GSE
SSRI alternative - 5-HTP Supplementation for insomnia
5-HTP
for
MELATONIN - To treat
insomnia and other sleeping disorders MELATONIN is the body's natural "Sleeping Pill"
MELATONIN regulates our sleep-wake cycle
and helps us fall asleep - Low MELATONIN levels can cause sleep-onset insomnia.
Research studies show that supplementing with
5-HTP may have positive effects on sleep patterns.
The pineal gland ("Third Eye") - a small organ within the brain, sometimes called
the "third eye" that "sees" more deeply and truly than the other two.
Stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light - the pineal gland produces
small amounts of
MELATONIN from
SEROTONIN during the day and larger amounts
at night. MELATONIN produced is also stored
in the pineal gland.
How does the body utilize
MELATONIN
to
control sleep? - the pineal gland uses
MELATONIN as a "messenger" to other systems.
MELATONIN
5-HTP Supplementation is Preferable to MELATONIN for Insomnia
5-HTP improves the
quality of sleep -
instead of feeling tired, worn out, and "hungover" people taking 5-HTP feel vibrant, well rested, and
ready to take on the challenges of the day. When we sleep more deeply and dream
more efficiently, we wake in the morning with our physical and psychological
"batteries"fully charged.
5-HTP provides the
quickest, most effective, and most consistent overall results in treating
insomnia -
People who use MELATONIN as a sleep sedative may find that switching from
MELATONIN to 5-HTP will make it easier to fall
asleep and to stay asleep. They will also enjoy healthy and memorable dream
periods, and wake up without the morning grogginess that some people experience
with MELATONIN .
5-HTP directly
triggers production and release of MELATONIN
irrespective
of how much light is present - by by-passing the brain's light-regulation system
that controls MELATONIN
secretion.5-HTP results in the increased production of
neurotransmitters such as
SEROTONIN and
NOREPINEPHRINE that stimulate the noradrenergic receptors in the brain. This
stimulation directl y triggers the production and release of
MELATONIN. The higher level of circulating
MELATONIN helps you to fall and stay asleep
better.
Obtain the broader benefits from increased
SEROTONIN l evels -
which are not increased by taking MELATONIN
alone (MELATONIN does not enhance
SEROTONIN functions).
The effects of
5-HTP on MELATONIN depend on:
How much 5-HTP you take
Time of day 5-HTP is taken
5-HTP increases
REM sleep significantly ( typically
by about 25%)
while simultaneously increasing deep sleep stages
3, and 4 (without increasing total sleep time) - making sleep more restful and
rejuvenating. 5-HTP accomplishes this by shortening the amount of time
you spend in sleep stages 1 and 2, which in some ways are the least important
stages of the cycle.
The higher the dose, the more time spent in REM - In most cases, the lower dosage is adequate. Higher doses may lead to a
greater number of disturbing dreams and nightmares due to abnormally prolonged
REM sleep. It can also lead to mild nausea.
5-HTP is also
useful in the treatment of sleep disorders other than insomnia
- indicated by clinical studies.
