Introduction
Do you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night? You’re not alone—millions of people in the UK experience restless nights, and it can take a serious toll on your energy, mood, and overall wellbeing. While prescription sleep aids are available, many people are looking for gentler, natural ways to improve their sleep quality.
That’s where nature’s remedies step in. In this guide, we’ll explore two standout supplements—magnesium and ashwagandha—that are backed by research for their sleep-supporting benefits. We’ll also share simple lifestyle tips to help you create a restful bedtime routine, so you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Why Sleep Matters: The Basics
Getting enough quality sleep isn’t just about feeling rested—it’s essential for your overall health. When you sleep, your body carries out important processes like repairing tissues, balancing hormones, and strengthening your immune system. Regular, deep sleep also supports mental clarity, mood stability, and even helps regulate weight.
Unfortunately, many of us struggle with poor sleep due to factors like stress, busy schedules, or poor sleep habits. Nutrient deficiencies, particularly in minerals like magnesium, can also play a role. Over time, lack of sleep can lead to problems like low energy, increased stress, weakened immunity, and trouble concentrating.
The good news? Small, natural changes—both in your daily habits and with the right supplements—can make a big difference.
Magnesium: The Sleep Mineral
What Is Magnesium?
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in hundreds of vital processes in the body, including muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and bone health. It also plays a key role in helping your body relax, making it especially important for supporting quality sleep.
How Magnesium Supports Better Sleep
Magnesium helps calm the nervous system by regulating neurotransmitters—chemicals that send messages between your brain and body. It also supports the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. Research has shown that low magnesium levels are linked to poor sleep and insomnia, and increasing your intake may help improve sleep quality by easing tension and quieting the mind.
Best Form for Sleep: Magnesium Glycinate
Magnesium glycinate is often recommended as the best form of magnesium for sleep and relaxation. It’s well-absorbed and gentle on the stomach, and it includes glycine, an amino acid that also promotes calm. This combination makes magnesium glycinate a popular choice for anyone looking to improve their nightly rest naturally.
Looking for a simple way to increase your magnesium intake? Vita London Magnesium Glycinate Capsules offer a high-strength, easy-to-absorb option designed to support relaxation and overall wellbeing.
Ashwagandha: The Natural Stress Reliever
What Is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a powerful adaptogenic herb that has been used for over 3,000 years in Ayurvedic medicine. Adaptogens are natural substances that help the body adapt to stress and restore balance. Ashwagandha is sometimes called “Indian ginseng” due to its revitalising properties, but unlike stimulants, it works by calming and strengthening the body’s stress response.
It’s best known for supporting mental wellbeing, promoting relaxation, and helping to reduce fatigue—all of which make it particularly useful for improving sleep.
How Ashwagandha Helps with Sleep
Stress and anxiety are two of the biggest barriers to good sleep. When you're stressed, your body produces more cortisol—the “fight or flight” hormone—which can keep your mind racing and make it hard to unwind at night.
Ashwagandha has been shown in multiple studies to lower cortisol levels, helping to ease anxiety and quiet the mind. This calming effect can make it easier to fall asleep and enjoy deeper, more restorative sleep throughout the night. In fact, research has found that participants who took ashwagandha extract reported significant improvements in both sleep quality and sleep duration compared to a placebo group.
What makes ashwagandha stand out is that it doesn’t just help you feel calmer in the short term—it also helps your body become more resilient to stress over time, which can lead to more consistent, long-term improvements in sleep.
Other Benefits of Ashwagandha
While sleep support is one of its standout benefits, ashwagandha offers a range of other wellness perks, including:
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Supporting mood and mental clarity – May help reduce feelings of irritability or brain fog.
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Boosting energy levels – Helps fight fatigue without acting as a stimulant.
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Supporting immune health – May contribute to a stronger immune response, especially during periods of stress.
This combination of calming and revitalising effects makes ashwagandha a great all-rounder for those looking to support both sleep and daily wellbeing.
Choosing a High-Quality Ashwagandha Supplement
Not all ashwagandha supplements are created equal. For the best results, it’s worth choosing a supplement that uses a standardised extract, such as KSM-66, which is known for its high potency and proven effectiveness in clinical trials.
Vita London Ashwagandha KSM-66 Tablets are made with high-strength, premium-quality extract designed to support stress relief, relaxation, and better sleep—making them a convenient way to incorporate this powerful herb into your wellness routine.
