Falling Asleep Faster Is Not the Same as Sleeping Better

I felt sleepy and tired when I heard my alarm clock, and my eyelids were so heavy that I couldn’t open them at first, my brain was foggy, it didn’t feel like I had slept, but like I had stayed up all night, even after taking Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Succinate, GABA and L-Theanine — all supplements that were supposed to help me sleep better. My Apple Watch told me that deep sleep was only 8% of my total sleep time.

I was tired of buying newer supplements and hoping they would actually work. If I didn’t understand the mechanism behind sleep, I would keep buying supplements but nothing would change. So I decided to find out why these supplements weren’t working.

1. Why didn’t these supplements work?
2. 1 Why Magnesium didn’t work

Before we get into why these supplements didn’t work, let’s cover some basic biology. the basic unit of the brain is the neuron, all behavior, emotional, sleep and dopamine…all of which begin with neurons. The human body has 860 billion neurons, but the number of connections between them is more than 1,000 times that number. And these factors can tell us the flexibility of brain is not at the sum of neurons, but in the way of contact of the cells. neurons contact by synapse: a neuron releases some neurotransmitters, and another takes over.

And in such quantity of neurons, there is a special receptor called the NMDA receptor, it is widely distributed in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, and related to learning and the activity of neurons. When NMDA receptors were active, these can join in the progress about learning, and if these receptors were calm down, it will happen nothing, in this time, only Magnesium stop up in the NMDA receptor channel, the specialization of the NMDA receptors is it need two requirements to open its channel: neurotransmitters coming and cell membranes have regular voltage, rather than other receptors only need neurotransmitters demanded.

In other words, the channel of the NMDA receptors is like a door that needs two-factor passcodes. Magnesium sits stably at the entrance of the channel, acting like a plug, preventing the receptor from being activated too easily, once the stimulation is intense enough and the voltage is high enough, the Magnesium will be displaced, and the door will open truly. Magnesium sets a threshold that prevents neurons from firing too easily. On the flip side, if neurons lacked Magnesium, it will be triggered more easily.

1.2 Why GABA didn’t work

GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in our brain, which helps calm down the neurons, so it will help people fall asleep.

But there is an interesting detail, some researchers believe GABA molecule is too big to pass the Blood Brain Barrier directly, others think that between gastrointestinal tract and brain have a neural connection, it is called the gut-brain axis. But the theory of the gut-brain axis is primary, and the scientific community has no common theory. The supporters of the gut-brain axis believe that after the GABA receptor in gastrointestinal was activated, the signal is sent to the brain through the vagus nerve, the result of this is calming effect. So, taking orally GABA might be useful, just not by crossing the Blood Brain Barrier.

1.3 Why L-Theanine didn’t work

L-Theanine is a kind of amino acid that was extracted from tea leaves, and is found in high concentrations in green tea. If you like to drink green tea, maybe you will feel a mild sense of focus, this is because the caffeine and L-Theanine that were contained in green tea act in synergy, the result is a calm yet alert feeling.

The molecular structure of the L-Theanine is similar to the GABA, at one time, the L-Theanine can stimulate the brain to produce more GABA, at another time, it will influence the GABA system by influencing glutamic acid and dopamine.

So, combining all these effects, we can see that the L-Theanine is a supplement that helps us fall asleep faster, and has little effect on deep sleep.

By now, I know about the reason why Magnesium, L-Theanine and GABA were helpless in my deep sleep, because they can help with falling asleep but cannot influence the deep sleep mechanism.

2. How can I improve my deep sleep?

2.1 The sleep cycle Sleep is made up of two stages: REM and deep sleep period. these stages form a complete sleep cycle that lasts around 90 minutes. If you know about this theory, you might expect deep sleep to appear at regular intervals, for example, after every 1 hour. deep sleep will hold 30 minutes, like me, but my sleep recorder from my Apple Watch told me that I’m wrong.

In all my sleep records, my deep sleep time appears in the early part of the night, and at the later of my sleep, the most of my sleep stage is REM.

