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I've Tried Every Sleep Supplement — This One Finally Improved My Sleep Score
Sleep has never come naturally to me. I’m a night owl and often feel the most energized right when most people start to wind down. But trust me, I want to wind down at a more normal hour. Even drifting off at 11 p.m. instead of midnight would be a win.
I’ve tried countless supplements and every trick in the book to help me do so with varying degrees of success.
Finding the right one took some trial & error
I stay away from melatonin because it gives me super vivid dreams and I end up waking up even more exhausted, so I started to experiment with different magnesium powders. Moon Juice's Magnesi-Om® made an appearance in my routine for a while, but I didn’t like the sweetener or the fact that it used three different types of magnesium in a proprietary blend (so I had no idea how much of each I was getting).
Next up was Calm by Natural Vitality. I ended up nixing that because my psychiatrist recommended I take magnesium bisglycinate (because it's the most bio-available form and it helps with restless legs) while Calm only provided magnesium citrate.
Sometimes, finding the right solution takes some trial and error. I am already a tried and true mindbodygreen fan so I was ecstatic to try magnesium+ rest & recovery as soon as it came out.
Magnesium & tart cherry is the winning combo
This powder checks all my boxes. It provides 230 milligrams of magnesium, most of which comes as magnesium bisglycinate (which is also the best for sleep).
The addition of tart cherry is a bonus, because I’ve read that it also has some sleep-promoting capabilities. It’s a nice 2-in-1.*
My sleep scores improved
I take this supplement every night like clockwork, around 9:30 or 10 p.m. Since I had already played around with other magnesium supplements, an evening elixir was already part of my routine.
I take this supplement every night like clockwork, around 9:30 or 10 p.m. Since I had already played around with other magnesium supplements, an evening elixir was already part of my routine.
I just use a handheld frother to mix the powder in water (and a greens powder) for a nutritional boost at the end of the day and sip while reading or finishing up a T.V. show. The drink is never grainy, and the flavor is light (not overly sweet).
Now, this supplement isn’t going to completely knock you out and leave you groggy in the morning. It’s very gentle in that it just helps make the transition into bed (and being able to fall asleep) smoother and faster.*
I’ve taken this supplement consistently for the last six months. While I could feel it working right away, my sleep scores jumped after the first two months.*
In January and February this year, Oura showed that my sleep score still averaged in the mid-60s and my sleep efficiency was in the low 80s. Since April, my sleep score has consistently been in the mid-80s, and my sleep efficiency is in the upper 80s. This is a huge win as someone who struggles with sleep!
The takeaway
magnesium+ rest & recovery is now a staple for me. I think looking at the type of magnesium in the supplement is super important, as not all serve the same purpose. Finding a product that prioritizes magnesium bisglycinate in an appropriate dose has been a game-changer.
It’s nice to go to bed well equipped for a good night's sleep, and then wake up and start the morning (with my protein coffee, of course).