Head-to-head · sleep
Magnesium vs. CBT-I for Insomnia
Outcome compared: Insomnia & sleep onset
The verdict
Not a close call. CBT-I has a far larger and more consistent evidence base (30 RCTs, medium-large sustained effects) than magnesium (3–8 small RCTs, a small effect that may not exceed placebo response). CBT-I requires more upfront effort; magnesium requires none — but the evidence doesn't support magnesium as a substitute for behavioral treatment for real insomnia.
The gapLarge gap (A- vs. C) — one of the clearest 'pill vs. practice' mismatches in the database so far.
C
- Evidence grade
- C
- Effect size
- Small (d ≈ 0.2); ~17 min faster onset
- Evidence base
- 3–8 small RCTs (~150 each); low quality
- Effort
- None — a daily capsule
- Cautions
- Caution with kidney impairment, some meds
A-
- Evidence grade
- A−
- Effect size
- Medium–large (g = 0.64 at 3 mo), sustained to 12 mo
- Evidence base
- 30 RCTs; replicated across populations
- Effort
- 4–8 structured sessions
- Cautions
- Temporary daytime sleepiness during sleep restriction
Grade badges show each intervention's strongest evidence across all its outcomes. Tap a name for the full entry.