So, why my own data is different from the theory? You might argue that my data is too small, and errors are normal, But, I think if the theory is based on a large sample, I have a chance to use it to fix my situation, because I’m not special. The only thing I lack is some knowledge of sleep theory, especially about deep sleep.

2.2 Circadian rhythm

And in such quantity of neurons, there is a special receptor called the NMDA receptor, it is widely distributed in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, and related to learning and the activity of neurons. When NMDA receptors were active, these can join in the progress about learning, and if these receptors were calm down, it will happen nothing, in this time, only Magnesium stop up in the NMDA receptor channel, the specialization of the NMDA receptors is it need two requirements to open its channel: neurotransmitters coming and cell membranes have regular voltage, rather than other receptors only need neurotransmitters demanded.

In other words, the channel of the NMDA receptors is like a door that needs two-factor passcodes. Magnesium sits stably at the entrance of the channel, acting like a plug, preventing the receptor from being activated too easily, once the stimulation is intense enough and the voltage is high enough, the Magnesium will be displaced, and the door will open truly. Magnesium sets a threshold that prevents neurons from firing too easily. On the flip side, if neurons lacked Magnesium, it will be triggered more easily.

1.2 Why GABA didn’t work GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in our brain, which helps calm down the neurons, so it will help people fall asleep.

But there is an interesting detail, some researchers believe GABA molecule is too big to pass the Blood Brain Barrier directly, others think that between gastrointestinal tract and brain have a neural connection, it is called the gut-brain axis. But the theory of the gut-brain axis is primary, and the scientific community has no common theory. The supporters of the gut-brain axis believe that after the GABA receptor in gastrointestinal was activated, the signal is sent to the brain through the vagus nerve, the result of this is calming effect. So, taking orally GABA might be useful, just not by crossing the Blood Brain Barrier.

1.3 Why L-Theanine didn’t work

L-Theanine is a kind of amino acid that was extracted from tea leaves, and is found in high concentrations in green tea. If you like to drink green tea, maybe you will feel a mild sense of focus, this is because the caffeine and L-Theanine that were contained in green tea act in synergy, the result is a calm yet alert feeling.

The molecular structure of the L-Theanine is similar to the GABA, at one time, the L-Theanine can stimulate the brain to produce more GABA, at another time, it will influence the GABA system by influencing glutamic acid and dopamine.

So, combining all these effects, we can see that the L-Theanine is a supplement that helps us fall asleep faster, and has little effect on deep sleep.

By now, I know about the reason why Magnesium, L-Theanine and GABA were helpless in my deep sleep, because they can help with falling asleep but cannot influence the deep sleep mechanism.

2. How can I improve my deep sleep?

2.1 The sleep cycle Sleep is made up of two stages: REM and deep sleep period. these stages form a complete sleep cycle that lasts around 90 minutes. If you know about this theory, you might expect deep sleep to appear at regular intervals, for example, after every 1 hour. deep sleep will hold 30 minutes, like me, but my sleep recorder from my Apple Watch told me that I’m wrong.

In all my sleep records, my deep sleep time appears in the early part of the night, and at the later of my sleep, the most of my sleep stage is REM.

So, why my own data is different from the theory? You might argue that my data is too small, and errors are normal, But, I think if the theory is based on a large sample, I have a chance to use it to fix my situation, because I’m not special. The only thing I lack is some knowledge of sleep theory, especially about deep sleep.

2.2 Circadian rhythm

After the stages of sleep times, the studies told us that deep sleep needs the core body temperature to drop, and the center of core temperature is circadian rhythm, at the same time, adenosine has the same importance in sleep, In fact, adenosine and circadian rhythm are called the sleep dual-process model.

At first, we’ll talk about circadian rhythm. Our temperature will drop naturally at night, reaching its lowest point in the early hours of the night, and rise in the later evening. Obviously, the circadian rhythm is like a clock rather than a timer that let your core temperature down after you fall asleep at a regular interval of time, push you to do things at regular times.

When you are in deep sleep, your temperature is falling at the same time, so, when your temperature is at its lowest, is the best quality deep sleep time you have. due to this temperature pattern, your deep sleep has a high percentage of sleep at the earlier night, and deep sleep has lower percentage than before, REM has a higher percentage of sleep in the later night.

