With new clients, there are two high-impact symptoms that I prioritize and address rapidly and aggressively: constipation and insomnia (or poor-quality sleep). To become wildly satisfied clients, they need to see major results – and fast. Helping your clients to get quick relief increases their confidence in you as a practitioner and also their faith in their own ability to feel better and be truly well.
I have written before about various causes of insomnia and how they can be supported quickly and effectively. This week’s video focuses in particular on those client who lie down to sleep but find their mind racing with worries, responsibilities, fears, and their ever-present “To Do” list.
Biochemically, there are two key processes which our clients must master each night in order to sleep well:
Of course, we’re all going to help our patients and clients to reduce stress by understanding and prioritizing their primary foods. But it takes time to build rapport and trust. As a first priority, make sure your client has good “sleep hygiene”. When we expose our brains at night to full-spectrum light – which mimics daylight – the pineal gland secretes less melatonin which can delay or prevent sleep. This includes TV and computer screens. Individuals with chronically elevated stress, who have recently endured great trauma/crisis, or who suffer from inflammatory disorders may also have inappropriately high levels of cortisol at night. When we expose our brains to highly stimulatory activity such as video games, unsettling email, stressful discussions, or alarming/violent television, we promote more secretion of the stimulatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Encourage your clients to choose only dim-light, relaxing activities in the evening, especially the full 1-2 hours prior to bedtime e.g. warm bath, calming music, meditation, gratitude journaling, light and fun reading. Most people have no idea how much they might be impairing their sleep by doing email or searching the web for a couple of hours leading right up to bedtime. These simple things matter! Here is a patient/client handout about Sleep Hygiene that you can use in your own practice.
As bedtime nears, the brain should naturally make a smooth transition from predominantly glutamate to predominantly GABA, the most prevalent inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. This transition can be impaired and/or delayed in our clients who are chronically stressed, have genetic impairment in the ability to balance neurotransmitters, and/or have neural toxicity e.g. mercury. We can gently boost this transition and thus calm the brains of clients wide awake with “racing minds” by supporting them with two key amino acids about 6o minutes prior to bedtime (both together, on an empty stomach):
So many of our clients are desperate for sleep. And unfortunately end up turning to highly-addictive sleep medications which can present major drug withdrawal challenges down the road. Give them a reliable alternative. Help them to address the true root cause of their challenges. And watch how quickly they become wildly satisfied with your support!
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I am wondering if this combination of amino acids will also help those who wake in the middle of the night or early morning and cannot get back to sleep, due to a racing mind. Will this help them to stay asleep?
This article is so informative, and I thank you for all the suggestions. After going through a stress-related insomnia episode that lasted a couple of months I tried melatonin, GABA, with a combination of b vitamins and even CBD oil. None of which worked. I was so exhausted at work and no matter all the things I tried (exercise during morning hours, meditation, sleep-inducing foods before bedtime, cutting out tv and computer before bedtime)….nothing…helped. Did not want to go to a doctor for sleep medication. I discovered L-Theanine and now I can sleep at night. I take 200 mg and a supplement with 300 mg magnesium, 1000 Taurine and 300 mg CoQ10. I still wake up during the night but able to go back to sleep, GOOD THING!
I didn’t see L-Theanine listed in your article but just curious if you have experience with it? Maybe I needed this amino acid for some reason, wow, our bodies are chemistry labs lol!
I read that GABA won’t cross the blood-brain barrier without Grape extract and/or rosmarin..(I chew some rosemary herb)..is this correct?
I’ve been supplementing with 600mg sustained release NAC every morning on an empty stomach for about three months. The benefits have been nothing short of amazing, however, they now seem to be wearing off. I’ve had much more energy, positive outlook, greatly decreased procrastination and more productivity. It rocketed me out of a rut I’d been in for years.
I’m considering just upping the dose, but I’d rather get a better idea of what’s going on if I can and figure out if I’d be better off adding a support supplement instead.
Does anyone have an explanation or even a guess as to why I’ve gotten such great effects and why thry’re now wearing off? Desperate for help, thank you in advance.
They use Taurine in energy drinks so if it increases GABA receptor sensitivity why would they be using it in the drinks?
Hi Tracy,
You have a real talent in your ability to write about this stuff!
