In Saudi adults, serum and dietary magnesium levels were associated with poor sleep quality, particularly in males, while serum zinc concentration exhibited a modest inverse association at higher levels, and copper showed no association with sleep quality.
Key Findings
Results
Serum magnesium deficiency increased the odds of poor sleep quality in crude and age-adjusted models.
Serum Mg deficiency was defined as levels below 1.8 mg/dL
Serum Mg deficiency increased the odds of poor sleep quality (PSQI-P) by 30% in the crude and age-adjusted models
The association attenuated after further adjustment, 'suggesting partial mediation by lifestyle and metabolic factors'
After full adjustment, Mg deficiency was associated with 1.8-fold higher odds of poor sleep quality
Study was conducted among 1041 Saudi adults using the Arabic Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Results
Dietary magnesium intake below the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) was independently associated with poor sleep quality across all models.
The association between dietary Mg below DRI and poor sleep quality persisted across crude and all adjusted models
This association was described as 'independent,' suggesting it was not fully explained by confounders
The association was 'particularly' notable in males
Dietary intake information was obtained as part of the cross-sectional study design
Results
Higher serum zinc tertiles were associated with lower odds of poor sleep quality.
Higher serum zinc tertiles were associated with 40% lower odds of poor sleep quality (PSQI-P)
Zinc deficiency, defined as serum Zn below 80 µg/dL, demonstrated a three-fold independent increase in risk of poor sleep quality
The association between serum Zn and sleep quality was described as 'a modest inverse association at higher levels'
Results
Neither serum nor dietary copper levels were associated with sleep quality.
Serum copper levels showed no statistically significant association with PSQI-P
Dietary copper intake levels also demonstrated no association with sleep quality
This null finding applied across both crude and adjusted models
Methods
The cross-sectional study assessed sleep quality, serum mineral levels, and dietary intake in 1041 Saudi adults.
Sleep quality was assessed using the Arabic Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), with poor sleep defined as PSQI-P
Serum mineral levels (Mg, Zn, Cu) were 'quantified biochemically'
Dietary intake information was obtained for magnesium, zinc, and copper
Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios 'in a crude model and after adjustment for confounders'
The study population consisted of adults in Saudi Arabia, a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region population
Results
The association between magnesium and poor sleep quality was particularly pronounced in males.
Sex-specific analysis revealed that the Mg–sleep association was 'particularly' observed in males
The paper notes that studies examining these minerals in relation to sleep in the MENA region are 'limited'
The authors called for 'further longitudinal studies' to confirm these findings
What This Means
This research suggests that low levels of magnesium and zinc in the body are linked to poorer sleep quality among Saudi adults. In a study of over 1,000 adults in Saudi Arabia, researchers measured blood levels of three minerals — magnesium, zinc, and copper — and also assessed how much of these minerals participants consumed through their diet. Sleep quality was measured using a standardized questionnaire. People with low blood magnesium (below 1.8 mg/dL) had nearly twice the odds of poor sleep compared to those with adequate levels, and eating too little magnesium through the diet was also independently linked to poor sleep. Low blood zinc (below 80 µg/dL) was associated with three times the risk of poor sleep, and people with higher zinc levels had about 40% lower odds of sleeping poorly. Copper showed no relationship with sleep quality in either blood or dietary measurements.
The magnesium-sleep connection was especially notable in men, and the researchers found that some of the magnesium effect was partially explained by lifestyle and metabolic factors — meaning those factors may play a role in the relationship. Copper did not appear to influence sleep in this population, which distinguishes it from magnesium and zinc. This research suggests that mineral status, particularly magnesium and zinc, may play a role in sleep health, and that populations with dietary patterns that lead to deficiencies in these minerals could be at greater risk for sleep problems.
Because this was a cross-sectional study — meaning it captured a single snapshot in time — it cannot prove that low magnesium or zinc causes poor sleep; it only shows that they tend to occur together. The authors note that studies like this are rare for the Middle East and North Africa region, making these findings a useful addition to the scientific literature. They recommend that future studies follow people over time to better understand whether improving mineral intake might also improve sleep quality.
Al-Musharaf S, Aldhwayan M, Mazi T, Abujabir O, Alfawaz W, Aljuraiban G. (2026). Magnesium and Zinc Are Associated with Sleep Quality in Saudi Adults: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study.. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18010114