If you live with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), getting a full restful night of sleep may feel out of reach, even when you use treatments like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. If you’re struggling with restless nights and fatigue, you might wonder whether supplements could help.

Researchers are looking into nutritional supplements and how they may affect sleep health and sleep disorders. One area of interest is magnesium — an essential mineral involved in muscle function, energy production, and the sleep-wake cycle.

With these effects in mind, it’s natural to wonder whether magnesium could help improve sleep quality in people with OSA. In this article, we’ll go over what the research says and what you should know about magnesium for sleep apnea.

Does Magnesium Help With Sleep Apnea?

Magnesium is often mentioned as a sleep and relaxation aid, but it’s important to know that magnesium is not an evidence-based treatment for sleep apnea.

Magnesium can’t open the airways or stop pauses in breathing. It shouldn’t replace proven sleep apnea treatments. However, magnesium may support general sleep health in some people, especially if they do not get enough magnesium.

Researchers have found that people with OSA may have lower magnesium levels than those without sleep apnea. This may be related to waking up repeatedly throughout the night and increased stress on the body.

There’s also some evidence that as OSA is treated and sleep improves, the body experiences less oxygen stress, which can cause magnesium levels to improve too.

Although magnesium doesn’t treat the underlying cause of sleep apnea, getting enough magnesium may help support overall health and normal sleep-related body functions.

It Can Help Your Muscles Relax

Magnesium helps your muscles relax by working in balance with calcium. Calcium helps muscles contract, while magnesium helps muscles relax.

When someone has a magnesium deficiency (low levels of magnesium in the blood), it can cause them to have muscle cramping or tightness, which can disrupt sleep.

Getting enough magnesium may help your body relax at night, which can make it easier to get comfortable at bedtime. Also, less muscle cramping or tightness may make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

It Supports Brain Function

Magnesium helps support the brain and body to prepare for sleep. It works with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that acts as a calming chemical in your brain. Magnesium can stimulate GABA release and make the brain more sensitive to GABA.

Melatonin is the hormone that tells your body it’s time for sleep. Although there is no strong evidence that it works directly with melatonin, magnesium may have additive effects.

Because sleep apnea can cause you to wake up multiple times a night, these calming signals may make it easier for you to fall asleep and may improve overall sleep quality.

It May Decrease Inflammation

Sleep apnea can put the body under stress from waking up multiple times a night. This can increase the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone in the body.

Cortisol plays a role not only in your sleep-wake cycle but also in managing blood sugar, inflammation, and blood pressure. This is important because people with sleep apnea are at a higher risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Some research suggests that taking magnesium supplements may help support healthy cortisol levels in your body. Healthy cortisol levels can:

• Decrease inflammation in the body
• Help maintain healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels
• Help control your sleep-wake cycle

While more research is still needed, maintaining healthy magnesium levels may also help support the body’s natural response to stress while improving sleep quality.

How To Increase Your Magnesium Intake

One of the best ways to support healthy magnesium levels is through food. A healthy magnesium intake depends on your gender, your age, and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

For most adults, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is around 300 to 400 milligrams of elemental magnesium daily.

Magnesium-Rich Foods

Magnesium can be found in many different types of food. Some of the most common magnesium-rich foods are:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Chia seeds
• Nuts and legumes, such as almonds and cashews
• Leafy greens, such as spinach
• Whole grains

Magnesium Supplements

A healthy, balanced diet can make it easier to meet the recommended magnesium intake. But for people who find it difficult to meet their magnesium needs with diet alone, supplements may help.

There are many forms of magnesium supplementation over the counter that can be taken by mouth. Before starting a magnesium supplement, talk to your healthcare provider to make sure you take the right dose and type of magnesium. Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, nausea, or stomach cramps.

Magnesium supplements can interact with some medicines, including:

• Antibiotics
• Bisphosphonates
• Diuretics
• Acid reflux medications
• Zinc supplements (in high doses)

Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before taking magnesium with other medicines.

Can You Take Magnesium While Using CPAP?

In general, magnesium supplements can be taken safely by people who also use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. There are no known interactions between CPAP therapy and magnesium supplementation.

It’s important to understand that magnesium supplementation shouldn’t replace CPAP therapy, as the CPAP machine helps keep your airway open throughout the night. Consistent CPAP therapy has many short-term and long-term benefits, such as improved sleep quality, a lowered risk of cardiovascular events, and improved mood, memory and thinking skills.

When To Talk to Your Doctor About Magnesium

Your healthcare provider can help you decide if you need a magnesium supplement by getting a blood test and checking your magnesium levels. They can also monitor your magnesium levels while you take magnesium supplements to make sure they’re at a healthy level.

Magnesium is not right for everyone, so it’s best to discuss supplementation with your healthcare provider before you start taking it.

Join the Conversation

On MySleepApneaTeam, people share their experiences with sleep apnea, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you noticed any changes in your sleep quality after increasing your magnesium intake? Let others know in the comments below.