I'm a pediatric sleep doctor, author, and in my day job I run the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center. I've been writing about pediatric sleep issues for tired parents since 2012. Join my newsletter to get the best information about sleep problems (and solutions) in children.
I Investigated Magnesium for Kids’ Sleep… Here’s What I Found
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A few years ago, almost every parent in my Sleep Clinic had already tried melatonin for their child’s sleep struggles. Now, there’s a new kid on the block—magnesium supplements. I get it. Magnesium sounds great—it’s a mineral, not a hormone, and it’s easy to find in gummies, powders, and drinks. But does it actually help kids sleep?I dug into the science, and (spoiler alert) the answer isn’t as clear-cut as you might think. Here’s what I found: ✔️ Magnesium plays a big role in sleep and relaxation ✔️ Magnesium deficiency is surprisingly common ✔️ Some studies show it helps adults sleep better ❌ But the evidence in kids? Pretty weak. Before you start adding magnesium to your kiddo’s bedtime routine, let’s talk about what actually works. I break it all down in my latest post: If you’ve tried magnesium for your child’s sleep, I’d love to hear about your experience! Just hit reply and let me know. And, if you find this helpful, please share on social media. Wishing you restful nights, Dr. Craig P.S. If you’ve ever wondered how much magnesium kids actually need (or if they need it at all), I cover that too. Click here to read. PPS: I've actually found magnesium glycinate to be helpful for my own sleep. LMK if you want me to do a post on my own sleep "stack": supplements, tools, etc. |
Craig Canapari MD
I'm a pediatric sleep doctor, author, and in my day job I run the Yale Pediatric Sleep Center. I've been writing about pediatric sleep issues for tired parents since 2012. Join my newsletter to get the best information about sleep problems (and solutions) in children.
SUBJECT LINE: Quick update from last week: I sent you a quick note about holiday travel sleep survival and asked for your biggest worries. You responded—and wow, did you respond. Many of you shared your specific situations. Room-sharing chaos. Jet lag fears. The dreaded “driving home at bedtime” scenario. Disney trip panic. I read every single question and took representative examples and turned it into a comprehensive blog post. Your questions became the guide. Read the complete Holiday...
Here’s the truth about holiday travel and sleep: most of what you’re worrying about doesn’t matter. I get it. You’ve worked hard on your child’s sleep schedule. Maybe you just finished sleep training. Maybe you finally got consistent bedtimes working. And now you’re about to spend 3 days at Grandma’s house sharing a queen sized bed with a dog, a toddler, and a 14 month old who demands to exit the Pack N Play at 3am. You’re expecting disaster. But here’s what I’ve learned after 15 years of...
Hi everyone, Nap transitions are one of the most confusing parts of early childhood sleep. One week your baby is taking three predictable naps… and the next week everything is chaos. Naps get shorter, bedtimes get later, and suddenly you’re Googling “is my child dropping a nap??” at 3 AM. This week on The Sleep Edit, Arielle and I break down the messy reality of nap transitions — from 3→2 naps, 2→1 nap, and eventually the big one: dropping naps entirely. Using real cases, practical sleep...