Are you tired (no pun intended) of hearing horror stories about sleeping pills and looking for a more natural remedy for poor sleep? You don’t have to resort to sleeping pills – the reason you are having sleep problems may be due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency!

Here are some common sleep problems and the vitamins or minerals that have been linked to them. Remember, before starting any type of vitamin or mineral supplement you should check with your doctor to make sure that the supplement won’t interfere with current medications or cause other problems due to existing health problems.

3 Natural Remedies for Poor Sleep

1. Trouble getting to sleep has been linked to low magnesium levels. Magnesium plays a key role in regulating our sleep and insomnia is one of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is found in dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, beans, lentils and Brazil nuts.
2. Trouble staying asleep? If you fall asleep but wake up in the middle of the night you may be low on potassium according to a 1991 study in the journal Sleep. Instead of pills, try getting your daily requirement though foods such as beans, leafy greens, avocados and baked potatoes. Yes, bananas contain potassium (about 10% of the daily value) but they aren’t the best source.
3. Tired during the day? Check your vitamin D levels. A 2012 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and daytime sleepiness. A few minutes of sunlight will prompt your body to create it’s own vitamin D but fortified dairy products contain vitamin D as well. This is one vitamin where supplements may be in order if suggested by your doctor.

Of course, excessive daytime sleepiness is also a warning sign for a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Contact Columbus, OH sleep apnea dentist Dr. Mark Levy today at 614-476-6696 to schedule your consultation to find out more.