Holistic Tips for Better Sleep
While supplements like magnesium and ashwagandha can provide excellent support, creating healthy sleep habits is just as important. Small changes to your routine can make a big difference in how easily you fall asleep and how well you rest through the night. Here are some simple, practical tips to help you build a sleep-friendly lifestyle:
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Set a consistent sleep schedule – Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends, to regulate your body’s internal clock.
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Create a calming bedtime routine – Unwind with relaxing activities such as reading, listening to soft music, or taking a warm bath before bed.
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Limit screen time before bed – Blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs can interfere with melatonin production. Aim to switch off devices at least an hour before bedtime.
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Keep your bedroom cool and dark – A comfortable sleep environment can help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.
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Avoid caffeine and large meals late in the day – Both can disrupt your ability to fall asleep easily.
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Practice deep breathing or meditation – Simple mindfulness exercises can help quiet a busy mind and ease you into sleep more naturally.
By combining these good habits with the natural benefits of magnesium and ashwagandha, you can set yourself up for deeper, more restful sleep—night after night.
Are Magnesium and Ashwagandha Safe?
Both magnesium and ashwagandha are natural supplements that are generally well-tolerated by most people when taken as directed. However, as with any supplement, it’s important to be aware of a few considerations.
Magnesium is safe for daily use, especially in well-absorbed forms like glycinate. Some people may experience mild digestive discomfort (such as loose stools) if they take too much, but magnesium glycinate is less likely to cause this compared to other forms like magnesium citrate or oxide.
Ashwagandha is also considered safe for most adults, especially when using a standardised extract like KSM-66. However, because it affects hormone levels and stress response, it may not be suitable for everyone. For example, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with autoimmune conditions or thyroid disorders, should consult their GP before using ashwagandha.
If you’re currently taking prescription medication or have any ongoing health concerns, it’s always best to speak with your doctor before adding new supplements to your routine.
Takeaway: Build a Natural Sleep Routine
Good sleep is one of the most important pillars of health, but for many of us, it doesn’t always come easily. Fortunately, there are simple, natural ways to support better rest. By combining healthy sleep habits—like sticking to a regular bedtime, creating a calming wind-down routine, and limiting screen time—with effective supplements, you can build a routine that promotes deeper, more restorative sleep.
Both magnesium glycinate and ashwagandha KSM-66 offer natural, research-backed support to help you relax, manage stress, and sleep more soundly. Whether you struggle with occasional sleeplessness or want to improve your overall sleep quality, these natural tools can be valuable additions to your wellness routine.
Prioritise your sleep, and your body—and mind—will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take magnesium and ashwagandha together?
Yes, magnesium and ashwagandha can be taken together safely. In fact, they complement each other well—magnesium helps relax the body, while ashwagandha calms the mind, making them a great combination for supporting better sleep.
How long does it take for magnesium to improve sleep?
Many people notice improvements within a few days to a couple of weeks of consistent use, especially if they had low magnesium levels to begin with. For best results, it’s important to take magnesium regularly and maintain healthy sleep habits alongside.
What’s the best time of day to take ashwagandha for sleep?
Ashwagandha can be taken at any time of day, but if your main goal is to improve sleep, it’s usually best to take it in the evening or about an hour before bedtime to help you wind down.
Are there any side effects of magnesium glycinate?
Magnesium glycinate is generally well-tolerated and less likely to cause digestive discomfort than other forms of magnesium. Very high doses may cause loose stools, but sticking to the recommended serving usually avoids this.
Do I need to take these supplements every night?
For ongoing support, both magnesium and ashwagandha are most effective when taken regularly. However, some people prefer to use them only during periods of high stress or when sleep issues arise. Listen to your body and adjust as needed.
Our Fact-Based, Scientific Approach
At Vita London, we believe that wellness advice should be grounded in science, not trends. Every product we offer—and every blog post we publish—is backed by credible research and a commitment to transparency. We carefully review clinical studies, trusted health resources, and expert guidance to ensure that the information we share is accurate, up-to-date, and easy to understand.
While natural supplements like magnesium and ashwagandha can be powerful tools for supporting better sleep and wellbeing, we always encourage readers to take a balanced approach—combining proven lifestyle habits with trusted, research-backed products. Your health is too important for guesswork, which is why we focus on facts you can rely on.
References
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Healthline. Magnesium and Sleep: How Magnesium Can Help You Sleep Better.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/magnesium-and-sleep -
Healthline. Ashwagandha Benefits for Sleep: What the Research Says.
https://www.healthline.com/health/ashwagandha-sleep -
National Institutes of Health (NIH). Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Consumers.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/