Vitamin B12 works on the pineal gland, which is responsible for the production of melatonin. The vitamin helps increase the production of melatonin during the nighttime hours, as well as release it earlier, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.
As a general rule of thumb, take your B vitamins in the morning or with a meal. Vitamin B12, for example, should definitely be taken in the morning. This is because it is important for energy metabolism, which may interrupt your sleep if taken at night.
Vitamin B-12 has a big role in stabilizing your energy levels. It actually helps give you more energy, rather than making you tired. If you do notice feeling a little fatigued, even though you're regularly taking a B-12 supplement, it's likely a sign of something else that is out of the norm in your body.
First, one of the most common and most debilitating symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency is extreme fatigue, 'tired all the time' and in some patients also insomnia.
It may take a few weeks before your vitamin B12 levels and symptoms (such as extreme tiredness or lack of energy) start to improve. If you have hydroxocobalamin injections to boost your vitamin B12 levels at the start of treatment, the cyanocobalamin tablets may start to work within a few days.
Even though the research available about the relationship between vitamin B12 and insomnia remains unclear, some studies² show that elevated levels of vitamin B12 do cause sleeplessness.
Reasons this might happen include drinking caffeine or alcohol late in the day, a poor sleep environment, a sleep disorder, or another health condition. When you can't get back to sleep quickly, you won't get enough quality sleep to keep you refreshed and healthy.
If you are low in B12, you will feel weak and tired. Vitamin B12 can give you more energy, boost your metabolism, and help you lose weight.
“Take water-soluble vitamins on an empty stomach with a glass of water,” recommends Dr. Perez-Gallardo. And since it can be energizing, Dr. Perez-Gallardo says that the best time to take vitamin B12 is in the morning, so it won't affect your sleep.
High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause: Headache. Nausea and vomiting. Diarrhea.
B Vitamins are especially important for healthy sleep. If you are having difficulty initially getting to sleep, sleep disturbances, insomnia, or other sleep-related problems, you should have your Vitamin B12 levels tested. Low or borderline B12 levels point to a possible reason for your sleep issues.
Vitamin B-12 can cause very rare but serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). This includes swelling of the face, tongue, and throat, and difficulty swallowing and breathing. If this occurs after you take vitamin B-12, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.
Melatonin: Melatonin is the most common sleep aid.
It's often used for insomnia but can also help reduce negative feelings that are associated with anxiety (that keep us awake at night). It's relatively tolerable in doses of 1 to 10 milligrams.
Not only can magnesium help you get to sleep, but it plays a part in helping you achieve deep and restful sleep as well. In one study, older adults were given 500 mg of magnesium or a placebo. Overall, the magnesium group had better quality of sleep.
Anxiety or depression
Stress can make it hard to get to sleep in the first place (that's called sleep-onset insomnia). But anxiety can also cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep (called middle insomnia, or sleep-maintenance insomnia).
Get out of bed and do something relaxing that might make you feel drowsy — like reading or playing a repetitive game like Sudoku. Keep the lights low and go back to bed after 30 minutes or so (or sooner if you start feeling sleepy). Avoid technology, like phones, computers, or TV.
Insomnia was found in 24.16% of patients with T2DM. Compared with T2DM patients without insomnia, patients with insomnia had significantly higher levels of vitamin B12 (VitB12). Increased VitB12 was an independent risk factor for insomnia (OR 1.61 [1.06–2.45], P = 0.03).
Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to a host of sleep problems—from insomnia to sleepiness, not getting enough of this vitamin can wreak havoc on your nighttime routine. Vitamin B12 is also extremely important for our heart health and energy levels.
Valerian. Of all of the popular herbal sedatives, valerian has undergone the most clinical trials to establish its effectiveness and safety as a treatment for insomnia.