Since the human body makes it for itself, everyone should always have enough vitamin D. Reaching a level of 20-50 ng/ml shouldn’t ever be a problem.
Yet sometimes it is.
When you don’t have enough of that particular vitamin, you get profoundly tired. It doesn’t even matter if you’ve slept enough hours.
When the sun shines on your skin, your body makes Vitamin D for itself.
Even so, the body might not make enough.
Wearing clothes and many sunscreens block the manufacture as can being inside for much of the day.
Getting enough vitamin D can be especially hard for those who work the night shift.
Why does a lack of Vitamin D lead to tiredness?
The tiredness is a message your body sends: something important is missing. Vitamin D allows your body to use calcium and phosphorous and maintains insulin levels. No bone and no muscle contractions happen without vitamin D.
When it comes to sleep, vitamin D is essential. You need it to make melatonin, the hormone that triggers the sleep urge. Without enough vitamin D, it’s hard to fall asleep naturally.
Yet it’s not one of the vitamins people talk about all the time, even though it’s so important.
For many people, getting enough vitamin D is effortless. Despite its importance, there are enough people getting enough of the vitamin that it takes the focus off of a lack of it as a problem.
With a bit of help from the sun, we make vitamin D for ourselves. It’s also found in a lot of different foods. To top it off, agricultural companies add it to other foods to help their customers out. Vitamin D-fortified dairy products like cereal and milk are common.
With all of those things working together, how does anyone ever come up short on vitamin D?
It’s a matter of their environment.
Vitamin D, the environment, and prospering
To prosper means to become strong and flourishing.
If you’re tired, you’re not feeling good. You’re not prospering.
People don’t always realize how they need their environment to prosper.
The environment is all around you. Because of that, it’s easy to take for granted.
While you’ve got to take advantage of opportunities in your environment, it’s the environment that provides the opportunities in the first place.
Fast food is convenient and mostly affordable. It fills you up and gives you energy. Yet, if you eat a lot of fast food, you’ll not get much vitamin D. It’s best to eat it only as an occasional treat. It makes sense to take an extra step to eat something healthy.
Modern life keeps you indoors more often than not. If you’re inside all the time, you’re not going to make vitamin D.
More than is the case for other nutrients, your living environment matters when it comes to vitamin D.
If you need to avoid sunlight, be sure to fill your environment with foods that are high in vitamin D, like milk, and meats like beef, chicken, turkey, and pork.
If you’re avoiding those foods for a reason, consider a vitamin D supplement.
Is a lack of vitamin D why you’re tired all the time?
Do you spend all your time indoors with a lack of sunlight? Do you eat a lot of fast food? Do you never drink milk? Never eat eggs? Never eat fish like salmon or other meats?
Chances are you’re not getting enough vitamin D.
You still might want to get your blood level tested.
Your body doesn’t care if it’s too cold to go outside or if it’s too hot. If you’re tired all the time, try getting outside, getting some fresh air, and eating a better diet. Pay attention to your environment. Make it easy for you to eat more healthfully. Make it easy for you to get enough vitamin D. It doesn’t have to be as extreme as getting on an airplane to Vegas to play hockey!
There are more benefits to living a healthy lifestyle than just vitamin D. Better access to this vitamin, however, is a good start.
For further reading:
Another problematic hormone related to sleep: testosterone
James Cobb RN, MSN is an emergency nurse and the founder of the Dream Recovery System a juggernaut of a sleep blog dedicated to promoting the understanding of dreams.
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