Using Magnesium Oil On Your Feet Before Bed Can Help With Sleep, Stress, And Sore Muscles – Health Digest

If you struggle to fall (or stay) asleep, you may be tempted to turn to magnesium for help. After all, magnesium has earned a reputation for potentially being a sleep aid, as well as a natural muscle relaxant. As such, it makes sense to investigate it as a snooze helper. (Here’s what happens when magnesium and melatonin are taken together.) 

However, you might not need to consume magnesium to improve the quality of your nighttime rest. In fact, some evidence indicates that rubbing your feet with magnesium oil could be a bedtime win. The thought behind this practice is rooted in the expectation that magnesium oil (just an oil-like mixture of magnesium particles and water) can deliver magnesium through your skin. This helps circumvent the digestive effects of the stomach that cause just 30% to 40% of magnesium to make it into the body.

This type of transdermal transfer isn’t unprecedented. Medicine actively uses transdermal delivery for the immediate delivery of many substances, including pain medications and hormonal drugs. But could giving yourself a magnesium oil foot massage make a difference in whether you wake up recharged versus exhausted thanks to an influx of magnesium? According to a 2017 article in Nutrients, some evidence indicates that it might, although science hasn’t proven it clearly. One way to decide if it’s worth trying is by looking at clinical research.

A 2017 study in the Journal of Palliative Medicine looked at the effectiveness of spraying a topical magnesium substance on the arms and legs of subjects with peripheral neuropathy related to chronic kidney disease. After 12 weeks, the subjects reported significant improvements in their neuropathic symptoms. 

Even if you don’t have peripheral neuropathy, you may still experience some related physical sensations like pain, tingling, and numbness when you’re trying to get to sleep. (Read more about why your body tingles before falling asleep at night.) Consequently, being able to lessen those occurrences by rubbing magnesium oil into your feet may allow you to unwind faster by taking away the intensity of “prickles” and general discomfort.

Meanwhile, a 2015 study in the Journal for Integrative Medicine came to a similar conclusion about topically applied magnesium. During the study, participants with fibromyalgia sprayed their arms and legs with a magnesium solution twice daily for four weeks. By the end of the study, they collectively said their quality of life had been improved.

Like peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia can cause pain, as well as anxiety and depression. Again, being able to possibly combat any discomfort could make sleeping less difficult. After all, trying to sleep when you’re in pain can be challenging, and being depressed can make sleep even more elusive. Therefore, adding magnesium oil into your nightly routine might be worth considering if your sleep is disturbed by uncomfortable physical sensations or mood issues.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that some studies have shown that foot massages alone (e.g., without magnesium oil) may also improve sleep. Consequently, you might still get better sleep by rubbing your feet even if your magnesium oil isn’t directly contributing to your relief. (You can do this with toes for faster sleep onset as well.)

A 2019 study in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork found that hospitalized female patients who were given foot reflexology massages felt less stress and depression. Though the study didn’t discuss sleep specifically, mental health improvements have been linked to better sleep.

Likewise, a 2015 study in the Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal found that nightly foot reflexology sessions appeared to reduce sleep problems for elderly men after six weeks. Interestingly, taking nightly foot baths produced the same results, making it unclear if it’s necessary to rub the feet at all to get sleep improvements.

This isn’t to suggest that magnesium oil doesn’t contribute to sleep when it’s used as part of a bedtime foot rub. However, part of the sleep relief you may experience could be directly related to your foot massage instead of the relaxing effects of magnesium.