Subscribe to the BlogWhen you can't fall asleep it is possible that there is something lacking in your diet. There are two areas that are very common in people who can't fall asleep:
Lacking in B vitamins
The lack of B vitamins can cause anxiety, depression, forgetfulness and fatigue. (Sound like lack of sleep symptoms?) Getting a good balance of B vitamins is vital to your over all health.
This is one of those "which comes first? The chicken or the egg?" Stress and anxiety cause you to use up your B vitamins and the lack of B vitamins cause stress and sleep anxiety.
A good balanced daily formula of balanced vitamins:
| Vitamin A | 10,000 IU | Choline | 50 mg |
| Vitamin D | 400 IU | Inositol | 50 mg |
| Vitamin E | 400 IU | PABA | 50 mg |
| Vitamin C | 500 mg | Calcium | 55 mg |
| Vitamin B 1 | 50 mg | Magnesium | 27 mg |
| Vitamin B 2 | 50 mg | Iron | 2 mg |
| Niacinamide | 50 mg | Zinc | 1.6 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 50 mg | Copper | 0.22 mg |
| Vitamin B 6 | 50 mg | Potassium | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B 12 | 500 mcg | Manganese | 0.44 mg |
| Biotin | 500 mcg | Iodine | 25 mg |
| Folic acid | 400 mcg |
Now I am not a doctor, so remember to see your nutritionist, homeopath or Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor to get a good nutritional advice that fits your particular needs.
Sheila
P.S. Having nightmares? add 100 mg of B1 about 2 hrs before bedtime.
Hi Sheila, I wonder how to figure out if I get enough B vitamin from my food. I’m thinking how do I know if I need to take extra B vitamin…?
Claus
First of all B vitamins are water soluable- which means that they are easily washed out of your body. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/FOODNUT/09312.html – Second, here is a look at Vitamin B deficiencies http://chetday.com/vitaminbdeficiencies.html. Although it is best to get vitamins through food a good supplement works. I always advocate getting a balance of all vitamins. When something is wrong there is a good possibility that there is some kind of vitamin deficiency, it is quiet a science.
Sheila
Hi there, can a lack of vitamin B cause anxiety during sleep?? I wake up during the night ( probably a few times a week) with my heart pounding like I have had a big fright and usually feeling very anxtious, it go away after a few seconds and I go back to sleep but it annoys me why this is happening.
I have been taking omeprazole for acid reflux for some time and have read recently online that this drug can cause a vitamin b12 deficiency and should only now be taken for 2 weeks at a time, which I had no idea about… So I have stopped taking them.
Thanks
Lou