Role of Vitamins in Combating Insomnia

Insomnia is the term used for any kind of sleep disorder. A person suffering from insomnia faces severe disorder in the sleeping pattern, and does not get sufficient sleep. The cure of insomnia is very vital, because lack of sleep might lead to severe mental and physical ailments. B vitamins have a major role to play in metabolism of serotonin, a neurotransmitters which help in regulation of sleep. Therefore, deficiency of B vitamins might give rise to insomnia.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), niacin and folic acid have proved to be very effective in the treatment of sleeping disorder (insomnia). In case of deficiency of vitamins B, it is generally beneficial to increase the intake of vitamins such as pyridoxine, niacin and folic acid. Vitamin B6 helps in inducing sleep by the means of its rich constituent of amino acids. Vitamin B12 has also proved its effectiveness in treatment of insomnia. As per an observation, the injection of Vitamin B12 has given positive result on the sleep-pattern of some patients.

B vitamins are very helpful when suffering from stress, depression, or anxiety.

Insomnia can appear when a person is in a stressful state, depressed or anxious; therefore taking B vitamins relaxes the body and prevents insomnia.

Iron as a cure for Insomnia

Studies show that iron can help restless legs syndrome, which can cause insomnia. Therefore taking iron might help prevent insomnia.

Helping Insomnia with Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency causes nervousness and restlessness so makes it hard to sleep and lead to insomnia.
Taking magnesium may help to sleep better.

The best way to combat insomnia is to revise the diet chart accordingly, which emphasizes more on B vitamins.

(1) The chief sources of Vitamin B6 are egg yolk, yeast, rice polishing and germ of various grains and seeds. Deficiency of this vitamin leads to deficiency of serotonin, which in turn leads to deficiency of melatonin (sleep-triggering hormone). Therefore, the daily intake of 50 to 100 mg must be taken into consideration to prevent sleeping disorder.

(2) Vitamin B5 (niacin) is very helpful in stress and anxiety, and deficiency of this vitamin leads to disturbance in sleep pattern and weakness. The chief sources of niacin are liver, fish and milk. The daily requirement of this vitamin is approximately 100mg.

(3) Vitamin B12 is also effective in curing sleeping disorder, and deficiency may lead to loss of memory, restlessness and tiredness. The chief sources of cobalamin (B12 vitamin) are walnuts, banana, sunflower seeds, tuna, whole grains, wheat germ, and peanuts. The daily dosage of cobalamin should be approximately 25mg.

(4) Folic acid is also an important factor in inducement of sleep, and its might lead to sleeping disorder as well. The chief sources of folic acid are orange juice, leafy green vegetables, cereals, and beans. The daily dose of this vitamin should be approximately 400 micrograms.

Daily intake of these vitamins in right proportion will keep the sleep disorder under control, and in case of insomnia, increase of these vitamins can prove of great help. One should always consult the doctor to get the clear picture of dosage of these vitamins in form of medicine.