Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSleepCausesPsychological AffectsSupportOther SymptomsNext in Iron Deficiency Anemia GuideAn Overview of Iron Deficiency Anemia
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Table of Contents
Sleep
Causes
Psychological Affects
Support
Other Symptoms
Next in Iron Deficiency Anemia Guide
Iron deficiency anemia(IDA) occurs when the body doesn’t have enough iron to produce all of thehemoglobinnecessary for healthyred blood cells(RBCs). Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout the body.
If you have IDA, you may have trouble sleeping,fatigueweakness, exercise intolerance, or headaches. These symptoms can continue for up to six to eight weeks after you have begun iron replacement therapy and are likely to affect your day-to-day function and your quality of life.
This article discusses some of the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia, including how it might affect your sleep.
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Managing Sleep Issues
Studies suggest that people with anemia are significantly more likely to have trouble sleeping.Anemia has been associated with breathing problems during sleep and other sleep disorders such as night terrors and sleepwalking.These problems can contribute to the daytime fatigue you experience when you have anemia.
Insomnia
Studies have found a strong association between iron deficiency anemia and insomnia. Iron supplementation appears to help improve insomnia in people who have IDA.
Other ways you can help improve your sleep include:
Fatigue
Fatigue is a common symptom of anemia. You might experience fatigue even if you are getting enough sleep at night. Fatigue can make you feel weak and tired.
Managing your insomnia is an important way to keep fatigue in check. Try to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Avoid sleeping too much because that will add to fatigue. Naps are fine but limit yourself to one short 20- to 30-minute nap each day.
Some of the other ways you can manage fatigue include:
Restless Legs Syndrome
Studies have found that people with IDA are more likely to have restless legs syndrome.People with restless legs syndrome have sensations in their legs that can lead to involuntary leg movement during sleep.
Healthcare providers recommend testing people with restless legs syndrome for iron deficiency anemia. Iron supplements can help improve symptoms in people with IDA who also have this condition.
Addressing Underlying Causes
Treatment for IDA won’t help much if the underlying causes of IDA are not addressed. Common causes of IDA include:
Work with your healthcare provider to investigate and treat the root cause of your IDA. Treatment of that condition is often vital to replacing iron and increasing hemoglobin.
Assessing Psychological Affects
Studies have found a link between iron deficiency and mental health.People living with IDA can experience multiple psychological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, andbipolar disorder.
There are many different things you can do to manage and lessen the psychological effects of IDA. Talk to your healthcare provider if you find you are struggling to cope.
There are different options to help you manage anxiety or depression. This might include:
Creating a Support Network
Treatment for IDA may include taking iron supplements and eating aniron-rich dietto improve iron levels. You may start to feel better in a couple of weeks, but it can take several months to build up a steady supply of iron in your body.
In the meantime, you might need support from family and friends to manage tasks and the physical and psychological effects of IDA. It can be helpful to reach out to family and friends when you are struggling with high levels of fatigue and severe IDA symptoms.
This support can help you manage household tasks or care for loved ones. Family and friends might be able to help with preparing meals and caring for young children. But they won’t know that you need help or how you feel if you don’t speak up.
Try to communicate clearly and directly to loved ones. This is especially important on days when fatigue, headaches, and other IDA symptoms are making it hard to get through your day. Let people know how you are feeling, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Managing Other Symptoms
Fatigue is not the only symptom of IDA you will need to manage so that you can better cope. In addition, you will want to pay attention topica(eating non-food items), headache, cold hands and feet, fast heartbeat, and shortness of breath. These are common symptoms of IDA that are manageable.
Manage Pica
Pica is the term used to describe cravings for nonfood items, such as dirt, paper, and chalk. This is something that occurs in pregnant people and children who have IDA.
If you or your child experience this symptom, it is important to let your healthcare provider know so you have a complete understanding of the risks associated with pica. Consider possible substitutes for your cravings, such as sugarless chewing gum, or ask a friend or family member to help you avoid nonfood items.
Treat Headache Symptoms
Headache is a common symptom associated with IDA. Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can be helpful, but if you find you are still struggling with headache symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider. If you are pregnant, ask your healthcare provider which OTC pain relievers might be safe for you to take.
