5 ms·

I know this isn't related to potassium directly, but anecdotally I have had success using magnesium supplements for insomnia/improving general sleep quality. I

I know this isn't related to potassium directly, but anecdotally I have had success using magnesium supplements for insomnia/improving general sleep quality. I have also been consuming electrolyte mixes containing potassium to help with muscle recovery from training, and have found them to help with physical soreness & general well-being.

declan_roberts 2y ago
My wife convinced me to take a bath with magnesium once when I was stressed. Afterwards I got up, went to bed, and slept like an absolute rock.
- noman-land 2y ago
  Do you know what it actually does and how it does it?
- cbg0 2y ago
  If you took a bath in hot water, that has its own effects on the body, as it will lower your blood pressure, it can also relax your muscles, so you need to try it out without the magnesium to see if it did anything.
- echoangle 2y ago
  That doesn’t tell you a lot. You would have to take a bath with and without magnesium, and without knowing whether it’s with or without magnesium, and then write down the effect for each bath. Currently, it could just be the effect of the bath itself or placebo.
  - SquibblesRedux 2y ago
    An interesting paper on transdermal magnesium: Myth or Reality—Transdermal Magnesium? https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5579607/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5579607/ The short story -- As of 2017 the jury is still out as to whether something like an Epsom salt bath may be beneficial because of the magnesium.
  - fishe 2y ago
    If his sleep felt different than usual then the results are probably meaningful.
    - echoangle 2y ago
      You’re underestimating the effects of placebo.
ZYbCRq22HbJ2y7 2y ago
What form of magnesium? It might mean something. - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4397399 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4397399 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_glycinate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_glycinate --- Mg also acts on GABAergic/genic systems directly, but its benefits as a general supplement on sleep are disputed.
- OutOfHere 2y ago
  Have you tried calcium glycinate next?
- vixen99 2y ago
  Depends what you mean by 'general supplement' but a majority of people are deficient in magnesium (~400 mg/d is the recommendation) and its ubiquitous involvement in hundreds of enzyme systems might reasonably indicate that a positive role in normal sleep patterns could be expected as reported in a number of publications. If there is no benefit then other factors are likely to be to the fore.
  - ZYbCRq22HbJ2y7 2y ago
    I am just reporting on available literature, like this: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35184264/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35184264/ "Observational studies suggested an association between Mg statuses and sleep quality, while the RCTs reported contradictory findings."
iamacyborg 2y ago
Magnesium supplements are also really easy to overdo and the results are quite explosive.
- bell-cot 2y ago
  The dose makes the poison. So use a mortar and pestle, or liquid supplements and an eyedropper.
- AbstractH24 2y ago
  Can you elaborate?
  - lazide 2y ago
    Magnesium is a common laxative in high doses. [https://www.drugs.com/mtm/milk-of-magnesia.html#:~:text=Milk%20of%20Magnesia%20reduces%20stomach,%2C%20sour%20stomach%2C%20and%20heartburn https://www.drugs.com/mtm/milk-of-magnesia.html#:~:text=Milk....]
    - totallykvothe 2y ago
      Magnesium Citrate and Oxide specifically. Magnesium Glycinate is much less likely to be a problem in this way
Nemi 2y ago
I also take magnesium for sleep. I swear by it. I also believe I have an underlying kidney disorder that was causing all sorts of subtle problems and after researching for years decided to try potassium supplements and it relieved the acute symptoms I was having (daytime sleepiness after meals) and also a whole slew of symptoms I didn’t realize I was having (poor workout performance and recovery, constant thirst from sodium/potassium imbalance, heart palpitations, especially at night when lying in bed, temperature regulation when trying to sleep, restless legs at night, and sleep quality). Sleep was the most surprising. I used to wake at around 3am and just couldn’t get back to sleep. I still wake up to pee, but I get right back to sleep. The single most surprising thing is the quality of my sleep. I now sleep like a rock. So unbelievably hard. And when I wake I feel so rested and more clear headed. I don’t need to sleep as many hours anymore and feel better than when i would sleep 9 hours. Recently several sleep studies started talking about how sleep is not a passive activity, but a ‘washing’ of CSF over your brain. I could get some details wrong since I am going off of memory, but I believe the amount of CSF movement and production basically triples when you sleep. I hypothesize that this is simply your bodies way of cleaning the waste products out of your brain. Do you know what precursors are to create CSF? Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. It is my hypothesis that I was ‘using up’ all the potassium available with the first couple of sleep cycles and once it was gone I was unable to effectively create more CSF, rendering my sleep ineffective. All I need to take is a couple of 99mg tablets right before bed (along with some magnesium chloride) and I sleep like I did when I was 10. I am 57. To say it has transformed my life would be an understatement.
- 867-5309 2y ago
  Cerebrospinal Fluid
- _yb2s 2y ago
  Thanks for sharing- I find that these type of anecdotes often do work for other people, and are not information people can get from a doctor. I’m going to try what you suggest myself- I also tend to wake up at night and not fall back asleep, with no obvious explanation.
- mmorse1217 2y ago
specialist 2y ago
Magnesium supplements also help me sleep better. I experience muscle cramps. (Not restless leg syndrome. It's complicated.) For others, be aware that magnesium supplements come in many forms. I don't tolerate magnesium citrate, the most common over the counter option. Tummy issues. After trying a handful of options, I chose magnesium glycine; no adverse effects and reasonable price. This is not medical advice. YMMV. Consult your doctors.