The performance of circadian rhythm obvious, is the person wake up naturally, it can adjust people’s biological clock by sunlight. this is why some people will feel sleepy at regular night time after they consistent wake up at early time. Not all light can adjust person’s biological clock, only blue light works, especially in the morning, it will suppress the secretion of melatonin, reset the biological clock.

2.3 Adenosine

Next is adenosine. Coffee can refresh someone who drinks it, and the deeper reason is caffeine is an antagonist of adenosine — they compete for the same receptor, if caffeine binds to the receptor, it keeps the person awake, on the contrary, if adenosine binds to the receptor, the person will feel sleepy. this shows the importance of adenosine in the sleep area. In neuroscience, the sleep pressure built up by accumulated adenosine drives deep sleep.

Starting from my own situation, I’m not napping, so, when I intend to go to sleep, my sleep pressure alone wouldn’t result in only 40 minutes of deep sleep. Could there be other factors at play?

I don’t think my biological clock can sustain my stay up late, so my core problem is the mismatch between my adenosine pressure and my circadian rhythm. When I go to bed, the window that is opened by my biological clock is nearly closed, this is a physical limitation I can’t get around as long as I keep staying up late. the supplements will help me fall asleep faster, but can’t change when that window opens.

2.4 Melatonin

If the only answer is to go to bed earlier, then there would be no point in researching sleep mechanisms at all, so, let’s review all the information, you might notice something I mentioned earlier that seems unrelated to adenosine.

That something is melatonin. Although I had mentioned that blue light reduces melatonin secretion, I didn’t really understand how melatonin worked, beyond its possible connection to deep sleep.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, which acts on melatonin receptors in the hypothalamus, triggering a “night” signal in the hypothalamus and preparing the brain for sleep. Besides lowering core temperature, activating the immune system, releasing growth hormone, and inhibiting cortisol are all part of these preparations.

On the other hand, when we talked about Magnesium, most of the supplements of Magnesium on the market are Magnesium Threonate and Magnesium Glycinate. Of these two supplements, not only is Magnesium useful for sleep, but Threonic acid and Glycine are also effective. Threonic acid can help Magnesium to cross gut-brain axis. Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that can lower core temperature — not through the skin, but by acting directly on the hypothalamus.

So, theoretically speaking, Magnesium glycinate should have been effective in my deep sleep, but it was useless, Was the dosage simply too low to make a difference, or was it the misalignment of my circadian rhythm?

Ultimately, melatonin might be the solution I was looking for. In recent years, Melatonin has become popular in the supplement market, I know about it early, but I had been avoiding it before I understood how it actually works, even before I started looking into it, I had already heard a lot of negative things about it.

Now that I knew why melatonin could help, the next question was how much to take. 3mg, 5mg, and 10mg are the most common doses — which sounds small but is actually far more than needed, but the research by professor Richard Wurtman in MIT told us, 0.3mg is a reasonable dosage, the common dosage like 3mg is 10 times of what we need. When melatonin receptors are exposed to excessive melatonin, they become desensitized.

That said, melatonin is not meant to be taken every night — it works best used occasionally, when your circadian rhythm needs a reset. As with any supplement, individual responses vary, so it’s worth doing your own research before starting.

Before taking melatonin, switch your lights from cool white to warm, enable night mode on your devices to prevent blue light from delaying your circadian rhythm，or you can take a shower about two hours before bed, although your temperature may rise briefly, but vasodilation can help you sleep faster.

Even though I know about the mechanism behind sleep, and the reason behind why I bought them, I’m not sure the Melatonin can solve all my problems. But I think the process itself has been a kind of harvest. The more I know about sleep mechanism, the closer I will get to the truth

After the stages of sleep times, the studies told us that deep sleep needs the core body temperature to drop, and the center of core temperature is circadian rhythm, at the same time, adenosine has the same importance in sleep, In fact, adenosine and circadian rhythm are called the sleep dual-process model.

At first, we’ll talk about circadian rhythm. Our temperature will drop naturally at night, reaching its lowest point in the early hours of the night, and rise in the later evening. Obviously, the circadian rhythm is like a clock rather than a timer that let your core temperature down after you fall asleep at a regular interval of time, push you to do things at regular times.