Many different prescription therapies can help manage and prevent headaches associated with IDA, including prescription headache medicine and antidepressants. Relaxation therapies like biofeedback and eating a healthy, balanced diet can also help you manage headaches.
Keep Your Body Warm
Feeling cold in your hands and feet is common with IDA. Wearing appropriate footwear and socks can keep your feet warm. Wearing mittens and gloves can keep your hands warm. You might also consider your core temperature and wear thin, layered clothing to keep the rest of your body warm.
It might also be helpful to avoid caffeine and nicotine because they are vasoconstrictors and can exacerbate cold.
Reduce Symptom Triggers
Unless your healthcare provider diagnoses you with a heart condition, IDA symptoms like fast heartbeat and shortness of breath do not require treatment. However, your healthcare provider will still want you to find ways to avoid triggers, which might include caffeine, stress, and overexertion.
When to Get Help
While IDA does cause a fast heart rate and shortness of breath, you should still pay attention to these symptoms and know when to reach out to your healthcare provider or call 911.
You should get immediate medical help for:
Change Your Diet
The single most important thing you can do to manage IDA and to better cope with the condition is to prioritize your diet. Diet is vital and helpful in managing many IDA symptoms and preventing the emotional effects of IDA:
Summary
Iron deficiency anemia can produce symptoms such as fatigue that impact your daily life. It can also lead to trouble sleeping and increase your risk of anxiety and depression.
You can use strategies to manage the fatigue, including changes to sleep, diet, and activity. You may need help and support from family, friends, and medical professionals on days when your symptoms are most severe.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neumann SN, Li JJ, Yuan XD, et al.Anemia and insomnia: A cross-sectional study and meta-analysis.Chin Med J (Engl). 2020;134(6):675-681. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000001306Leung W, Singh I, McWilliams S, Stockler S, Ipsiroglu OS.Iron deficiency and sleep - A scoping review.Sleep Med Rev. 2020;51:101274. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101274Stanford Medicine Health Care.Treatments for insomnia.Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: A community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553Harvard Health Publishing.Fight fatigue with fluids.Bae H, Kim KT, Heo MH, Do YR, Cho YW.The prevalence and clinical characteristics of restless legs syndrome in patients with iron deficiency anemia in Korea.J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(7):1447-1452. doi:10.5664/jcsm.9230Silber MH, Buchfuhrer MJ, Earley CJ, Koo BB, Manconi M, Winkelman JW; Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation.The management of restless legs syndrome: An updated algorithm.Mayo Clin Proc. 2021;96(7):1921-1937. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.026American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is anemia of inflammation?Lee HS, Chao HH, Huang WT, et al.Psychiatric disorders risk in patients with iron deficiency anemia and association with iron supplementation medications: a nationwide database analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):216. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02621-0American Psychological Association. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works.Harvard Health Publishing.Cold fingers, cold toes? Could be Raynaud’s.American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Iron deficiency anemia.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Iron.Ahmad Fuzi SF, Koller D, Bruggraber S, et al.A 1-h time interval between a meal containing iron and consumption of tea attenuates the inhibitory effects on iron absorption: a controlled trial in a cohort of healthy UK women using a stable iron isotope.Am J Clin Nutr.2017;106(6):1413-1421. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.161364
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neumann SN, Li JJ, Yuan XD, et al.Anemia and insomnia: A cross-sectional study and meta-analysis.Chin Med J (Engl). 2020;134(6):675-681. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000001306Leung W, Singh I, McWilliams S, Stockler S, Ipsiroglu OS.Iron deficiency and sleep - A scoping review.Sleep Med Rev. 2020;51:101274. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101274Stanford Medicine Health Care.Treatments for insomnia.Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: A community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553Harvard Health Publishing.Fight fatigue with fluids.Bae H, Kim KT, Heo MH, Do YR, Cho YW.The prevalence and clinical characteristics of restless legs syndrome in patients with iron deficiency anemia in Korea.J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(7):1447-1452. doi:10.5664/jcsm.9230Silber MH, Buchfuhrer MJ, Earley CJ, Koo BB, Manconi M, Winkelman JW; Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation.The management of restless legs syndrome: An updated algorithm.Mayo Clin Proc. 2021;96(7):1921-1937. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.026American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is anemia of inflammation?Lee HS, Chao HH, Huang WT, et al.Psychiatric disorders risk in patients with iron deficiency anemia and association with iron supplementation medications: a nationwide database analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):216. