Why vitamin D deficiency is ruining your sleep

We usually think of vitamin D as the “sunlight vitamin.” And while vitamin D is critical to our bodies, it is ALSO critical to your sleep. Some of the latest research suggests that vitamin D influences both your sleep quality AND and your sleep quantity.

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that helps control how cells and organs function. It’s produced in the kidneys and controls blood calcium levels and the immune system. Adequate levels of vitamin D contributes to strong bones and teeth, prevents, the body from breaking down, and supports the immune system, nervous system, and muscles.

Studies show that adults and children with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to have things like delayed bedtimes, less time asleep each night, low quality sleep, and frequent nighttime wakings. They are also at a higher risk for developing a sleep disorder.

So join Dr. Michael Breus as he explains how vitamin D actually works in your body, and why it's one of the essential vitamins you need to get your best sleep.

0:00 What is vitamin D?
1:08 The two types of vitamin D
1:44 How to get vitamin D
2:26 How much vitamin D should we get?
3:30 How can I tell if I have a lack of vitamin D?
3:55 Vitamin D and sleep
4:54 Can vitamin D prevent sleep problems?
5:52 A patient story from Dr. Breus

😴 Michael Breus, Ph.D., is a double board-certified clinical psychologist and sleep expert. He's been in practice since 1999 and helped thousands of patients improve their sleep. Dr. Breus has written five books on sleep and conducted over 1,000 interviews to the press and public.

#vitamind #vitamins #sleepaid

[FP]

I never believed supplementation could help with my chronic insomnia. But I started reading about it and the first recommendation I came across was to start taking magnesium glycinate. That helped. But then I added Vit D with K2. To my surprise I started sleeping far more than in the past. While it’s not a perfect night’s sleep, it has improved and I’m grateful.

[tedshepard]

Every since I elevated my Vitamin D my sleep has for the first time in years been great. I also only get up about once a night at the most to use the restroom. I have been begging for years the ability to sleep well at night.

[MrLeelove]

Here I was thinking my Nurse Practitioner knew her stuff, turns out I must stay on top of my health. I thought I was doing everything right. My body was going through over training syndrome or burnout. Sleep suffered, terrible body aches. I sought after a fix, I took a 5, 000IU, a weekly pill, had like 45 tabs left, stopped taking it, bad idea…everything you described, I’m on it. My sleep suffered bad, in my past, stage 4 cancer (liver/Colon) I had started using melatonin gummies, it was helping, as soon as I restarted the vitamin D 5, 000IU, slept 9 hours, no waking up in the middle of the night…

[Codysurfsup]

I want to emphasize the overusing point you made. It does not take much for Vit D to build up to toxic levels within your body and cause hypercalcemia. They say taking K2 and Magnesium can help but in my own experience it did not help.

[TriniDeBone]

I live in the sunny Caribbean and I had a vitamin D deficiency. So my doctor placed me on Vit D supplements during the pandemic.

[southeastd.c]

I use to work in the sun back in 2018, never had daytime sleepiness & fatigue.Once i got a new job back in 2021 working inside a building I notice daytime sleepiness & fatigue which my primary dr stated i hade vitamin D deficiency.I went to the Dr last yr and they did a sleep study on me and diagnosed me with OSA (obstructive sleep apnea)

[teresahunt]

I'm a nurse working 50-60 a week which means I rarely even see daylight. My vit D level was 5 when last checked. I have no idea how I function at such a high level. My sleep is trash.

[bungalowtomcat]

I'm having 9000 IU a day took 3 weeks to feel better now I take 4000 IU

[surfinwaves]

Please SPECIFY what the Vit D blood test result should be? 1. Sufficient? 2. Too little? 3. Too high? (Over supplementing) please give values!

[EbaTasisa]

My sleep is in terrible &I have taken Amytriptiline for the last 2years and still I can't sleep with out it, Please help me, Doctor

[MrLeelove]

A lot of my health problems come from lack of vitamin D, K2 and magnesium glycinate of 400mg…it’s improving my sleep nightly

[juliekane]

I took a vitamin D ( plus Calcium) supplement the other night thinking it would help me with my sleep. It did not and I ended up taking a sleep aid around 1:00 am . if you have any advice on how long before bed to take this Vitamin ? Ty

[Beebleish]

I've heard that taking Vit D to close to bedtime can keep you awake at night.

[roxroe]

Why do some research says that sun exposure is best in midday between 10am to 3pm? Which is true?

[MissBabalu]

I got up and went out to watch the sunrise, with my coffee. Trying to be poetic, if the sun can rise and shine, so can I. How disappointing, it looked grey and drab in Texas. Maybe if I go home to CA it will be better?

[jackiemansfield]

I take Vit D + K2 in the morning. Should I take it before bed those 2, or just vit D?

[DonaldGaron]

In my case, taking both vitamin D and dairy on a daily basis ruined my sleep because it was causing pain in my urinary system (cause : urinary crystals - calcium phosphate crystals). It took months for the pain to stop and now when I take vit D, I get pain in the same region.

[MissBabalu]

I need to work fewer hours a day, that's the ticket. 40 minutes in the sun, 1 hour of exercise, make my own food and sleep 9 hours. Plus make new good friends...

[Beebleish]

You said it two times, but I don't understand what you mean when you say that lack of Vit D causes sleep problems, rather than use Vit D to fix existing sleep issues. What does that mean???

[Blessed]

I started taking fresh orange juice or even eating oranges after supper and realized that this was improving my sleep quality . . .