Mood, diet and lifestyle habits, and vitamin D status are all closely connected. Low vitamin D may trigger low mood, making it more difficult to sleep, eat well, and exercise regularly, says Choukri. Yet, she adds, These difficulties may be due to the mood itself rather than vitamin D.

On the flip side, research suggests that not getting enough sleep, having a poor-quality diet, and inactivity can contribute to low mood independently, regardless of vitamin D status.

Heres a closer look at the relationship among vitamin D status, these habits, and mood and health.

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Theres a scientific link between getting adequate vitamin D and sleeping well, which plays a role in mood on its own. Vitamin D is important in the process of making serotonin, and you need serotonin to make melatonin, says Dr. Greenblatt. Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic.

A meta-analysis published in October 2018 in the journal Nutrients concluded that vitamin D deficiency is linked with a higher risk of sleep disorders.

Its all connected: Lack of sleep alone, regardless of vitamin D status, may contribute to depressive symptoms, along with anxiety, notes the National Sleep Foundation. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of depression may include tiredness and a lack of energy, sleep disturbances like insomnia, and a loss of interest in pleasurable activities.

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Low mood from vitamin D may make someone less likely to be active, says Penckofer. And inactivity can trigger a vicious cycle that further contributes to low mood. A study published in April 2019 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that sedentary behavior and low physical activity were linked to anxiety and depression. And a review published in June 2015 in Cognitive Behavior Therapy found that exercise can even help reduce anxiety symptoms and bad mood, the authors noted. Another study, published in September 2018 in The Lancet Psychiatry, found that all types of exercise from walking to cycling were associated with improved mental health.

According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise boosts endorphins, gets your mind off stressful situations, gives you confidence, and can provide social interaction.

Improving vitamin D status may improve mood, helping you to get out the door and move more.

Vitamin D may also independently offer benefits for physical health. A study published in July 2018 in the Journal of Orthopaedic Science found that for elderly people, exercise and taking a vitamin D supplement each on their own helped improve muscle mass and physical function. Therefore, getting the vitamin D you need not only boosts mood and may help compel you to move more, but it also may help you get more out of your workout.

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Research suggests a vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent in people with obesity. One smallstudy, published in July 2018 in the International Journal of Preventative Medicine, found that obese people who supplemented with a high dose of vitamin D for six weeks decreased their weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and hip circumference significantly.

Obesity is a complex disease: Both genetics and daily lifestyle habits affect risk, past research suggests. Yet having low mood, potentially due to vitamin D deficiency, may make you more likely to reach for potato chips or that bag of cookies rather than healthier choices, like carrot sticks or an apple. You can blame cortisol, the stress hormone, which can cause you to overeat when youre feeling emotional distress, according to Harvard Medical School.

What you eat similarly impacts mood, just like your sleep and exercise habits. For example, previous research suggests that chamomile may provide a soothing effect by producing more of the feel-good chemicals dopamine and serotonin. Carbohydrates can also boost the production of serotonin, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), though make sure youre choosing healthy, whole grain options, rather than refined carbs like cookies and crackers.

Meanwhile, poor food and drinkchoices can contribute to low mood. Take sugar: Astudy published in July 2017 in Scientific Reports found that eating too much refined sugar could up your risk of depression. So, too, may caffeine and alcohol bring down your mood, according to the Mayo Clinic and past research, respectively.

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Skimping on D may seem like no biggie in the grand scheme of things, especially in the time of COVID-19, but prioritizing getting enough of the sunshine vitamin is critical for your long-term health.

We do see deficient vitamin D levels are related to many different diseases type 2 diabetes, Alzheimers disease and dementia, and [some] types of cancers, says Mary Byrn, PhD, RN, associate professor in the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing at Loyola University Chicago. Therefore, treating deficient vitamin D levels is not harmful, and I would recommend that everyone work with a healthcare provider to reach sufficient vitamin D levels.

The Cleveland Clinic also notesthat a vitamin D deficiency can cause other physical health issues, like osteoporosis and osteomalacia, and can even impact your nervous system and immune system, which is the last thing anyone needs during a pandemic like the current one.

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Are You COVID D-Prived and Down? How Low Vitamin D Can Cause Low Mood - Everyday Health

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