Magnesium Or Melatonin For Kids: Which Is Better For Sleep?

We’ve all been there: That moment when you hear little feet coming down the hall and a whimpering voice says, “ I can’t sleep.”

And a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions floods your brain. Will your kiddo get the sleep they need tonight? Are they going to be cranky tomorrow? Are you going to get the alone time you so desperately need?

Baby sleep is a hot topic, but kids (and grown-ups) of all ages often struggle to get enough shut-eye. Between 20 and 40 percent of kids have sleep issues. And often, when your child is having trouble sleeping, the easy answer is to help them nod off with a natural sleep aid, like melatonin or magnesium.

A U.S. study suggests that around 18 percent of kids aged five to nine are given melatonin to help them sleep. Another study revealed that almost 50 percent of parents give kids 13 and under the supplement.

What is Melatonin?

Towards the end of the day, our bodies release a hormone called melatonin. It has a calming or sedative effect. Some children have lower levels of melatonin than others. This can affect how easily they fall asleep, and if they wake up at night. If you have a child who struggles to fall asleep, or stay asleep, you may wonder if a melatonin supplement would be helpful.

The answer isn’t straightforward. Overall, we need to approach melatonin supplements with great caution. Because melatonin is made in the body naturally, the concern with taking a supplement is that we are signaling to the body that it doesn’t need to make more on its own.

And over time, the body may make less. This in turn may lead to a larger supplement dose needed for a “sleepy” effect. There also may be an upswing of sleeplessness if the supplement is not available one evening. Plus, because melatonin is a hormone, there’s also concern that consistent use may interfere with puberty.

In addition to this, Sleep expert Nicole Shallow, MEd BCBA, cautions that “while taking melatonin may help your child fall asleep faster, when it wears off it can lead to night wakings.” This can be stressful for everyone. Shallow also has concerns that melatonin supplements are unregulated, meaning that you may not be giving the dose stated on the bottle or that the product is unsafe.

Finally, while generally deemed safe in small doses, melatonin can be very dangerous if children take too much. So if you do keep it in your home, keep it out of children's reach and call poison control or 911 if you think your child has taken a lot of it accidentally.

What is magnesium?

Another popular supplement for helping kids to feel sleepy is magnesium. This mineral is found naturally in our bodies. Supplementing with it has been shown to help reduce anxiety. It is also a natural muscle relaxant so it’s great for helping little ones with anxious thoughts to settle down after a busy day.

Some forms of magnesium act as natural laxatives, so it’s important to get the dose right and to pull back if your child experiences diarrhea. But generally speaking, magnesium supplements are less likely to interfere with your child’s natural circadian rhythm and it’s very difficult to overdose (although not impossible, so be cautious about leaving supplements within children’s reach). Magnesium supplements

The most effective magnesium supplements for kids come in powder form and are mixed with water for a slightly fizzy beverage. The type of magnesium found in Natural Calm and Vitality Magnesium and Chamomile for Kids has been found to be most effective in supporting increased melatonin production and sleep.

To get the most out of these supplements, it’s best to add a small amount of hot or boiling water to activate the powder. You can then add warm or cold water before giving it to your child.

Magnesium- and melatonin-rich foods

You can safely supplement your child’s diet with foods that naturally contain melatonin or help increase the secretion of melatonin before bedtime. Research shows that magnesium and an amino acid called tryptophan play a strong role in increasing melatonin levels.

Here are some foods that are rich in magnesium and tryptophan:

Milk

If you have ever felt calm and sleepy after enjoying a warm glass of milk, there is a great reason for this. Melatonin, tryptophan and magnesium all naturally occur in cow’s milk. This is why a cup or bottle of milk can be calming.

Add milk to your child’s favourite low-sugar cereal or keep it simple with a cup of cold or warmed milk 30 minutes before bedtime.

Yogurt and cheese

Because these foods are made from milk, they offer the same benefits. Pair yogurt with berries and granola or cheese with apple slices and crackers for a more balanced evening snack.

Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds

These crunchy little seeds are packed with many nutrients that support optimal body and brain development and health, including our sleep-promoting nutrients magnesium and tryptophan. Offer ¼ cup of pumpkin or sunflower seeds as part of supper or an evening snack to help support increased melatonin production.

Eggs with avocado

Eggs are rich in tryptophan and avocado is rich in magnesium. Pair these together with a piece of toast for an evening snack that will leave your child’s tummy satisfied while supporting melatonin release.

Whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana

Whole grain bread and bananas are rich in magnesium, while peanut butter is a source of tryptophan. Pair this snack with a glass of milk for the ultimate sleep-supporting bedtime snack.

Trail mix

Try mixing together a whole grain cereal with raisins, sliced dates, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and cashews. These foods together offer a boost of tryptophan and magnesium, not to mention a satisfying crunchy snack.

While great for sleep, these bedtime snacks also help keep kids’ tummies full so that hunger pangs don’t keep them awake.

Sleep hygiene and routines that work

While supplements can help children sleep, they don’t teach kids how to get sleepy and fall asleep on their own. That’s why Shallow cautions against sleep supplements.

Research shows that behavioural strategies can support the best outcomes for helping children fall and stay asleep. Shallow says that while some routines may take more effort than a quick fix like melatonin, setting up habits and routines is worthwhile. These habits set kids up for a lifetime of positive sleep patterns.

Create a sleep-friendly environment

• Dim the lights in your home and eliminate any screen time 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
• Prepare your child’s room in a way that is not stimulating. For example, keep toys in a different space, set up black out blinds, and consider putting a towel on the ground outside their door to eliminate extra bright light coming in. If your child would like a night light, aim for a dim one so they can just see enough to feel safe, but are not stimulated.
• Add a water bottle and a box of tissues to their bedside so they are not worried about needing these overnight.
• Have a blanket or stuffed animal that is ONLY for bedtime so they associate it with sleep.
• Offer white noise, but from a distance across the room, so that there is not a negative effect on their hearing.

Get their bodies ready for bedtime

Have them take a warm bath or shower in a dimly lit bathroom before or after brushing teeth. Ideally, they would not come back into the main part of the house after this quiet time but would go straight to their room to continue winding down.

Set aside enough time for songs, stories or talks, but set time limits. Decide how much time you have for pre-sleep activities or for younger kids, how many stories you’ll read before it’s time to sleep. Be consistent. If we say yes to one more story some nights but not others, this can lead to disappointment, uncertainty and stress—none of which you want at bedtime.

Try delaying bedtime. This sounds counter-intuitive, but here is the explanation. Shallow suggests this for any child kept awake by overthinking and worrying. To help kids shift away from seeing bedtime as a time to worry, put them to bed when they’re tired and hopefully, they won’t have much time for anxiety.