About Using Vitamin D3 for Sleep

If you've been longing for a decent night's sleep---and you've tried serotonin, melatonin and all of the other tonins to no avail---you've probably heard the scuttlebutt: Doctors and scientists are now touting calciferol, otherwise known as vitamin D3, as a natural way of getting consistent, quality shuteye.
Given the proliferation of products such as Ambien, Lunesta and Rozerem, each with side effects and the potential for addiction, it's no wonder a simple vitamin is earning so much attention. But before you get on the D3 bandwagon, become an informed consumer so you get more than a good night's sleep.

History

• For folks in agrarian societies, falling asleep after a full day of planting, nurturing and harvesting the seasonal crop wasn't an issue. But the world has morphed from a planet of plow pushers to desk potatoes, and despite miraculous advances in medicine we're less healthy than we were a few generations back when fast food, stress and pollution were unknown. Where once a glass of warm milk and a soothing bath did the trick, insomniacs now turn to medicines to get the rest they crave. Until medical science cracks the code and finds triggers in the human body that will allow you to drift off as effortlessly as a cat, trying new solutions---such as vitamin D3---will continue to attract attention and dollars.

Contemporary Causes and Effects of Sleeplessness

• When the National Sleep Foundation studied insomniacs in 2002, 35 percent of the participants reported having problems sleeping every night for years. All suffered from difficulty falling asleep, repeated wakefulness during the night, becoming alert too early and waking up feeling sluggish and exhausted from a combination of these.
  While some cases can be attributed to stress, physical health issues, post-menopausal side effects and mental health problems trigger others. At its worst, the effects of long-term insomnia can have catastrophic consequences. For example, the mortality rate among the elderly suffering from sleep deprivation can accelerate death by as much as 400 percent.

How Much Sleep Is Enough?

• The eight hour rule, ingrained in the collective consciousness, has become a barometer by which we decide whether or not we're well rested. But the scientific community's consensus is that you can't put a number on an individual's sleep requirement. On average, epidemiological studies conclude that seven hours of sleep is optimal, and that number of hours of slumber is associated with the lowest mortality risk.
  That said, the need for sleep lessens as we age. Nonetheless, one thing's for certain: if you feel exhausted, you're not alone. That's why adding vitamin D3 to your daily regimen could make a difference in your quality of life.

How Vitamin D3 Affects the Human Body

• The wake/sleep cycle---known as circadian rhythms---is a deeply seated biological component of our physiological makeup. With no artificial interference, people awaken with the sun and fall asleep when it sets. This response occurs as a result of sunlight penetrating skin to form calciferol, or vitamin D. Once thought only beneficial to bone and tooth health, scientists now find that vitamin D3 also signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormones, and it encourages sleep by producing melatonin in levels high enough to trigger slumber.
  Conversely, inadequate amounts of vitamin D are linked to at least 17 types of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, birth defects and periodontal disease. According to recent scientific findings, the only substitute for adequate sun exposure is 5,000 units of D3 daily---the equivalent of 50 glasses of milk or 10 multivitamins.

What Dose Is the Right Amount of Vitamin D3?

• On average, scientists recommend placing between 4,000 and 5000 IU of liquid, which is preferred over pills and powders, vitamin D3 drops on your tongue daily at bedtime, as no adverse reactions have been found at these levels. However, all studies warn against taking between 10,000 and 20,000 IU, and scientists recommend that those taking large doses submit to periodic laboratory testing to make certain their bodies are properly processing the vitamin D3.
  Dark-skinned insomniacs may need to take more, and some practitioners prescribe a higher dose of D3 in the winter to make up for the fact that people get less sun in that season. In all cases, you should see a doctor immediately if you experience a negative reaction that you believe may be connected to your intake of vitamin D3.

Try Vitamin D3 at Your Own Risk

• Spend time on the Internet and you'll discover pages of enthusiastic recommendations from consumers blogging about the wonders of vitamin D3, but your doctor and the Vitamin D Council (link below), a nonprofit organization committed to exploring this supplement's virtues, are better places to turn for advice. Today's medical consensus---that the government's claim that 200 IU a day of vitamin D3 will keep you healthy---is already suspect, but if you've witnessed the rise and fall of other trendy food supplements, you know nothing is set in stone.
  Vitamin D3 is technically not a vitamin; it's a secosteroid hormone that targets more than 2,000 genes, so adding it to your daily regimen could pay big dividends.
  If you're willing to do what it takes to beat your insomnia, follow general protocol and take 5,000 IU per day for three months, then ask your doctor to conduct a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test to see how your body is responding. Your aim is to keep your blood levels at between 50 and 80 ng/mL (or 125 to 200 nM/L) year-round.