With all the summer warnings about avoiding harmful UV rays, it’s easy to forget that a little sun can be a good thing. Exposure to sunlight provides up to 90% of our Vitamin D[i]; an irreplaceable, life-sustaining vitamin that profoundly impacts all aspects of our health, including sleep.
Does Vitamin D Affect Sleep?
Vitamin D is often linked to bone health and immune system function, but its role in sleep is becoming more recognized. Recent studies suggest that Vitamin D may have a direct impact on your sleep patterns. While the exact relationship between Vitamin D and sleep is still being explored, there’s compelling evidence to suggest that maintaining adequate levels of this vitamin can help improve sleep quality.
Vitamin D and Sleep Regulation
Research indicates that Vitamin D can influence the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating the sleep-wake cycle. When vitamin D levels are low, melatonin production can be disrupted, making it harder for the body to transition into sleep. As a result, people with low vitamin D levels may struggle with falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night.
Moreover, Vitamin D affects other biological systems that influence sleep. For example, it plays a role in reducing inflammation, which can contribute to conditions like sleep apnea. Managing inflammation can lead to better airflow and more restful sleep. This highlights the potential of Vitamin D in supporting a healthy sleep cycle.
Boosting Vitamin D for Better Sleep
So, how can you make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin D? Sun exposure is the most natural way to increase vitamin D levels. Spending some time outside each day, particularly in the morning, can help your body produce this important nutrient. If sunlight is limited, supplements or vitamin D-rich foods, such as fatty fish or fortified dairy, can be helpful in maintaining adequate levels.
In conclusion, Vitamin D does affect sleep, and its impact on sleep regulation and overall health cannot be overlooked. Keep an eye on your vitamin D intake to support better sleep habits and overall well-being.
Vitamin D for Your Sleep Wellness
We all know Vitamin D is essential, but we’ve only recently begun discovering its far-reaching effects on all body systems.The relationship between Vitamin D and sleep is a relatively new area of research. Its connection to healthy sleep cycles has yet to be fully understood, but the results we have so far are startling. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information
“…several large sample epidemiology studies found that dietary intake of vitamin D was related to midpoint of sleep, sleep duration, and maintaining sleep.”
In addition, their statistics showed that as Vitamin D levels rose, people’s risk for sleep disorders dropped significantly. This is an overwhelming discovery in itself, but Vitamin D does more than simply lower the risk. It has been shown to work synergistically with the immune system to fight against harmful inflammation, improving symptoms in several cases of sleep apnea[ii]. and helping people achieve healthier sleep cycles.
Chronic Pain Relief and More
Beyond that, Medical News Today shared that taking Vitamin D to support sleep has additional secondary effects. Research shows that a healthy sleep cycle and Vitamin D levels together may help reduce chronic pain:
“Following a review of published research on the relationship between vitamin D, sleep, and pain, researchers propose that vitamin D supplementation, together with good sleep hygiene, may offer an effective way to manage pain in conditions such as arthritis, chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, and menstrual cramps.”
These findings correlate to an American study of veterans suffering chronic pain that assessed their reaction to high doses of Vitamin D. The researchers found that higher levels led to better sleep and reduced pain-without any side effects. Considering the important role Vitamin D plays in fighting inflammation, these results make perfect sense.
We may not fully understand all the ways Vitamin D protects and supports our bodies, but what we do know for sure is that it is an amazing help to promote both healing within the body and restful and pain-free sleep cycles. In fact, Dr. Mercola considers Vitamin D the most effective cancer-prevention vitamin.
Getting Vitamin D from Sunshine
So, are you ready to go outside now? All the benefits Vitamin D provides are great reasons to soak up the sunshine this summer. It’s recommended to get between 15 to 30 minutes of natural sunlight daily sometime earlier in the day rather than later. Enjoy your summer, reduce inflammation in the body, and sleep better, too!
While applying natural, non-toxic sunscreen at the beach or pool this summer, consider that what you sleep on is just as important as what you put on your skin. The average mattress is a hotbed of harmful petrochemicals, and achieving healthy sleep is actually something that will support your wellness 24 hours a day. Read more about petrochemicals here, and we invite you to explore SAMINA’s organic, master-crafted sleep systems today.
[i] “Sleep, Sunshine, and Vitamin D.” The Royal Women’s Hospital, www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/periods/healthy-periods/sleep-sunshine-vitamin-d. Accessed July 16, 2019.
[ii] “The role of vitamin D in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome”, Breathe, ERS Publications, (Kostas Archontogeorgis, Evangelia Nena, Nikolaos Papanas, Paschalis Steiropoulos) breathe.ersjournals.com/content/14/3/206. Accessed July 16, 2019.