declan_roberts 2y ago

My wife convinced me to take a bath with magnesium once when I was stressed. Afterwards I got up, went to bed, and slept like an absolute rock.

noman-land 2y ago
Do you know what it actually does and how it does it?
cbg0 2y ago
If you took a bath in hot water, that has its own effects on the body, as it will lower your blood pressure, it can also relax your muscles, so you need to try it out without the magnesium to see if it did anything.
echoangle 2y ago
That doesn’t tell you a lot. You would have to take a bath with and without magnesium, and without knowing whether it’s with or without magnesium, and then write down the effect for each bath. Currently, it could just be the effect of the bath itself or placebo.
- SquibblesRedux 2y ago
  An interesting paper on transdermal magnesium: Myth or Reality—Transdermal Magnesium? https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5579607/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5579607/ The short story -- As of 2017 the jury is still out as to whether something like an Epsom salt bath may be beneficial because of the magnesium.
- fishe 2y ago
  If his sleep felt different than usual then the results are probably meaningful.
  - echoangle 2y ago
    You’re underestimating the effects of placebo.

ZYbCRq22HbJ2y7 2y ago

What form of magnesium? It might mean something. - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4397399 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4397399 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_glycinate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_glycinate --- Mg also acts on GABAergic/genic systems directly, but its benefits as a general supplement on sleep are disputed.

OutOfHere 2y ago
Have you tried calcium glycinate next?
vixen99 2y ago
Depends what you mean by 'general supplement' but a majority of people are deficient in magnesium (~400 mg/d is the recommendation) and its ubiquitous involvement in hundreds of enzyme systems might reasonably indicate that a positive role in normal sleep patterns could be expected as reported in a number of publications. If there is no benefit then other factors are likely to be to the fore.
- ZYbCRq22HbJ2y7 2y ago
  I am just reporting on available literature, like this: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35184264/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35184264/ "Observational studies suggested an association between Mg statuses and sleep quality, while the RCTs reported contradictory findings."

iamacyborg 2y ago

Magnesium supplements are also really easy to overdo and the results are quite explosive.

bell-cot 2y ago
The dose makes the poison. So use a mortar and pestle, or liquid supplements and an eyedropper.
AbstractH24 2y ago
Can you elaborate?
- lazide 2y ago
  Magnesium is a common laxative in high doses. [https://www.drugs.com/mtm/milk-of-magnesia.html#:~:text=Milk%20of%20Magnesia%20reduces%20stomach,%2C%20sour%20stomach%2C%20and%20heartburn https://www.drugs.com/mtm/milk-of-magnesia.html#:~:text=Milk....]
  - totallykvothe 2y ago
    Magnesium Citrate and Oxide specifically. Magnesium Glycinate is much less likely to be a problem in this way

Nemi 2y ago

I also take magnesium for sleep. I swear by it. I also believe I have an underlying kidney disorder that was causing all sorts of subtle problems and after researching for years decided to try potassium supplements and it relieved the acute symptoms I was having (daytime sleepiness after meals) and also a whole slew of symptoms I didn’t realize I was having (poor workout performance and recovery, constant thirst from sodium/potassium imbalance, heart palpitations, especially at night when lying in bed, temperature regulation when trying to sleep, restless legs at night, and sleep quality). Sleep was the most surprising. I used to wake at around 3am and just couldn’t get back to sleep. I still wake up to pee, but I get right back to sleep. The single most surprising thing is the quality of my sleep. I now sleep like a rock. So unbelievably hard. And when I wake I feel so rested and more clear headed. I don’t need to sleep as many hours anymore and feel better than when i would sleep 9 hours. Recently several sleep studies started talking about how sleep is not a passive activity, but a ‘washing’ of CSF over your brain. I could get some details wrong since I am going off of memory, but I believe the amount of CSF movement and production basically triples when you sleep. I hypothesize that this is simply your bodies way of cleaning the waste products out of your brain. Do you know what precursors are to create CSF? Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. It is my hypothesis that I was ‘using up’ all the potassium available with the first couple of sleep cycles and once it was gone I was unable to effectively create more CSF, rendering my sleep ineffective. All I need to take is a couple of 99mg tablets right before bed (along with some magnesium chloride) and I sleep like I did when I was 10. I am 57. To say it has transformed my life would be an understatement.

867-5309 2y ago
Cerebrospinal Fluid
_yb2s 2y ago
Thanks for sharing- I find that these type of anecdotes often do work for other people, and are not information people can get from a doctor. I’m going to try what you suggest myself- I also tend to wake up at night and not fall back asleep, with no obvious explanation.
mmorse1217 2y ago

specialist 2y ago

Magnesium supplements also help me sleep better. I experience muscle cramps. (Not restless leg syndrome. It's complicated.) For others, be aware that magnesium supplements come in many forms. I don't tolerate magnesium citrate, the most common over the counter option. Tummy issues. After trying a handful of options, I chose magnesium glycine; no adverse effects and reasonable price. This is not medical advice. YMMV. Consult your doctors.