What vitamins should be taken for good sleep?
Do you avoid coffee and tea in the evening? Do you keep your bedroom at the right temperature and fresh air? Do you avoid overly fatty dinners, but still have trouble sleeping? The reason may be a lack of certain nutrients in your daily diet. What are the essential vitamins for good sleep? What other items can be helpful in fighting insomnia?
Good sleep and stress
Excessive stress is often the cause of poor sleep quality. Constant feeling of threat and anxiety (for example, due to a huge workload or private life problems), leads to excessive stress on the nervous system. This leads to disruption of normal energy metabolism and excessive fatigue, which makes it more difficult to fall asleep. People under stress often have problems like waking up in the middle of the night or waking up in the morning feeling very tired.
Stress has more than one name! We must not forget that oxidative stress also affects good sleep and makes falling asleep difficult. Free radicals of oxygen contribute to increased catabolism and disruption of the acid-base balance. This, in turn, leads to reduced metabolic efficiency and a slowing of the metabolic rate. Furthermore, oxidative stress has an
inseparable effect on hormone management. Often it leads to a decrease in the optimal level of testosterone in the blood, which is the hormone responsible for the feeling of vitality and all mechanisms related to the regeneration of the organism.
What vitamins contribute to good sleep?
It is necessary to take care of B vitamins first. Substances such as niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, thiamine, pyridoxine and riboflavin have a beneficial effect in maintaining the proper functioning of the nervous system. In turn, by contributing to the maintenance of optimal energy metabolism, they promote the reduction of the constant feeling of tiredness and fatigue. In addition, vitamin B6 has a positive effect on the regulation of hormonal activity.
Additionally, Vitamin D proves to be a very good support. It is synthesized in the skin during exposure to sunlight and has a valuable effect on the immune system, an element in the fight against oxygen free radicals. In addition, a lack of vitamin D in the daily diet can affect the internal synthesis of melatonin - a chemical responsible for sleep and the body's circadian rhythm.
Vitamins aren't the only ones that play an important role in good sleep. A diet low in certain minerals (for example, zinc or magnesium) can lead to sleep problems. People who suffer from poor sleep, nocturnal awakening and excessive fatigue can turn to adaptogenic herbal extracts. Substances such as ashwagandha, rhodiola rosea, ginseng or bacopa monnieri are
recommended in case of increased psychosomatic activity and regeneration problems. The active components contained in these plants can have a positive effect on the body's adaptation to excessive fatigue caused by factors such as haste or stressful situations.