Magnolia Bark: Your Go-To Herb For Sleep & Anxiety

For centuries, magnolia has been used as a calming natural remedy—and with good reason. Thanks to magnolia's sleep-promoting, stress-reducing properties, these ancient applications have a powerful place in modern-day wellness practices, too.

"I am a big fan of magnolia for sleep," says Michael Breus, Ph.D., a board-certified sleep specialist. "It works as an anxiety reducer, and several of my patients have commented to me that it helps them 'turn off their brain.'"

Its ability to 'turn off the brain' (or at least calm it down) has benefits beyond the bedroom, too. In addition to aiding in restful zzz's, magnolia bark is also used to help manage stress and anxiety, protect brain health, and treat depression. It's also been shown to reduce inflammation and inflammation-related pain, help manage diabetes, and improve dental health.

While supplements are commonly referred to simply as magnolia, they usually contain magnolia bark (magnolia itself refers to a class of about 240 flowering tree and shrub species). The plant is native to North and South America, the Himalayas, and East Asia; and Magnolia has a particularly strong connection to Chinese herbal medicine (which utilizes both the flowers and the bark).

Magnolia bark's most widely known application is helping with sleep—research1 has found that magnolia bark can help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase the amount of time spent in both REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep, which are both important in restorative rest.

There are several mechanisms behind its sedative effects. Notably, magnolia bark boosts the neurotransmitter GABA1, or gamma-Aminobutyric acid. "GABA is like the brakes of the brain," says Breus. "When GABA is elicited, then your whole being starts to slow down, which obviously is something that you want for sleep."

This is the same way that powerful prescription sleep aids like Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata work. "They are all GABA receptor agonists, meaning they increase the amount of GABA in your system, and magnolia bark basically hits the same receptors that Ambien does," says Breus.

Magnolia bark also helps promote better sleep through the body's internal endocannabinoid system, which is a system of neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors to tell the brain to slow down. Magnolia bark actually activates these cannabinoid receptors2, says Breus. This is similar to the way CBD oil works (CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the non-psychoactive properties found in cannabis that helps the body and brain relax). 

Magnolia bark's sleep-improving benefits go beyond the time you actually spend sleeping itself. In addition to waking up feeling rested and rejuvenated, the simple act of getting enough high-quality sleep can improve your mood, skin, and energy levels, and it can help manage weight and stress, among countless other benefits. So, if you're using magnolia bark to help improve your sleep, other aspects of your health may also see a boost.

Through many of the same mechanisms that it supports sleep by, magnolia bark can help reduce anxiety by activating receptors in the endocannabinoid system (like CBD) and reducing adrenaline and other stress hormones like cortisol.

One study5 found that the mixture of honokiol and magnolol from magnolia bark had antidepressant-like effects on stressed rodents—it helped normalize biochemical abnormalities in serotonin (5-HT) and the main metabolite of serotonin (5-HIAA).

Like any herbal supplement, magnolia bark isn't safe for everyone to take. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, in particular, should avoid it. "You don't want magnolia bark passing through to the fetus, because magnolia bark is not a naturally occurring substance that they would normally encounter, [so there's risk of a reaction]," says Breus.

For most people, magnolia bark generally doesn't come along with side effects (aside from, of course, drowsiness). However, possible side effects may include heartburn, shaky hands, thyroid problems, sexual problems, and dizziness, according to Breus.

Magnolia bark also has some interactions with certain medications. According to Breus, it may interact with anticoagulant medications (or blood thinners). It also may interact with central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including benzodiazepines (such as Xanax and Valium), sleep medications (such as Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata), and barbiturates (such as Mebaral, Luminal, and Nembutal).

Magnolia bark can also interact with other herbal remedies that have similar effects to magnolia, so take caution when combining them. According to Breus, other herbs and supplements that aid in sleep include 5-HTP, calamus California poppy, catnip, hops, Jamaican dogwood, kava, St. John's wort, skullcap, valerian, and yerba mansa.

Herbs and supplements that prevent blood clotting should also be used with caution when you're also taking magnolia bark. These include angelica, cloves, danshen, feverfew, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, horse chestnut, red clover, and turmeric, says Breus.

Magnolia bark extract is often found in capsule form or in tinctures. You can also buy magnolia bark on its own (although if you're not familiar with magnolia, it's best not to prepare your own magnolia bark supplements, like teas—dosing is more challenging to control this way).

"A typical starting dose for magnolia bark for somebody is probably somewhere between 200 and 250 milligrams," says Breus. He recommends starting low and working your way up, and you shouldn't exceed 400 milligrams, in order to reduce the risk of side effects or drug interactions. "The higher you go, the more likely it is to interact with other medications you may be taking, even other herbal supplements," says Breus.