Episode 37: The Power of Vitamin D & Iron for Better Sleep

Vitamin D & Iron Scientific Article

Welcome to the Beauty of Better Podcast, where we help moms thrive in health and faith.

Good morning, mamas.

We're so glad that you've joined us today.

We're continuing on in our nutrition series that we've been doing.

We've just been loving this series as our goal is to empower you as mamas to help decipher between all the nutritional advice that's out there, how to actually understand research articles to know the good from the bad.

And so, that's our heart in these discussions, and so we're so glad you've joined us today.

Our article today that we're discussing is how sleep can be affected by iron and vitamin D levels.

So, it's going to be a great discussion today.

Danielle, do you want to kick us off a little bit there?

Sure.

I'll go over the article.

So, this article is found in the Journal of Nutrition.

So, a reputable article, peer-reviewed, as we've mentioned before.

And it's actually in nutritional epidemiology.

So, that's kind of like literally a merger of me and Kathleen.

So, nutrition and epidemiology.

So, I thought that was interesting.

The title is Iron Deficiency and Vitamin D Deficiency Are Associated with Sleep in Females of Reproductive Age.

I thought this was a brilliant study because they're looking at women, like our age group, which again, as we mentioned before, is very rare to find studies done just on women.

And then I also just wanted to mention, this article came out of the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

And that is a phenomenal school.

That is like a gold standard in public health that we as public health professionals look to.

They've been around as one of the longest schools of public health, and just really lead the way in research and community engagement and policy.

So I just say props to them for doing this research study and getting this article out so that we could learn from it.

So this article again focuses on iron and vitamin D.

So that's really what we're focusing on today.

And it looks at how those are linked to our sleep outcomes.

And we're going to talk today some about what does our sleep do for us.

We have a previous episode, number 17, called Sleep Tight.

So if you want to hear more about sleep patterns, how to improve your quality of sleep, you can go back to that article.

But as far as this research goes, they looked at women ages 20 to 49.

So again, our age groups.

And they looked at thousands of women.

So they had one group of 2,497 and another group of 6,731.

So a huge sample size, we love that.

And they looked at iron deficiency, so being inadequate.

Iron deficiency anemia, so that's actually having anemia from your iron deficiency.

Vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D inadequacy.

So vitamin D inadequacy is like, you've got low levels of vitamin D, but not quite enough to be a deficiency quite yet.

And so when they looked at those four forms of vitamin D and iron, what they found was that the...

They were associated with...

Iron was specifically associated with poor sleep quality.

So iron deficiency, iron deficiency anemia were linked with poor sleep quality.

So the quality of sleep that you get at night.

And then vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D inadequacy, so even just low levels, were significantly associated with shorter sleep duration, meaning like you could fall asleep at night, but you don't sleep very long.

And those are just very, very significant.

I loved the biostats in this.

They had statistical significance, which is important to note, but we can kind of pause on the article scientific talk of this, and just get into what does this mean for us, and what does it mean when we have shorter sleep duration, and just poor sleep quality in general.

I don't know if somebody wants to jump in with...

I can jump on in.

That's Kristiana here.

So one of the things that the article referenced was another, just a plethora of studies that looked at sleep durations when it drops below six hours per week, its impact on our overall health.

And so I just want to point out a few things here, because I just think it's fascinating, encouraging, and challenging, right?

Like that we really need to prioritize this.

So-

Hey, Kristiana, really quick.

Did you mean to say six hours per night, not per week?

I meant to say per week, yes.

Just to clarify if you're listening, right?

That would be six hours per night.

Thanks, Kelly.

No problem.

I know.

I should check how many hours I got.

I like to track that too.

I think I got more than six last night.

Okay.

So it increases risk of all-cause mortality.

So for example, dying from anything, okay, if you're below that six number, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and there's more, diabetes, mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.

That list is long.

I wouldn't wish any of that on anyone.

And I know that's a lot of choices that we make in our life are to decrease those risks.

But just thinking all of that is bottled up in the importance of sleep duration.

And this study ties directly into that sweet sleep quality, which duration is a piece of quality.

