Zinc for Sleep – Is Taking Zinc Before Bed Beneficial?

Taking zinc before bed can help you sleep, improve your sleep quality and provide multiple other health benefits.

Although you should get enough zinc from dietary sources, taking a zinc supplement before bed can be beneficial in multiple ways if you do not consume enough dietary zinc.

Zinc is a crucial micronutrient for the body, as it stabilizes cell membranes and DNA, strengthens antioxidant defenses against free-radical cells, assists in building a healthy immune system, influences behavior and learning performance, and much more!

I will discuss the best zinc supplement before bed more below, but if you’d like to check out my suggestion already, I prefer Garden of Life Raw Zinc:

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Read the rest of this article to learn more about the potential benefits of taking zinc before bed!

Zinc and Sleep – Should You Take Zinc Before Bed?

The main reason you should take a zinc supplement before bed is that you don’t consume enough dietary zinc, and you need a supplement to reach an adequate intake of zinc.

If you are consuming enough dietary zinc each day, you shouldn’t need to take zinc before bed, and you certainly don’t want to exceed the FDA’s Tolerable Upper Limit of zinc intake per day.

The Tolerable Upper Limit for zinc intake, as defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is 40mg per day.

Dietary sources of zinc include:

• Oysters
• Beef
• Blue Crab
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Fortified Cereals
• Pork
• Turkey Breast
• Cheese
• Shrimp
• Sardines
• Lentils
• Greek Yogurt

Zinc is found in a variety of plant foods as well, although in smaller quantities and with worse absorption.

You may be at risk of zinc deficiency and inadequate zinc intake daily if you frequently have inadequate caloric intake, chronic alcohol use, and malabsorptive digestive diseases.

For those of you who do not consume enough zinc in your diet, a zinc supplement can be effective for improving your health and, specifically, your immune system.

There are a variety of negative health effects of zinc deficiency, and many of them involve the immune system and the bodies healing processes, such as antibody and cell-mediated recovery responses.

Although I used to take zinc for sleep each night, I began using fewer zinc supplements before bed as I learned better ways to consume dietary zinc.

However, even when consuming adequate amounts of zinc in my diet, when I use zinc as a nighttime sleep aid, the main difference I notice is that I have a deeper sleep and do not wake up as frequently.

Does Zinc Make You Sleepy?

Unlike sleep medications or supplements (such as valerian root or melatonin), zinc does not make you sleepy.

Zinc does not necessarily induce sleep, but zinc helps you sleep simply by playing a role in sleep regulation. Taking zinc before bed can be a good idea for some people, but you should not think that zinc will make you sleepy.

Does Zinc Help You Sleep?

Although the reason why is relatively unknown, it appears that zinc plays a vital role in sleep regulation and can help you sleep better. In fact, research shows that dietary zinc intake can play a role in sleep regulation and sleep quality.

Taking a zinc supplement before sleep has demonstrated positive effects on sleep quality and sleep latency in various research studies.

Before buying a zinc supplement, I suggest you try increasing your consumption of dietary zinc sources and evaluate how it effects your sleep quality. If you are struggling to consume enough dietary zinc, you can try a zinc supplement like Garden of Life Raw Zinc.

Last update on 2022-11-28 / I earn a commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. / Thank you for your support!

Effects of Melatonin, Magnesium, and Zinc for Sleep

Combining zinc with melatonin and magnesium has been clinically studied as an effective treatment for insomnia.

According to a study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society that investigated the benefits of the combination of zinc, melatonin, and magnesium in the treatment of insomnia in older adults, the administration of a melatonin, magnesium, and zinc supplement improved the quality of sleep and the quality of life in long-term care facility residents with insomnia.

Along with this, the study’s results revealed that this combination of supplements provided numerous additional benefits as well.

Not only did this combination of three supplements increase the total sleep time of the participants, which was the primary concern of the study, but the patients both fell asleep easier and stayed asleep longer.

Also, the patients reported a reduction in the “hangover” upon waking up.

I personally notice this effect when I take a zinc supplement for sleep also.

One final interesting conclusion from the study is that combining these supplements also improved the alertness and behavior of the participants in the morning after a night of restful sleeping.

Should You Take Zinc in the Morning or at Night?

The key to determining whether you should take zinc in the morning, night, or any other time of day is the absorption process of zinc.

The most important factor is not to consume your zinc supplement near a time when you also consume phytates, which are a compound found in grains. Although most people do not consume enough whole-grain-containing-phytates to make a significant difference, taking a zinc supplement during or directly after a grain-heavy meal is not a good idea.

For example, if you eat oatmeal in the morning, it would not be the best time to take your zinc supplement.

Additionally, as we have already mentioned, taking zinc before bed can help you sleep better, which is a fundamental reason to take zinc at night.

If you have concerns about how much zinc you should take per day, make sure you speak with your doctor!

What is the Best Zinc Supplement to Take Before Bed?

There are a lot of great zinc supplements to choose from, but the key is finding the right dosage.

As I already mentioned, the Tolerable Upper Limit for daily zinc intake is 40 mg. If you consume a lot of dietary sources of zinc, there is little to no reason you should need a zinc supplement before sleeping.

However, if you do not consume a variety of zinc-rich foods, taking a zinc supplement before bed can be beneficial.

Garden of Life Raw Zinc

If you are interested in purchasing a zinc supplement for yourself, I suggest you check out the Garden of Life Raw Zinc. This zinc supplement contains 30mg of zinc, which is below the Upper Limit of zinc intake per day.

Last update on 2022-11-28 / I earn a commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. / Thank you for your support!

Concluding Thoughts – Benefits of Taking Zinc Before Bed

Whether your goal is to get an aesthetic body, improve your physical performance for sports or another competition, or simply try to become healthier and sleep better each night, zinc supplements can help you with your goals.

For such an inexpensive supplement, taking zinc before bed can have a direct impact on your ability to get a restful sleep every night while also promoting overall health.

If you struggle with consuming enough zinc-rich foods each day, taking zinc for sleep, in my opinion, is an excellent way to improve your sleep quality and help become healthier.

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