Our body needs a wide variety of vitamins and minerals to stay healthy and function properly. A deficiency in one of these elements therefore leads to several symptoms, including loss of sleep.
A deficiency in these vitamins can lead to insomnia:
Vitamine B12
The truth is that the relationship between sleep disturbances and vitamin B12 is still under investigation. So far it has been said that this possible relationship might also involve pathologies such as depression and that they might trigger great episodes of insomnia. One of the strongest hypotheses is that vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to increased symptoms of depression. With this in mind, we recommend that you seek medical attention if you constantly feel sick or depressed, especially if you are a vegetarian or vegan.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is largely caused by lack of sun exposure. When levels of this vitamin are low, sleep disturbances can occur. It turns out that irregular levels of vitamin D, including hypovitaminosis (low levels of the vitamin) and hypervitaminosis (excessive levels of the vitamin), have been linked to sleep problems. Experts have pointed out that excess vitamin D is responsible for drowsiness throughout the day. According to some research, the less vitamin D our body gets, the harder it is to sleep.
To combat vitamin D deficiency, it is recommended to include a nutritional supplement in your diet and to expose yourself to 20 minutes of sunlight a day.
Fer
Iron deficiency or anemia can trigger a large number of symptoms. The first thing to note is that anemia makes us more susceptible to restless leg syndrome, a condition characterized by the unconscious movement of limbs during the night. It has been proven that the lower the iron level, the more likely one is to suffer from restless legs and the more the quality of sleep is affected.
When the body does not have enough iron, it cannot produce an amino acid called tryptophan, which is necessary for the production of melatonin and serotonin. Serotonin has a direct impact on mood, cognition and behavior. While melatonin directly affects the sleep cycle. Serotonin is essential for quality sleep, but when iron is lacking, everything starts to fail.
If you want to increase the level of iron in your body, we recommend consuming foods such as red meat, spinach and vitamin C.
Magnesium
This nutrient helps regulate the circadian rhythm, which is important during the sleep-wake cycle. Several studies indicate that magnesium helps relax muscles and promotes deep sleep. Additionally, magnesium helps the brain produce melatonin and a neurotransmitter called GABA which helps indicate when it’s dark and when it’s time to rest.
