Wellness Live

Vitamin D is a necessary nutrient, something that our bodies need to function properly. It helps to regulate our immune systems, promotes good bone health, supports a healthy inflammatory response, and allows our guts to absorb calcium. A deficiency in vitamin D can exacerbate a lot of health problems, and can cause fatigue and other symptoms.*^

However, taking vitamin D at night could contribute to poor sleep quality. In this article we’ll discuss how vitamin D can affect sleep patterns, and what a good vitamin D routine looks like.*

Effects on sleep quality

Melatonin is a hormone produced by our brains in response to darkness. It helps us maintain a proper sleep cycle. Without melatonin, our bodies don’t easily recognize that it’s time to go to sleep. This is why it’s difficult to go to bed while the lights are still on in your room, and why watching TV or looking at your phone before bed makes it tough to fall asleep.*

Studies show that taking vitamin D at night could affect melatonin production and harm our sleep cycles. This inverse relationship between vitamin D and melatonin doesn’t come into play during the day—but could possibly disrupt a healthy cycle if taking vitamin D at night.*

Taking vitamin D at night also makes it harder for your body to absorb it effectively into your blood. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, taking it with food is highly recommended for best results. While many of us have a late-night snack or two on occasion, it’s unlikely that you’ll have eaten a full meal alongside the supplement. This lack of solubility, in addition to the reduction in your quality of sleep, means that you should absolutely avoid taking vitamin D at night.*

That being said, a vitamin D deficiency can cause sleep problems as well. A study surveying Korean workers with varying levels of vitamin D in the blood concluded that there was a strong correlation between a vitamin D deficiency and low sleep quality. Avoiding sources of vitamin D altogether in an attempt to improve sleep is not a viable method.*

What does a healthy vitamin D intake routine look like?

Vitamin D is best taken during the day, and can be useful during the seasons when cold-weather microorganisms are more widespread. The boost your immune system gets from having adequate vitamin D levels makes even more of a difference during the winter months—although these days, you might still benefit all year round.*

Focus on consuming adequate amounts of vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) as opposed to vitamin D-2 (ergocalciferol). Vitamin D-3 is found in fish oils, liver, egg yolks, and other mostly animal based foods, while vitamin D-2 is found in plants and enriched foods. Vitamin D-3 is linked to better absorption of vitamin D into the bloodstream than vitamin D-2.* 

Supplementing with vitamin D

If you can’t eat fish due to an allergy, or are abstaining due to following a plant-based diet, then supplementing with vitamin D might be the best way to prevent a deficiency. Finding a high-quality, natural supplement that provides mainly vitamin D-3 can be tough, as vitamin D-2 is cheaper to produce. Source Naturals® Vitamin D supplements contain quality ingredients, and can help your body fight off the winter woes. For those looking for a simple yet targeted product, Source Naturals has a standalone Vitamin D-3 supplement. Or, for a Bio-Aligned Formula® utilizing advanced research on how to absorb and utilize vitamin D, try Wellness D-mmunity™. Just make sure you don’t take vitamin D at night.*

^Not all inflammation is associated with disease states. Inflammation is also the body’s healthy immune response to life’s normal stressors such as strenuous exercise or an occasional high-fat/high-calorie meal. The body’s inflammation response to life’s occasional, normal stressors is important for optimal health.