Will Taking B Vitamins Before Bed Make Me Lose Sleep?

It's tough to sleep when you're thinking about your responsibilities for the next day, stressing out about your schedule and scrolling through Instagram. In our fast-paced society, sleep is at a premium, so you can't afford to let anything get in the way of your slumber. Especially not a vitamin that's supposed to make you healthier.

If you're low in B vitamins, you might feel tired or even depressed. That's why a supplement that contains B vitamins, whether in pill form or via injection, can make you feel energized. Fortunately, taking a B vitamin supplement won't make a big difference in your energy levels unless you're severely deficient, so taking one before bed shouldn't be a big deal.

There are eight B vitamins, and each does something different. All of them are water-soluble, which means your body can excrete them if you have too much. Fat soluble vitamins build up faster and are harder for your body to excrete.

​Read More:​ Foods That Are High in B Vitamins

B vitamins help you extract more energy from your food. When you eat a meal, you ingest carbohydrates, fat and protein. These are the three macronutrients your body uses as energy. To digest them, your body uses enzymes, which help facilitate chemical reactions that break food down into smaller parts.

Enzymes need smaller compounds, known as co-enzymes, to function properly. The B vitamins are co-enzymes that specifically help your body break down carbohydrates, fat and protein. When you hear someone say that B vitamins give you more energy, this is the job they're referring to. It's not an energy boost in the way a cup of caffeinated coffee gives you a jolt, and you might not even feel a difference at first. B vitamins essentially make you more efficient at digesting food. If they do give you an energy boost, it would come after eating a meal, because they help with digestion.

The B vitamins play an important role in the formation of red blood cells, according to an article from Medline Plus. Your body uses red blood cells to carry oxygen through your bloodstream, providing energy for your cells. They're also very important when you exercise, because they help in delivering oxygen to your muscles too.

Because the B vitamins are water soluble, your body can't store them for later use. They're flushed out of your system regularly, and you need to replace them. If you're eating a balanced diet, you can get the B vitamins from the food you eat. For the most part, supplements are unnecessary, according to an article from Bridgewater State University.

If you have depression, certain B vitamins may help you regain your energy levels. Vitamin B-9 and B-12 levels are low in people with depression, explains an article from Examine.com. If a vitamin B supplement helps curb your depression, you'd feel more energetic as a result.

Some people report feeling a boost of energy after receiving B vitamin injections. B-12 is the vitamin commonly administered via injection. It's possible that you would feel an energy boost if you're already deficient in the vitamin. Vegans are specifically at risk for deficiency, according to an article from Medline Plus, because animal products are typically the best way to get B vitamins.

Another explanation of the energy boost from a shot of B-12 is the placebo effect, wherein you feel a certain sensation simply because you expect it to happen. If you receive an injection of B vitamins and believe that it will boost your energy level, your brain might trick you into believing it's doing just that. Because it doesn't have a huge impact on your energy levels, you don't need to worry about taking B-12 at night.

​Read More:​ Vitamin B12 Benefits & Side Effects

As long as you don't perform an injection immediately before sleep, taking vitamin B before bed shouldn't be an issue. In fact, a lack of B-6 has been linked to poor sleep, according to a 2009 study published in Sleep Medicine. If anything, B vitamins help your sleep instead of disrupting it. However, you should always check with your doctor before taking vitamins for the correct dosage and timing.