Is magnesium or melatonin better for reducing 3 a.m. wake-ups and sleeping through the night? Experts wade in

Asplit screen of a close-up of a spilled jar full of strawberry-flavored melatonin gummies for sleep and an image of a melatonin supplement jar. .

In recent years, magnesium has become a bedtime must-have, promising to help you stop waking up at 3 a.m. by preparing your body for deep, peaceful sleep. I've been taking magnesium in the evenings for a while, but lately I've been wondering if I should take melatonin instead.

Both are popular sleep supplements, but is magnesium or melatonin better for reducing 3 a.m. wake-ups? "Neither magnesium nor melatonin is a guaranteed solution, but both can be helpful in certain situations," says Dr Shelby Harris, a board-certified clinical psychologist and behavioural sleep medicine specialist.