Vitamins for Better Sleep

There have been few scientific studies that address the use of vitamins to combat sleep disturbances. Vitamin supplements are often used by homeopathic practitioners to help induce sleep and make it more restful. This can be effective if you have a deficiency in a particular vitamin.

Calcium

• Calcium is found in many dairy products, as well as leafy greens and seeds. People who have calcium deficiencies often have sleep problems, making calcium a useful supplement for better sleep. Too much calcium is not beneficial, however, so extra calcium should not be taken as a supplement for better sleep without consulting a doctor first. It is best absorbed by foods rather than taken as a supplement, and should be taken with magnesium. The FDA suggests you get 1000mg of calcium daily. If you don't get it from food, take a calcium supplement.

Magnesium

• Magnesium helps to absorb calcium. If you are already taking calcium for sleep, magnesium can be useful. On its own, it is an essential nutrient for many processes in the body, including muscle action and heart rhythm. Being magnesium deficient can cause health problems and trouble sleeping is one of the symptoms. Magnesium is found naturally in many of the same foods as calcium, including dark, leafy greens like spinach, nuts, and yogurt. The daily value of magnesium, according to the FDA, is 400mg.

B Vitamins

• A vitamin B deficiency can cause sleep problems, so doctors have used vitamin B to treat the symptoms. Vitamin B-6, in particular, is linked to anxiety and depression. These conditions cause a lack of sleep or restful sleep, and supplemental B vitamins help reduce these symptoms. Foods that are high in B vitamins include fish, tuna, bananas, whole grains and nutritional yeast.