It’s common knowledge that vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is a critical element in keeping your bones strong. That’s one reason why women in perimenopause and menopause are advised to keep their vitamin D levels up, along with calcium, for optimal bone health. But did you know vitamin D also can help with sleep problems?

Menopause and sleep problems

Nearly two-thirds of women in menopause experience sleep problems, including trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and waking up too early. The results can be daytime fatigue, falling asleep while working or driving, memory and concentration problems, irritability, and more. Reasons for sleep problems vary, but hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, and depression are often mentioned. 

You can find dozens of tips on how to get better quality sleep, and you are encouraged to check them out, as different approaches work for different people. One tip that is often overlooked is vitamin D supplementation.    

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that is unique because the body produces it from sunlight. For this reason, it is actually a hormone and not a vitamin. In addition to supporting bone health, vitamin D also is involved in assisting immune function, controlling inflammation throughout the body, and regulating mood, including depression. It also plays a role in sleep.

Vitamin D can be found in a limited number of foods (e.g., egg yolks, salmon, tuna, fortified milk and juices, beef liver) and is available in supplement form. Many people have low or deficient levels of vitamin D and don’t know it, but a simple blood test can reveal your levels so you can know how much supplementation you may need.

You may have been confused by the two types of vitamin D. Vitamin D2 mainly comes from plant sources, such as mushrooms, and is the one that forms when certain plants are exposed to ultraviolet sunlight. It is less expensive to make so it’s the form often used to fortify foods. Vitamin D3 is the form the human body makes when the skin is exposed to sunlight. It is also the form found in animal foods. 

Catching more Zzzzzzs with vitamin D

More and more research is showing that vitamin D levels impact how much sleep you get and the quality of that sleep. The authors of one study, for example, reported that a vitamin D deficiency was associated with a short sleep duration. This relationship was especially present among adults 50 years and older. 

In a 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis involving nine studies and nearly 9,400 participants, the reviewers noted that a “vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of sleep disorders.” 

One way vitamin D may impact sleep is by helping to regulate circadian rhythms. In a study appearing in the Journal of Biological Rhythms, the authors explained that vitamin D may activate two genes involved in our 24-hour circadian rhythms. Thus vitamin D may have a role in the way sunlight keeps our sleep/wake cycle running smoothly.

How to take vitamin D

When choosing a vitamin D supplement, be sure to select D3. Calcifediol is the primary form of vitamin D that circulates in the body, and vitamin D3 yields more calcifediol than an equal amount of vitamin D2. 

Before taking a vitamin D3 supplement, you should have your levels checked using a simple blood test your healthcare provider can order for you. That way you will know the optimal dose for your needs. The recommended dose of vitamin D3 varies widely among experts. The Vitamin D Council states that 2,000 IU is recommended but greater amounts are suggested for those who get little to no sun exposure.

Bottom line

Many women in their menopause years experience trouble with sleep. Among the natural remedies for getting sufficient sleep is vitamin D3, which can be taken as a supplement.