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Common knowledge -

We know that our diet is linked to how our body functions in every way, including our sleeping.

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Nutrition and sleep -

For example, we know that caffeine for an adult or sugar for a child close to bedtime is a no-no.

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Avoiding stimulants -

As well as avoiding stimulants before going to sleep, certain nutrients are also proven to play a massive role in our sleep.

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Five vitamins -

The following vitamins play a role in avoiding sleep disorders, how much sleep we get, and the quality of that sleep.

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Consult a doctor when switching your diet -

However, it is still always a good idea to consult a doctor when starting new supplement regimes. For example, a doctor may offer insight into how much of a particular vitamin you need as an individual and when to take it.

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Sunlight for vitamin D -

Our primary source of vitamin D is sunlight. In this way, it feels instinctual that it’s linked to sleep. If we don’t have enough of it, it negatively affects our sleep.

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Vitamin D, mood regulation, and sleep -

Vitamin D plays a role in bone health, mood regulation, and the immune system. Our level of vitamin D is also being found to play a role in sleep.

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Vitamin D deficiency -

Vitamin D deficiency causes us to sleep for shorter durations. This is especially relevant for those over the age of 50.

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Vitamin D deficiency -

A study by scientists at China’s Qingdao University found a significant link between people with low levels of vitamin D and a lack of sleep and quality of sleep.

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Vitamin D and circadian clocks -

Vitamin D may improve the quality and quantity of sleep by helping circadian clocks function, a biochemical oscillator that cycles with a stable phase and is synchronized with solar time.

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Vitamin D helps the body understand the time -

As light and darkness are the two most significant factors contributing to our body clock, vitamin D seems to play the role of communicating biochemically to the body when it is daytime.

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Vitamin D plays the role of a hormone -

Sunlight is the most significant source of vitamin D, not diet. Our body produces vitamin D naturally when it’s exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D, which is considered a hormone in science, can also be received through dairy goods, fatty fish, and eggs.

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Vitamin E, an antioxidant -

Vitamin E’s antioxidant capabilities may also be linked to sleep and sleep-related health problems. It helps in a sense that it aids the body in recovering from a lack of sleep.

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Helping to reduce effects of lack of sleep -

Lack of sleep causes trouble with memory. This is because our brain processes memories during sleep, so imagine it like a bottleneck of memories.

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Protecting against memory loss from lack of sleep -

However, Vitamin E’s antioxidizing nature helps protect the brain against this memory loss from lack of sleep by preserving the hippocampus’ function, an area of the brain critical to memory consolidation.

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Vitamin E and respiration -

Vitamin E and vitamin C, and other antioxidants, can improve people’s breathing and sleep quality for people with obstructive sleep apnea.

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Vitamin E and testosterone -

High levels of vitamin E can also protect the adrenal glands’ ability to produce testosterone, decreasing sleep deprivation. The adrenal glands are positioned on top of the kidneys.

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Food rich in vitamin E -

Some high vitamin E foods are nuts, spinach, tomatoes, corn, and broccoli.

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Vitamin C and sleep -

Vitamin C has also been proven, on its own and in combination with vitamin E, to reduce sleep apnea episodes and improve sleep quality and decrease daytime sleepiness.

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Lack of sleep correlates with vitamin C deficiency -

A 2013 study by scientists at the University of Pennsylvania found that people who didn’t get enough sleep (less than 6 hours sleep a night) were the ones who consumed less vitamin C. Low levels of vitamin C are also linked to more sleep disturbances. It’s also known to protect the brain from memory loss, just like vitamin E. Some high vitamin C foods are spinach, broccoli, kale, and chilies.

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Lack of vitamin B6 linked with symptoms of insomnia and depression -

A lack of vitamin B6 has been linked to symptoms of insomnia and depression. Current evidence suggests that this is due to its role in producing serotonin and melatonin, playing an essential role in sleep.

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Serotonin -

Serotonin is a neurochemical that produces good feelings. There’s often a strong correlation between a lack of serotonin and depression, and depression is often a cause of insomnia.

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Serotonin, depression, and insomnia -

For example, as much as 75% of people with depression experience insomnia. A higher intake of B6 has been linked with a reduced risk of depression.

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Too much vitamin B6 is harmful too -

Bananas, carrots, spinach, and potatoes are excellent sources of B6. Some dairy products like milk and cheese are also a good source of the vitamin. However, too much vitamin B6 is toxic to the human body, so it’s a good idea to consult a doctor when considering supplements or a significant change to your diet.

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Vitamin B12 -

Vitamin B12 has been shown to demonstrate its role in regulating sleep cycles and in keeping circadian rhythms in sync.

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B12's role is unknown -

However, the jury is still out on what exact role vitamin B12 plays in sleep. For example, low levels have been linked with insomnia, and high levels have been linked with sleep disruption and shorter sleeping times.

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There's a long way to go -

This is a perfect example of how much of the human brain science still doesn’t understand, especially when regarding sleep.

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Sleep -

A lack of vitamin B12 is linked with depression and irregular circadian rhythms. However, the reason for this is not fully understood by scientists.

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B12-rich foods -

Vitamin B12 is one of the common ones that vegans take as a supplement because it’s mainly found in animal and dairy products such as milk, cheese, meat, fish, and eggs.

Sources: (Psychology Today) (The Sleep Doctor)

See also: How to train yourself to fall asleep in under five minutes

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