So that was just really fascinating and encouraging that something as simple as prioritization of sleep can have such a positive impact when we go above the six hours, that maybe some other things that we could currently be doing to try to address some of those chronic ailments.

You know, it makes me just think when I look at that list of obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, mood disorders, depression, anxiety, I can't think of a time where I've ever heard of somebody say, oh, I went to the doctor for one of these things and they asked, how is my sleep, how is my sleep quality, like the duration of my sleep, what is my iron, and what is my vitamin D look like?

Like, I just feel like those dots, like I haven't heard of them being connected in that way.

And this study just really highlights, like, we should be looking at all of these together.

And as we mentioned in previous episodes, just being advocates for ourselves and just asking those questions.

Like, if you are suffering from any of those, ask your physician, like, can I look at my iron, can I look at my vitamin D levels, let's talk about my sleep, and let's look at research like this that shows the association, because that has a big impact.

Yes, yes.

I love how this just empowers us, because, you know, I know myself, there's, like, that time of the month, it's, like, harder to sleep.

And oftentimes, like, you know, our iron levels drop at that time.

But, I mean, that's in a period of time.

So you want to look at, in the long term, are you having inconsistent sleep, you know, over a long period of time, not necessarily always just certain times.

But, and then also I think of, like, you know, older women, my mom's generation, having troubles with, like, restless leg syndrome.

And so looking at something like this, being empowered to go to your doctor and say, hey, could I get a blood panel to look at these levels to see if that could be a factor.

So I think that's, you know, kind of the reason for research like that.

And it is with healthy, a healthy population.

That was another significant factor of this study, is that it's looking at women who are healthy and don't have other pre-existing conditions.

So I thought that was important.

And they weren't pregnant, I forgot to mention that too.

So non-pregnant women, so just like everyday women in that age group, yeah.

Yes.

And I think one interesting thing, like, you know, the study talks a little bit about the synergistic or working together effect of iron and vitamin D, that you kind of need them to be symbiotic.

And I think just, you know, with the recent move for you, Kelsey, to a different state and growing up in the Pacific Northwest, vitamin D, you know, one source is the sun.

And that's not always a readily available resource in some locations that people live, that you have to be intensionable with other ways to get that.

And I do recall just having conversations when I did live in the Pacific Northwest about how people are like, oh, my vitamin D is low, my doctor said it's low, so now I'm experiencing this, this, and this.

And so it's just kind of closing that loop there of like, location and also consumption are like two pieces that can heavily impact this, which doesn't really ties to that.

Yeah.

And when there is a factor that is limiting your sunshine and you aren't maybe able to get sunshine every single day, we can just talk about some of the avenues that we can get vitamin D from that aren't sunshine.

But I think sun is probably the most common one that we think of when we think of vitamin D.

That's like the environment, excuse me, the getting it from the environment, right?

So just getting your face in the sun, your body in the sun, ideally for at least like 30 minutes a day.

A lot of times that's enough.

But if you're not able to get 30 minutes a day from your diet, vitamin D comes from a lot of animal protein sources.

So like fattier fish, things like salmon or tuna or sardines.

Kathleen loves sardines.

I always think of her when I think of sardines.

But I still have yet to try them, but I probably should.

I should be sponsored by them.

Yeah, so nice fatty fish like that, or things like egg yolks have vitamin D.

And actually, mushrooms, that's not animal-based, but mushrooms do have vitamin D.

And let's see, other things that are not necessarily from animals could be like orange juice or plant-based milks, things like that.

Some cereals are fortified with vitamin D.

So as far as vitamin D goes, there are other ways that you can get it, but you just have to be a little bit more intentional about it, especially if you're not getting sun on your face every single day.

Which coincidentally, it is thunderstorming here today, so I will need to make sure that I am getting enough vitamin D from my diet today.

But if we want to talk about iron, can I jump in with vitamin D really quick before we switch?

Yeah, I just wanted to mention, so the Cleveland Clinic suggests that at least 35% of the population in the US is vitamin D deficient.

There are a couple articles from the National Institute of Health that suggest 42%.

