| [123RF] |
[헤럴드경제=구본혁 기자] “Chronic fatigue and insomnia? Take vitamin D.”
A study showing that vitamin D is effective for chronic fatigue and insomnia is noteworthy. Representative foods rich in vitamin D include fish such as herring, salmon, mackerel, eggs, and mushrooms.
In particular, shift workers are more likely to develop sleep disorders, depression, and cardiovascular disease. Because shift workers work in two or three shifts due to the nature of their work, they have irregular life patterns compared to general office workers. The circadian rhythm can be disrupted, which leads to various health problems such as insomnia, sleep disturbance, and chronic fatigue.
Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, Professor Kim’s research team, is attracting attention by announcing the results of a study showing that vitamin D is effective in improving sleep disorders and preventing dementia.
Vitamin D is a hormone synthesized in the body through the skin exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Typical foods rich in vitamin D include herring, salmon, mackerel, eggs, and mushrooms.
There are also studies that suggest that insufficient vitamin D in the body increases the risk of cancer, autoimmune disease, and cardiovascular disease. Recently, research on the association with the central nervous system, such as sleep disorders, is increasing.
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| Mushrooms are one of the foods rich in vitamin D. [망고보드] |
The research team measured vitamin D and calcium concentrations and analyzed sleep patterns of 353 workers (150 shifts and 203 non-university) working at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.
As a result of the study, the lower the vitamin D level in both the shift and the non-shift workers group, the longer the ‘time from bed to actual sleep (sleep latency)’ and ‘time from actual sleep to waking up (total sleep time)’ were both longer. appear. In particular, it was found that shift workers with irregular lifestyles had more severe sleep disorders.
People who were deficient in vitamin D also had lower blood calcium levels. Low calcium levels cause frequent drowsiness and reduced activity during the day.
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| Eggs are one of the foods rich in vitamin D. [망고보드] |
In addition, the researchers confirmed that vitamin D deficiency increases the level of amyloid beta in brain tissue, which is one of the causes of Alzheimer’s disease, and causes memory loss. Vitamin D supplementation may reduce neurodegenerative changes.
Professor Kim said, “Ingestion of vitamin D is an easy and safe way to obtain the effects of one stone and two sets of simultaneously treating sleep disorders and dementia that threaten the health of modern people.”
