake cycles, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep,” he adds.

It’s important to note: all the experts we talked to said that most people get all the magnesium they need through their daily diet. “Generally speaking, people are not deficient in magnesium if they are eating a balanced diet,” says Alexandre Chan, PharmD, MPH, a professor of clinical pharmacy at UC Irvine. Especially if you eat a primarily plant-based diet, you’re likely getting enough. Some top food sources of magnesium include almonds, spinach, cashews, black beans, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, and salmon.

So is there a benefit to taking a magnesium supplement? Maybe. “We lose magnesium via sweat and stress,” registered dietitian Brittany Michels, RDN, LDN, CPT, previously told GQ. That means, if your shirt is soaked after a workout, your body could likely benefit from some replenishing.

Just make sure not to go overboard. In the case of magnesium, more is not better. According to the National Institutes of Health, adult men should aim to get between 400 and 320 milligrams of magnesium a day and more than 5,000 milligrams a day is considered toxic. Signs you’re getting too much magnesium include nausea, diarrhea, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, and heart palpitations.

What type of magnesium products are best for recovery and sleep?#

When shopping for magnesium products, consider the magnesium types: magnesium glycinate, magnesium citrate, or magnesium malate. Dr. Volpe recommends magnesium glycinate because it’s the type of magnesium that’s best absorbed.

Why are there different types of magnesium in the first place and what’s the difference? Dr. Volpe explains that when magnesium is chemically bonded with something else (such as an amino acid or citric acid), it’s better absorbed in the body. Magnesium glycinate is a magnesium salt made from magnesium and the amino acid glycinate, which is a neurotransmitter with anti-inflammatory properties. Magnesium citrate is also a magnesium salt, but it’s made of magnesium and citrate, which is an acid found in citrus fruits that supports energy metabolism. Magnesium malate binds magnesium with malic acid. Like citrate, malic acid is also found in fruits (although not typically citrus fruits) and supports energy metabolism.

Dr. Chen also recommends magnesium glycinate over other forms if you want to use it for workout recovery or sleep. “For workout recovery, magnesium glycinate is one of the best forms because it’s a more gentle form and highly bioavailable, making it effective for easing muscle tension and reducing cramping,” he says, echoing Dr. Volpe’s sentiments. But he adds that magnesium citrate is another good option for replenishing magnesium stores quickly after

intense exercise.

He also says magnesium glycinate is the best choice for sleep, “because glycine is known for its calming properties that help reduce fatigue, support relaxation, and support better sleep quality,” he says.

While magnesium glycinate may be the best choice, any form may be beneficial. In a 2024 article published in the Journal of Translational Medicine that took into account 960 scientific articles on magnesium, researchers found that magnesium supplements reduced muscle soreness and improved exercise performance, though the type of magnesium participants took varied. Similarly, a 2024 article published in Cureus that took into account eight scientific studies on magnesium and sleep found that for most of the studies (five out of the eight), participants reported that taking a magnesium supplement helped with sleep. Again, the type of magnesium wasn’t mentioned.

Magnesium supplements versus topical products

Besides different magnesium types, there’s the question of how you want to use your magnesium supplement. Is a capsule, powder, or topical product such as an oil, lotion, or spray more effective? Dr. Volpe says this largely comes down to individual preference. She says that the one-and-doneness of a capsule can be easier than drinking a powdered magnesium drink. But if someone already takes several pills, they may prefer the option of a topical cream, oil, or spray.

While there aren’t any scientific studies done comparing how a magnesium capsule versus a topical product works, a 2017 scientific study published in PloS One, found that using a lotion with 56 milligrams of magnesium did lead to higher magnesium levels in the body, measured through blood and urine tests, suggesting that topical magnesium products can work.

Despite this, Dr. Chen is skeptical about how much magnesium from topical products is actually absorbed. (After all, it’s the skin barrier’s job to keep foreign chemicals out, he points out.) But he says that if massaging muscles using a topical magnesium product is part of someone’s post-workout or pre-bedtime routine, the physicality and ritual of it could enhance the benefits beyond the nutrient itself.

“For more targeted relief of muscle tension, a topical may feel effective, but for overall recovery and better sleep, taking oral forms such as magnesium glycinate are generally more reliable, especially since they ensure the body gets the amount it needs systemically,” Dr. Chan says.

Dr. Chen says his patients also favor Epsom salt baths for recovery and relaxation. “Epsom salt is magnesium,” he explains. (Specifically, it’s magnesium sulfate.) Again, he’s skeptical about how well the magnesium is being absorbed into the body and the scientific research is sparse, but he says it isn’t harmful to give it a try.

As a pharmacist, Dr. Chen issues a reminder that supplements in any form aren’t FDA-approved and recommends choosing one that’s third-party tested. He also says that magnesium supplements can negatively interact with some medications, such as antibiotics or blood pressure medications, so you may want to clue your doctor in before you start using or taking one.

It bears repeating that most people get enough magnesium through their diet. But if you tend to sweat profusely during your workouts, a magnesium supplement could help with recovery. Even so, you should never use it as a replacement for stretching or having a solid sleep routine. Remember, it’s a supplement, not a shortcut.