The Little Spray That Made Me Sleep

Here’s the thing about sleep: it’s meant to be the most natural thing in the world. You lie down, close your eyes, drift off. Except, of course, you don’t. You lie there, hot, cross, staring into the dark as your brain takes you on a guided tour of every single calamity it can think of — the mortgage, the boiler, the way you once said “you too” when the waiter told you to enjoy your meal. At three in the morning, all of it feels like proof that you will never sleep again.

I know this because I lived it — and so did my daughter. Hers was the quiet kind of sleeplessness. Not tantrums or dramatics, just a mind that wouldn’t switch off. Bedtime became a protracted exercise in worry. So I did what mothers do: I tried to fix it. Enter magnesium.

Not the kind you take in tablets (which take weeks to work and can do unspeakable things to your stomach), but the kind you spray directly on your skin. Magnesium is the mineral your nervous system is crying out for — it literally helps your brain switch from “fight or flight” to “rest and repair.” Without it, you lie there like a hamster in a wheel. With it, the wheel stops spinning.

So I blended it with a little lavender, a dash of sweet orange, and turned it into something she’d actually trust. And it worked. She slept. I tried it too, obviously — and I slept. Now it lives on every bedside table and in every bag I own.

Why We’re All a Bit Magnesium-Starved

Here’s the annoying thing: magnesium deficiency is practically modern life’s default setting. Our grandparents, cheerfully chomping through leafy veg and unprocessed grains, had plenty. We, meanwhile, live on depleted soil produce, coffee, wine, stress and more stress. All of which merrily strip magnesium from our systems.

Which might explain why so many of us are tense, twitchy and awake at 3am staring at the ceiling. Studies estimate up to 68% of adults aren’t getting enough magnesium. If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t switch your brain off at night, the answer may be not enough of the stuff your body actually needs to do the job. (Mayo Clinic)

And here’s the thing: you can throw all the chamomile tea, hot baths and lavender candles at the problem, but if your nervous system is magnesium-depleted, none of it will stick. You can “sleep hygiene” yourself into oblivion and still lie there wide-eyed.

The Futility of Everything Else

I’ve tried the lot. Weighted blankets (too hot). Eye masks (claustrophobic). Sound apps with babbling brooks (made me need the loo). Sleep teas that taste like hay. Sleep podcasts where kindly men with deep voices describe an endless train journey in painstaking detail — only to make me think about trains. None of it worked.

Topical magnesium, though, did. It doesn’t knock you out like a sedative. It doesn’t make you feel groggy the next morning. It just restores what your body is missing, so your nervous system finally unclenches. The magic is that it feels so ordinary — no drama, no “wow, I’m out cold,” just the quiet, blessed normality of sleep.

A Spray With Surprising Superpowers

I started out using it only for bedtime. But soon I realised it was good for everything else too. Long-haul flights. Sore calves after exercise. The sort of tension headache that makes you want to remove your own head. That slightly manic pre-holiday brain when you suddenly remember the passports, the bins and the fact you never told the neighbour about the cat.

If you’re menopausal, it’s practically a small mercy in a bottle: restless legs, night sweats, twitchy hormones. A few sprays and the edges soften. It won’t cure the world’s problems, but it will make you feel like you can actually face them — preferably after a decent night’s rest.

Why Topical Magnesium Works Better

Magnesium tablets can take weeks to show results and aren’t always well absorbed. Topical magnesium sidesteps digestion entirely. Applied to the skin, it gets straight into circulation and can be targeted to where you need it most — tired legs, tight shoulders, or those pulse points that tell your nervous system to relax.

Early studies support this: transdermal magnesium raises body levels and helps with muscle tension and sleep quality (Dryft Sleep). Doctors already recommend magnesium for migraines, restless legs and anxiety — and the topical version is simply a smarter, easier way to get it.

The Bottom Line

You could keep faffing about with teas and eye masks and endless “sleep hacks.” Or you could mist magnesium on your skin and actually sleep. It’s not glamorous. It’s not complicated. It just works.

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the ones that feel most miraculous. This is one of them.

Sweet dreams,
B x

P.S. – This pairs beautifully with our Sleep Collection for the ultimate wind-down ritual.

FAQs: Magnesium Sleep Spray

Does magnesium spray really help you sleep?
Yes. Magnesium regulates melatonin and calms your nervous system, helping you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Why use a topical magnesium spray instead of tablets?
Topical magnesium is absorbed through the skin, bypassing digestion. It’s faster, gentler on the stomach and can be applied exactly where you need it.

Can magnesium spray help with anxiety?
Absolutely. Magnesium deficiency is linked to stress and anxiety. Applied topically, it helps calm racing thoughts and promotes relaxation.

What else can magnesium spray help with?
Muscle soreness, restless legs, migraines, travel nerves and sleep disruption during perimenopause and menopause.