So even that range of 35% to 42% of the US population is vitamin D deficient is alarming.

And just to be aware of that, like that's at least one in three people just walking on the street that you see is vitamin D deficient.

So we just want to be aware of that number.

We also want to be aware that vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin.

So we talked in previous episodes recently about water soluble vitamins and how those just get broken down quickly by water and you pee out the excess.

But fat soluble, they get stored in your fat.

They get broken down that way and used that way.

And so it is possible to overdose.

So this again is another reason to ask your physician for a blood panel to just see your vitamin D levels.

Because you don't want to just be like popping vitamin D pills and supplements knowing that you could overdose.

But at the same time, knowing that at least one in three people in our country has a deficiency, like we want to be aware of that too.

So I just feel like a baseline for this is so helpful.

And if you're asking for a blood panel for that, you might as well check all your vitamin levels while you're getting them taken, right?

Just take it at once.

So I just wanted to mention how prevalent vitamin D deficiency really is in our country.

Yes.

Well, and even, you hear those stats even in California, which you would be surprised by, because we live in a very sunny area.

We lived in Northern Ireland for nearly 10 years, and I used to go into corporations and teach about vitamin D deficiency and how to help yourself, because it gets really dark there in the wintertime.

Really long nights, and the daytime is like from like, I think the sun will rise at like 830, and then be down by like 4 p.m.

and stuff.

So it's like really short days.

And so depending where you live, you really have to be intentional, like, okay, I'm really not getting the sun light, so I have to be intentional in finding foods or getting your bloods taken, seeing what your levels are at.

Because like this article talks about, there are a lot of studies that show the overall outcomes of vitamin D deficiency in other areas, and especially Northern Ireland, seasonal affective disorder, depression.

Those were huge factors, and a big part of that was people's vitamin D deficiency.

So just recognizing the place that you live and being empowered, and like how can I help know that I'm getting sufficient nutrient intake that I need.

So just want to share that.

Yeah, Kelsey, we can switch to iron now, if that's very-

Yeah, okay.

So if we're talking about iron, there's a couple different forms that we can get from our diet.

If we're mainly looking at the kind that's more easily absorbed, that is going to come from things like red meat, so beef, lamb, pork, things like that.

It can also come from poultry, chicken, turkey, or seafood as well.

So that form is more easily absorbed.

And there, however, there is iron that you can get from plant-based sources as well.

So if you notice, the sources that I just listed are from animals, but a little bit more bioavailable.

So if we do need to get it from plant-based sources, though, things like legumes, so lentils, or chickpeas, or any type of bean, that can be a source of iron.

Leafy greens have iron in them.

So if you're thinking like spinach or kale, nuts and seeds also have iron.

So things like cashews or pumpkin seeds are just a couple of examples there.

And then also whole grains do have iron as well.

So quinoa, oats, things like that.

And I think we mentioned this actually in the last episode that we recorded when we were talking about water-soluble vitamins, but vitamin C actually helps produce, or I'm sorry, helps boost the absorption of iron.

So if we can consume those two together, especially the sources of iron that are coming from the non-animal.

So like the plant-based sources, if you can consume that with vitamin C, that helps the iron absorb.

So eat your iron and your vitamin C together ideally.

You know, I'm such a visual learner, and I just remember this.

I think it was an A&P or bio.

But if you picture a red blood cell, and I don't want to get too complex here, but really iron is what helps make up your red blood cells in your body.

And for every red blood cell that you have, there are four oxygen tied to it.

And that's how your body gets oxygen to the parts that it needs.

So you just picture like red blood cells going through your body, and for every one, there's four oxygen going to wherever your blood is going.

And that's how your body gets the oxygen that it needs.

And so when you're anemic, that's why you feel so tired.

Anemia is when you don't have enough iron or red blood cells in your body.

And so then your body's not getting the oxygen that it needs to be able to just function, survive, and have energy, because your body's just depleted of oxygen, and it's just like, oh, I'm so tired.

So just realizing that part of iron being tied to our red blood cells and our oxygen support is so crucial.

I feel like all these topics that we're talking about are so, so important.

