Not being able to sleep can be an absolute nightmare, especially if you find yourself lying awake night after night. There are lots of different tips for getting better sleep, from drinking a glass of warm milk before bed or having a hot bath, but these don’t always. If you’re struggling with sleepless nights, there are lots of vitamins and minerals that help you to sleep better.
You can get most of the vitamins you need for a good night’s sleep from your diet, but if you’re worried you aren’t getting everything you need, you can add a supplement from BioProtein Technology to help.
- Vitamin D. Sometimes called the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is thought to influence both sleep quality and quantity. A lack of Vitamin D can be associated with less sleep overall, and with more disrupted sleep. Most of our Vitamin D comes from the skin being exposed to sunlight, but you can get a small amount from oily fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods. Many breads, cereals, and milks have added vitamin D now.
- Melatonin. Melatonin is produced naturally in the body and helps to determine sleep and wake cycles. The production of this hormone is affected by light. Levels normally rise in the evening, stay high during the night, and drop again in the morning. There are small amounts of melatonin are found in meat, grains, fruit, and vegetables. You can also buy melatonin as a supplement, which is popular for treating insomnia and jet lag.
- Iron. Being iron deficient can cause restless leg syndrome, which is when people feel as though they need to constantly have to move their legs when they go to bed. This can make it very difficult to fall asleep. Add more iron-rich foods to your diet, such as liver, nuts, dark chocolate, beef, lamb, beans, whole grains, and dark leafy greens. You can also take iron tablets.
- Calcium. Calcium is best known for strengthening the bones and the teeth, but it also helps the brain to use the amino acid tryptophan to create melatonin, which induces sleep. This is thought to be the logic behind drinking warm milk before bed to help you get to sleep. Dairy products contain both calcium and tryptophan.
- Magnesium. Magnesium is known to relieve insomnia, as it helps you to release tension and relax, getting you ready for sleep. The mineral can be found in food including dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, and whole grains. It can also reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that can keep you awake.
- Vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, which can help to combat restless leg syndrome, which makes it easier for you to fall asleep. It can also help menopausal women with hot flushes and night sweats, as well as improving the quality of sleep. You can find Vitamin E in foods including dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, and fruit.
A varied diet is the best way to get the vitamins you need to help you sleep soundly.