Sleep plays a prominent role in maintaining good health. Improper sleep effects your weight and increases the risk of obesity. This also causes an imbalance in your appetite hormones leading to increased cravings and binge eating. A good night’s sleep helps in improving concentration and productivity. It also helps by giving better mental clarity to make healthy food choices and to eat lesser calories/ make healthy choices as the body is better equipped to regulate hunger and appetite hormones.
It is a known fact that sleep and diet are inter-connected. But did you know the role individual vitamins and minerals play in getting a good night’s sleep? If your sleep is disturbed or not as good as it should be then read on.
Here we will look into 5 major vitamins responsible for a lack of good night’s sleep.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D is prominently known for bone health and strengthening immunity. Another area the studies are picking up in regards to vitamin D is deficiency of the vitamin and its effects on sleeplessness/ short sleep duration and sleep apnoea. The recent studies show that the deficiency of vitamin D and insufficiency of sleep is strongly seen among adults (1,2). It is also seen that low vitamin D levels are associated with lowered sleep quality. Studies also suggests that vitamin D deficiency can lead to increase the severity of obstructive sleep apnoea. Vitamin D helps to regulate circadian rhythm which in turn influences the body’s sleep cycle.
Sources of vitamin D – Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D and in terms of diet, fatty fish, fish oils, egg yolks and fortified dairy products are best dietary sources of vitamin D.
Vitamin E – This vitamin, being a powerful anti-oxidant, helps in maintaining healthy cell function and prevents cell damage. It also supports immune system. Its anti-oxidant properties also help in improving sleep quality. It also helps in protecting testosterone production, the deficit of which causes sleep deprivation (4).
Sources of vitamin E – Spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, nuts and seeds, wheat germ oil, corn oil and soy bean oils are some of the sources of vitamin E.
Vitamin B12 – Studies suggest that, there is a possible link between vitamin B12 deficiency and melatonin production – a hormone which regulates circadian rhythm which keep your sleep-wake cycle in sync (5). Sources also state that, the connection between depression and vitamin B12 deficiency can possibly lead to increased sleep issues (6).
Sources of vitamin B12 – dairy, nutritional yeast, eggs, meat, shellfish are best sources of vitamin B12.
Vitamin C – Lower vitamin levels were associated with shorter sleep spans. It is also connected to disturbed nightly sleep (7). Because of its strong association with the immune system, it is evident that a vitamin C deficiency can cause sleep disruptions. In a study conducted, people who took 2 doses per day of vitamin E and vitamin C together saw reduced episodes of sleep apnoea (8).
Sources of vitamin C – Citrus fruits, leafy greens, kiwi, capsicum, papaya, broccoli, tomatoes are best sources of vitamin C
Vitamin B6 – This vitamin helps in building a strong immune system and in maintaining cognitive development and function. Studies also show that, vitamin B6 affects sleep and dreams (9). This also helps in production of 2 main hormones serotonin and melatonin which affects the mood and sleep both of them are important for good night’s sleep (10).
Sources include – whole grains, milk, cheese, eggs, fish, bananas, potatoes, carrots are the best sources of vitamin B6.
It is important to identify these micronutrient deficiencies in an early stage and act on them with correct dietary interventions. However, the supplementations of these vitamins need to be taken under the recommendation of a doctor only. Avoid self-medicating as an excess dosage can lead to unwanted effects on the body.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213953/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23243403/
https://thesleepdoctor.com/2016/02/26/low-on-vitamin-d-sleep-suffers/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/testosterone
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vitamin-b12-deficiency-can-be-sneaky-harmful-201301105780
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703747/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20073373/
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-04-vitamin-b6.html
https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-B6
https://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/02/12/5-vitamin-deficiencies-that-can-affect-your-sleep/