5 Vitamins You Can’t Sleep Without: Supplements for sleep

We continue to learn more and more about the value of sleep. Recent science has now proven sleep’s important role in weight loss, heart disease, hypertension, depression and chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia. Not only does sleeping make you happy and rested, it turns out that getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for your overall health.

However, few of us manage to do so. Up to 25% of us complain of occasional or chronic insomnia. So are there vitamins for sleep? In addition to our overly busy lives, crying children and other external factors that limit our sleep, sometimes vitamins can be the important missing ingredient in getting your z’s. There are supplements for insomnia.

Find out about 5 vitamins that, when lacking, can contribute to sleepless nights. Replacing these essentials may be just what the doctor ordered to get you sleeping like a baby. Taking the right supplements for sleep can make all the difference!

#1 Iron

We all know iron is important for energy. However, few people realize that being iron deficient, not only makes you feel tired but it actually can make you more likely to have a condition called Restless Leg Syndrom. People with this condition have constant movement and twitching sensations in their legs, just when they are trying to fall asleep. Many of us have unrecognized iron deficiency that does not come up in typical blood counts. Low iron stores can be repleted with the proper vitamins to address your needs (click here for our vitamin survey to obtain a personalized all-in-one vitamin). Correcting the iron deficiency can make restless legs disappear and stop sabotaging your sleep.

#2 Melatonin

This is known as the essential sleep vitamin. Actually, it’s a hormone that our brains typically manufacture to tell our bodies when to sleep. When our natural sleep rhythms get disturbed (such as via jet lag or an altered schedule of staying up too late), melatonin can be used to get us back on track. Taking this natural supplement (make sure to get a good reputable brand) about 30minutes before bed helps to naturally reset your body’s clock so you essentially relearn when bedtime should be.

#3 Magnesium

We consider magnesium to be one of the most magnificent vitamins. Its role in sleep is likely dual. It may help with the actual mechanism by which our brain relaxes to fall asleep (by stimulating GABA receptors). It is also essential for helping with muscle cramps that are a common cause for a poor night’s sleep. Correcting magnesium deficiency helps your body with the natural process of falling asleep and, at the same time can rid you of those painful muscle cramps. Magnesium is an electrolyte we can’t live without and we certainly can’t sleep (well) without. It may be a useful part of a personalized vitamin. Take our vitamin survey to find out your vitamin needs.

#4 Vitamin B12

People who are deficient in Vitamin B12 (common among vegetarians or vegans or those regularly taking medications for Acid Reflux) often experience what is called neuropathy. These are sensations of tingling or burning pain in the feet or hands. The symptoms are typically worse at night and are quick to ruin a night’s sleep. Correcting a B12 deficiency can help get rid of these annoying symptoms and leave you free to rest. Take our brief vitamin quiz to find out how much your should take.

#5 Vitamin D

The more we learn about this important vitamin, we find it plays a role in many facets of our health, sleep included. We know that without enough Vitamin D, many of us experience muscle aches and fatigue. Of course, both of these things can relate to sleep– muscle aches limit our ability to sleep and fatigue both causes us to need more sleep. More and more research suggests that sleep also suffers in those without enough Vitamin D along with bone density, immunity and memory among other things. This is an important one to supplement since very few natural food sources exist (namely wild caught salmon and liver). Figuring out how much to take is the challenge.

We can’t emphasize the importance of getting enough sleep. It is the key to so many other aspects of health and wellbeing. Those of us who get enough rest have an easier time losing weight, controlling our blood pressure and blood sugar, and symptoms of menopause, anxiety or depression. Sometimes getting the right nutrients individually or in the form of a custom all in one vitamin can be the key to sleeping and then feeling better! Take our vitamin survey to Find Your Vous.

Romy Block specializes in Endocrinology and Metabolism and is mother to three active adolescent boys. Arielle Levitan is a Doctor of Internal Medicine with a special interest in Preventive Medicine and Women’s Health.  She is a mother of three teenagers. As professional women with active family lives, they recognize that people often neglect their own health needs and are uncertain about what vitamins to take. Each person is different in her diet, exercise and health history, and will benefit from different nutrients.  After years of advising their patients about the proper vitamins to take,  Drs. Block and Levitan created Vous Vitamin® to provide people everywhere with quality vitamins that are suited to their individual needs. They are authors of the award winning The Vitamin Solution: Two Doctors Clear Confusion About Vitamins and Your Health (She Writes Press, 2015). Take your vitamin quiz now to get exactly the right vitamins for your needs.

The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products offered by Vous Vitamin® are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Nothing contained herein is intended to be a diagnosis or constitute medical advice.  The symptoms described in this Blog may be a result of a serious medical condition which requires medical treatment.  You should consult with your doctor if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned in this Blog and before beginning any vitamin or supplement regimen.