An Underrated Dried Fruit High In Magnesium Can Also Help You Sleep (But Don't Make This Mistake)

Magnesium is touted as a sleep-promoting nutrient, making it one of the supplements that appeal to light sleepers. According to a 2021 study in Sleep, taking magnesium may help with disordered sleep. The study found that after 15 or more years of daily magnesium supplementation, individuals who took high doses of daily magnesium (195.8 milligrams per 1,000 calories) reported having longer, better sleep.

In a 2024 study in Frontiers in Endocrinology, potassium was partnered with magnesium to see if the duo helped reduce insomnia in diabetics. Participants either took magnesium, potassium, a mix of magnesium and potassium, or a placebo for two months; all the participants in non-placebo groups showed improved sleep hormone levels.

Yet dreamy relief doesn't have to come from a supplement bottle. You can also consume foods packed with magnesium and potassium. Case in point: A cup of dried apricots has 41.6 milligrams of magnesium and 1,510 milligrams of potassium. The daily recommended intake of magnesium for adults falls between 310 and 420 milligrams; for potassium, it ranges from 2,600 to 3,400 milligrams. Consequently, dried apricots could help you meet your nutritional targets and sleep beter.

Just resist the mistake of munching mindlessly. As Rachel Gargano, the chief registered dietitian at Live It Up, cautioned, "One cup of dried apricots contains more than 300 calories and almost 70 grams of sugar."

"Eating one cup of dried apricots may be pretty easy since they are dehydrated and compact," Gargano said, comparing it to "packing in around 12 whole apricots."

What's the alternative to dried apricots if you're aiming to fill up on magnesium and potassium from food? Gargano offered a simple recommendation. "Because it's so easy to overeat dried fruit due to their low volume and water content, I usually recommend eating whole fruit most often to help you feel more full."

Gargano's correct: Fresh apricots will still reward you with magnesium and potassium, albeit less than their dried counterparts. For instance, 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of fresh apricot will net you 8.9 grams of magnesium and 231 milligrams of potassium. Gargano specifically mentioned nuts, beans, and leafy greens as some of the foods richest in magnesium (between 50 and 80 milligrams per serving).

What if you're bent on consuming dried apricots? Gargano advised eating only one-quarter cup and pairing your dried apricots with protein, like a one-ounce serving of nuts or yogurt, for a more satiating, magnesium-rich snack.

Another potential problem with consuming dried apricots: They could interrupt your sleep, as the stone fruit can make you poop fast and affect your gut. "Too many dried apricots at one time would not be a comfortable experience for most people, with gas, bloating, and even diarrhea as the most common side effects," noted Gargano. "But it's not just the fiber content that would cause the GI distress. Dried apricots also contain sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that draws water into the intestines, causing a laxative effect."

That said, dried apricots do have a couple of upsides. First, they contain virtually no fat, which is good if you're focused on eating less than your required daily fat intake (here's how much fat you really need to eat every day) or you're on a low-fat diet plan. Second, you can get about 3.46 milligrams of iron from your cup of dried apricots; in general, you should strive for between 8 and 18 milligrams of iron each day. When you consume extra iron, you may wind up experiencing fewer episodes of restlessness at night. According to a 2023 review in Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, higher intakes of iron might play a key role in reducing restless slumber. However, the study focused on sleep in children with ADHD, not in adults, so more studies are required.