But I just really wanted to highlight that and just give a visual for it, too, because that's what made it really come alive to me when I was learning that in school.

That's a great analogy, Danielle.

I like that visual.

I think hopefully this is empowering for you as you're listening to this.

Like you can be an advocate for your own health and your own well-being.

And if you're curious about any of these things, you can go ask for a blood panel to be drawn, and you can get results and just figure out, you know, what are my levels of these things?

And I know we've talked about this in several episodes, but it really is powerful when you have information about your own body, because it can empower you just to make small changes.

And that's really what we're about here at Beauty of Better, is making those small little changes to help improve your health every day.

And if you know that you don't have enough vitamin D, then you can be proactive about including that more regularly.

Or same thing with iron, if your iron levels are low, then we can be proactive about trying to include more iron in our diet.

I love that.

I love our message to just like simplifying things.

Because nutrition, if you recognize a symptom in yourself, and then if you go to social media, it can just be overwhelming, and you end up trying all these things, or these supplements, or this and that.

And there's a whole myriad of the whole, you know, that side of things too.

And so like to be able to just simplify it, because we're overwhelmed enough a lot of times as moms with all the things that we're juggling.

And so this space is just to help give you some tidbits of information, take it to your doctor, get a baseline of understanding, and then you might have some clarity in that moment, or you might not have full clarity, but then just take one little step at a time.

It doesn't have to be this huge overhaul thing, because often those overhauls things, fad diets, any of those, those aren't sustainable.

And we are about sustainable change, little changes over time that is going to help empower you as a mom.

I've been so encouraged, like meeting moms that the school pick up, or different things, sharing with them about Beauty of Better.

And I just see this calm come over them, of like, oh, I can just take one little step at a time.

I don't have to fix all the things.

And it's like, yeah, and I've been applying this honestly more and more since we've started this.

And it just helps you just take a deep breath, and you're like, okay, today is a new day.

God's mercy is enough for today.

His daily bread is enough for today.

We don't have to eat yesterday's bread, or focus on tomorrow's bread, but what is his daily bread for today?

And so I think that's just honestly like our heart in this.

We love science, how God teaches us about his creation, empowers us in our health through that.

So yeah, did anybody have anything else they wanted to share before we?

I think it's important just to point out too that like, just reemphasize that this is for women of our age, right?

So we may want to share this with our husbands, or our kids, or other people, but like, we need to find, you know, a different study that examines in that specific person.

So like when we are breaking down these studies, like us kind of talking about the demographic information, the subjects that were examined, it's most applicable to them.

Doesn't mean it might not have applicability to the kids, but again, we don't want to necessarily start dosing or prescribing without that prerequisite knowledge and knowing just that general limitation of like, yeah, our physiology is the same.

Like we're human beings created by our heavenly father.

So yes, our physiology will probably function pretty similarly.

But here at Beauty of Better, we're trying to make these evidence-based, you know, kind of discussions or decisions.

So I would just, you know, if you're taking an iron supplement, I wouldn't have, you know, necessarily like pass it off to your 13-year-old daughter, right?

Make sure that there's some informed decisions there that we've talked about referencing physicians and knowing what's appropriate for children versus women.

So here, this one's just focused on that.

Yeah, so that's the only thing that I would echo.

Having three daughters of my own, I can see them becoming women someday.

Then I'm like, okay, yes, there's that relevant piece of like menstrual loss and blood, and that we really gotta be on it with that at that time of the month as women.

Because when we have blood loss, iron deficiency can become even a greater issue.

But just wanna keep it on the focused group that they studied too.

Yeah, that's so important.

And I think also just a reminder that if you are suffering from obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety, any of the things that we listed today, it doesn't mean that iron deficiency or vitamin D deficiency is causing it.

Like, the study doesn't mean it is the cause, it just means be knowledgeable about this and know that it could influence it.

And so ask your physician and just have another piece of information to take to the table with you as you have those conversations and explore what the root cause really is.

And so mamas, we just really hope that you were empowered today, that you learned something new, that you can really make one small step in your health to get a little bit better today.

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