Missing Your Zzzz’s? You May Need Vitamin D.
It’s estimated that in the United States alone at least 35 percent of all adults get less than seven hours of sleep per night. Lack of sleep leads to more than just feeling drowsy the next day; chronic sleep deficiencies put you at risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.
If you deal with restless nights and daily fatigue, vitamin D supplementation may help. A review in the journal Nutrients found that individuals with the lowest levels of vitamin D also experience shorter sleep duration, poor sleep quality, and overall sleepiness during the day.
To get the most from supplementation, consider using the D3 (cholecalciferol) form. Unlike the D2 (ergocalciferol) it does not need to be converted by the body into the usable D3 form that we normally synthesize after exposure to the sun. Adding one to your daily regimen might be one of the best things you can do to feel restored and energized the next day and avoid potential chronic conditions later.
Abstract:
Gao Q, Kou T, Zhuang B, Ren Y, Dong X, Wang Q. The Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 1;10(10):1395. doi: 10.3390/nu10101395. PMID: 30275418; PMCID: PMC6213953.
Epidemiology studies have investigated the association between vitamin D and the risk of sleep disorders, but the results remain controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis with the goal of clarifying the association between vitamin D and sleep disorders risk. All relevant studies were searched using PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science from inception to January 2018. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs) were calculated using a fixed-effect model A total of nine studies (6 cross-sectional, 2 case-control, and 1 cohort studies) involving 9397 participants were included. By comparing the lowest verse highest levels of serum vitamin D, we found that participants with vitamin D deficiency (VDD) had a significantly increased risk of sleep disorders (OR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.72). Subgroup analysis showed that VDD also was associated with poor sleep quality (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.05), short sleep duration (OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.30, 2.32), and sleepiness (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.65). Subgroup analyses further indicated that serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL could significantly increase the risk of unhealthy sleep. This meta-analysis suggest that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of sleep disorders. More high-quality cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed to verify this association.
