Lately, I’ve been researching how certain vitamins can improve our mental health, and vitamin D quickly rose to the top of my list. Why? Because vitamin D already known to play a role in mood regulation.
How We Get Vitamin D
Vitamin D is unique in that our skin produces it when exposed to sunlight. Have you ever noticed how a bit of sunshine can lift your mood? Or perhaps you’ve heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—a condition that occurs when we don’t get enough sunlight. Both of these are tied to the absorption of UVB rays, which trigger the production of vitamin D in our bodies. But remember, UVB rays can also cause sunburns, so always be mindful of your sun exposure. After all, there’s no need to get a sunburn in the name of improving your mood!
How Much Vitamin D Do We Need?
If you’ve ever noticed the “fortified with vitamin D” label on milk cartons (including school milk), you’re seeing the result of efforts to ensure we get enough of this important nutrient. There’s a good reason for this fortification, and it has nothing to do with conspiracies—it’s about health!
The FDA recommends a daily intake of vitamin D, partly because it’s:
- Essential for health
- Not naturally abundant in many foods
- Rarely found in foods that children typically enjoy unless it’s added
For example, kids may love eggs, but how many of them ask for beef liver? Beef liver is an excellent natural source of vitamin D, though it’s not exactly a fan favorite. As for me, I’m not too fond of its taste either, but I do appreciate its health benefits. That’s why I’ve added grass-fed beef liver supplements to my diet.
How Do You Know If You Need Vitamin D?
If you’re not getting enough vitamin D, you might notice symptoms like fatigue, depression, and trouble sleeping. Unlike caffeine, vitamin D doesn’t make you jittery or excitable. Instead, it tends to have a calming effect, helping stabilize your mood over time.
For me, I’ve been taking vitamin D supplements for a while now, and I’ve definitely noticed a decrease in feelings of lethargy. Pairing that with our recent habit of wearing blue light glasses has also helped improve both our mood and sleep.
My daughter, however, isn’t keen on swallowing vitamins, so I recently started giving her vitamin D gummies. These have been a game changer, especially when we have days with little sunlight.
Real-Life Example: How Vitamin D Helps
Here’s an example: The last time we went to IKEA, my daughter became so tired that she was dragging her feet, looking pale, and feeling down. We took a break near the windows in the cafeteria, and she quickly perked up. Later, I asked her what was wrong, and she said she felt down because there were no windows—she simply needed some sunlight. A similar thing happened when she spent a day with me at work in an office without windows.
I immediately realized that she was likely lacking vitamin D, so I ordered the vitamin D gummies, and now, even though we’ve had a few gloomy days, she hasn’t experienced that same tired, down feeling.
Vitamin D Isn’t a Magic Bullet
While vitamin D can help lift your mood, it’s not a cure-all. If you’re already getting enough vitamin D, supplementing more won’t have much of an impact on your mood. However, if you’re deficient (as about half the global population is), getting enough vitamin D can certainly help boost your well-being. Just make sure you’re getting enough, and you won’t have to worry about one more thing bringing your mood down.