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02621-0American Psychological Association. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works.Harvard Health Publishing.Cold fingers, cold toes? Could be Raynaud’s.American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Iron deficiency anemia.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Iron.Ahmad Fuzi SF, Koller D, Bruggraber S, et al.A 1-h time interval between a meal containing iron and consumption of tea attenuates the inhibitory effects on iron absorption: a controlled trial in a cohort of healthy UK women using a stable iron isotope.Am J Clin Nutr.2017;106(6):1413-1421. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.161364
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Neumann SN, Li JJ, Yuan XD, et al.Anemia and insomnia: A cross-sectional study and meta-analysis.Chin Med J (Engl). 2020;134(6):675-681. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000001306Leung W, Singh I, McWilliams S, Stockler S, Ipsiroglu OS.Iron deficiency and sleep - A scoping review.Sleep Med Rev. 2020;51:101274. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101274Stanford Medicine Health Care.Treatments for insomnia.Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: A community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553Harvard Health Publishing.Fight fatigue with fluids.Bae H, Kim KT, Heo MH, Do YR, Cho YW.The prevalence and clinical characteristics of restless legs syndrome in patients with iron deficiency anemia in Korea.J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(7):1447-1452. doi:10.5664/jcsm.9230Silber MH, Buchfuhrer MJ, Earley CJ, Koo BB, Manconi M, Winkelman JW; Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation.The management of restless legs syndrome: An updated algorithm.Mayo Clin Proc. 2021;96(7):1921-1937. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.026American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is anemia of inflammation?Lee HS, Chao HH, Huang WT, et al.Psychiatric disorders risk in patients with iron deficiency anemia and association with iron supplementation medications: a nationwide database analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):216. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02621-0American Psychological Association. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works.Harvard Health Publishing.Cold fingers, cold toes? Could be Raynaud’s.American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Iron deficiency anemia.National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Iron.Ahmad Fuzi SF, Koller D, Bruggraber S, et al.A 1-h time interval between a meal containing iron and consumption of tea attenuates the inhibitory effects on iron absorption: a controlled trial in a cohort of healthy UK women using a stable iron isotope.Am J Clin Nutr.2017;106(6):1413-1421. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.161364
Neumann SN, Li JJ, Yuan XD, et al.Anemia and insomnia: A cross-sectional study and meta-analysis.Chin Med J (Engl). 2020;134(6):675-681. doi:10.1097/CM9.0000000000001306
Leung W, Singh I, McWilliams S, Stockler S, Ipsiroglu OS.Iron deficiency and sleep - A scoping review.Sleep Med Rev. 2020;51:101274. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101274
Stanford Medicine Health Care.Treatments for insomnia.
Zheng D, Yuan X, Ma C, et al.Alcohol consumption and sleep quality: A community-based study.Public Health Nutr. 2021;24(15):4851-4858. doi:10.1017/S1368980020004553
Harvard Health Publishing.Fight fatigue with fluids.
Bae H, Kim KT, Heo MH, Do YR, Cho YW.The prevalence and clinical characteristics of restless legs syndrome in patients with iron deficiency anemia in Korea.J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(7):1447-1452. doi:10.5664/jcsm.9230
Silber MH, Buchfuhrer MJ, Earley CJ, Koo BB, Manconi M, Winkelman JW; Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation.The management of restless legs syndrome: An updated algorithm.Mayo Clin Proc. 2021;96(7):1921-1937. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.12.026
American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.What is anemia of inflammation?
Lee HS, Chao HH, Huang WT, et al.Psychiatric disorders risk in patients with iron deficiency anemia and association with iron supplementation medications: a nationwide database analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):216. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02621-0
American Psychological Association. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works.
Harvard Health Publishing.Cold fingers, cold toes? Could be Raynaud’s.
American Heart Association.Tachycardia: fast heart rate.
National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Iron deficiency anemia.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Iron.
Ahmad Fuzi SF, Koller D, Bruggraber S, et al.A 1-h time interval between a meal containing iron and consumption of tea attenuates the inhibitory effects on iron absorption: a controlled trial in a cohort of healthy UK women using a stable iron isotope.Am J Clin Nutr.2017;106(6):1413-1421. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.161364
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