If You're Not Getting Enough Of This Vitamin, Your Sleep Could Be Suffering*

In reviewing this body of research, Myriam Abboud, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at Zayed University in the UAE, found that there did appear to be a link between adequate vitamin D levels (i.e., vitamin D sufficiency) and high-quality rest.* Specifically, those who took a vitamin D supplement scored better on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index—a list of questions that assesses sleep quality over a one-month period.*

"In conclusion, the evidence presented in this review suggests a beneficial role of VDS [vitamin D supplementation] in enhancing sleep quality,"* Abboud writes in the meta-analysis.

There are a few ways that vitamin D and sleep could be connected. For starters, there are binding sites for vitamin D on nearly every cell in our body—including ones in our brain that affect sleep.* The fat-soluble vitamin also appears to play a role in the production of melatonin3—the "hormone of darkness" that tells our bodies when it's time for bed.* Exposure to sunlight suppresses the production of melatonin but encourages the production of vitamin D, so that's another potential link.

While researchers are pretty sure that healthy vitamin D levels support healthy sleep (and vice versa), this new analysis notes that we still have more to learn about how exactly vitamin D supplementation plays into things.* However, it's worth noting that there are plenty of other reasons to take a vitamin D supplement, beyond sleep support.*

Due to factors like diet and geography, many of us don't get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight and diet alone. Taking a daily supplement of 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 can get levels back to that optimal range—and support bone and muscle health4, thyroid health5, oral health, and much more in the process.*