When you are in deep sleep, your temperature is falling at the same time, so, when your temperature is at its lowest, is the best quality deep sleep time you have. due to this temperature pattern, your deep sleep has a high percentage of sleep at the earlier night, and deep sleep has lower percentage than before, REM has a higher percentage of sleep in the later night.

The performance of circadian rhythm obvious, is the person wake up naturally, it can adjust people’s biological clock by sunlight. this is why some people will feel sleepy at regular night time after they consistent wake up at early time. Not all light can adjust person’s biological clock, only blue light works, especially in the morning, it will suppress the secretion of melatonin, reset the biological clock.

2.3 Adenosine

Next is adenosine. Coffee can refresh someone who drinks it, and the deeper reason is caffeine is an antagonist of adenosine — they compete for the same receptor, if caffeine binds to the receptor, it keeps the person awake, on the contrary, if adenosine binds to the receptor, the person will feel sleepy. this shows the importance of adenosine in the sleep area. In neuroscience, the sleep pressure built up by accumulated adenosine drives deep sleep.

Starting from my own situation, I’m not napping, so, when I intend to go to sleep, my sleep pressure alone wouldn’t result in only 40 minutes of deep sleep. Could there be other factors at play?

I don’t think my biological clock can sustain my stay up late, so my core problem is the mismatch between my adenosine pressure and my circadian rhythm. When I go to bed, the window that is opened by my biological clock is nearly closed, this is a physical limitation I can’t get around as long as I keep staying up late. the supplements will help me fall asleep faster, but can’t change when that window opens.

2.4 Melatonin

If the only answer is to go to bed earlier, then there would be no point in researching sleep mechanisms at all, so, let’s review all the information, you might notice something I mentioned earlier that seems unrelated to adenosine.

That something is melatonin. Although I had mentioned that blue light reduces melatonin secretion, I didn’t really understand how melatonin worked, beyond its possible connection to deep sleep.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, which acts on melatonin receptors in the hypothalamus, triggering a “night” signal in the hypothalamus and preparing the brain for sleep. Besides lowering core temperature, activating the immune system, releasing growth hormone, and inhibiting cortisol are all part of these preparations.

On the other hand, when we talked about Magnesium, most of the supplements of Magnesium on the market are Magnesium Threonate and Magnesium Glycinate. Of these two supplements, not only is Magnesium useful for sleep, but Threonic acid and Glycine are also effective. Threonic acid can help Magnesium to cross gut-brain axis. Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that can lower core temperature — not through the skin, but by acting directly on the hypothalamus.

So, theoretically speaking, Magnesium glycinate should have been effective in my deep sleep, but it was useless, Was the dosage simply too low to make a difference, or was it the misalignment of my circadian rhythm?

Ultimately, melatonin might be the solution I was looking for. In recent years, Melatonin has become popular in the supplement market, I know about it early, but I had been avoiding it before I understood how it actually works, even before I started looking into it, I had already heard a lot of negative things about it.

Now that I knew why melatonin could help, the next question was how much to take. 3mg, 5mg, and 10mg are the most common doses — which sounds small but is actually far more than needed, but the research by professor Richard Wurtman in MIT told us, 0.3mg is a reasonable dosage, the common dosage like 3mg is 10 times of what we need. When melatonin receptors are exposed to excessive melatonin, they become desensitized.

That said, melatonin is not meant to be taken every night — it works best used occasionally, when your circadian rhythm needs a reset. As with any supplement, individual responses vary, so it’s worth doing your own research before starting.

Before taking melatonin, switch your lights from cool white to warm, enable night mode on your devices to prevent blue light from delaying your circadian rhythm，or you can take a shower about two hours before bed, although your temperature may rise briefly, but vasodilation can help you sleep faster.

Even though I know about the mechanism behind sleep, and the reason behind why I bought them, I’m not sure the Melatonin can solve all my problems. But I think the process itself has been a kind of harvest. The more I know about sleep mechanism, the closer I will get to the truth.