I know this is a rather old article your wrote but I’m hoping you might still be able to help.
I’ve had struggles with Insomnia (staying asleep, not getting to) for over 10 years and am currently taking a combination of: St Johns Wort, L-Tryptophan, Phenibut, Ashwaghanda, Fish Oil, Resveratrol, Grape Seed Extract, Astaxanthin, Pinebark extract & Probiotics. Yes! it’s crazy. These have helped but I still find myself waking after 4-5 hours. I usually listen to a podcast for 20-60min and fall back asleep but I still can’t say I feel on top of the world after a night’s sleep.
When you wrote about NAC being stimulating for some people due to toxicity and lack of Cysteine levels it really rang true. I tried it ages ago and found my sleep getting worse. How would you recommend improving Cysteine levels? or is this a bigger ‘gut’ issue?
I’m going to try B6 as well as per your suggestions.
Hello,
I have taken b6 in the past and I notice when I do I dream too much at night and wake up from the dreams. Do you know why b6 can cause excessive dreaming? Thank you.
Is there a form of this combo that is available for children?
HI! I have tested high (off the charts) for taurine on my organic acids test and I am wondering if this could be adversely affecting my sleep at all? New onset insomnia. Brought on by stress, but now unable to get out of the vicious adrenal/insomnia cycle. Taking NAC, melatonin did not help.
Thank you,
K
Congratulations, I am impressed with you knowledge, it is excellent. I have sleep myoclonus, i got it from a viral infection last year and i was treating it with homeopathy and magnesium whihc did fine. This year i got meningitis from the viral infection from whihc i am recovering, but the sleep myoclonics came back and i would like to know your recommendations for dealing with it, thank you in advacne for your response.
Hello,
I would appreciate if you could tell me how long one would have to be taking the following combination in order to see some improvement in insomnia.
L- tryptophan 1000 mg
NAC. 600 mg
Taurine 1000mg
melatonin 1mg
I know I cannot expect immediate results but what time frame should I pursue before trying some other avenue for my insomnia.
Thank you
Thanks so much for the racing mind support! I have taken the taurine (1000 mg) and NAC (500 mg) combo the last few nights and it has worked wonders for me. I am curious though if these amino acids have any adverse effect on the kidneys?
Thanks
Sleeping Again
Hello Tracy,
Thank you for the informative posts!!!
I could not find the link to the constipation article you mentioned, could you please share that?
Thank you very much!
Helga
This is incredible! Very helpful! Appreciate you and your work, Tracy! <3
Hi there,
Can NAC impair your sleep?
I tend to take it in the mornings and I notice I don’t always sleep the best the nights I take take it. I also notice it weakens my nails.
Do you have any idea why these things would happen?
Kind regards,
Leah
Not a question, a thank you…
Wow. Just wow. Racing Mind is me! It’s been me for YEARS! And it’s just random stuff! Like how I wonder if maybe grapes would be good in egg salad…what?! SHUT UP! I gave up on Lunesta and Ambien – they either don’t work at all (hit or miss for me) or I don’t know I’m going into insomnia mode until it’s too late to take them. When they do help, the morning hangover is almost as bad as if I’d drank myself to sleep instead. Didn’t realize until your video above that I’m probably over doing the melatonin. I’ll give that a rest (ha!) and try the amino acids you mentioned.
And by the way, you’re a wonderful speaker and I’m guessing that you’re an engaging educator as well.
Warm regards,
Shanna
Hi Tracey,
I am SO inspired by you and your approach to wellness with your clients! I really appreciate all of your knowledge and your pearls of functional medicine! It is so generous of you to share all of this with us, I plan to study every semester you have available to us starting in January. I plan to register for that one a week or two.
I am more than excited to start my journey as a health coach!!!..I feel so confident I will really be able to help people by following your tips, knowledge and education.
Many many many thanx!!!!
Ps. May I ask if you have any words of guidance or protocol for someone that is on prescription medicine for depression to feel better and be able to transition into alternative treatment. I understand you shouldn’t stop cold turkey. This is my 25 y/o daughter in law whom I adore! She is a young mom of a 4 y/0 and 5 month old. She breast feeds. It breaks my heart!!!
Robin 🙂
Practitioner clarification questions are welcome! Please do not post personal case inquiries.
I inhaled over a period of time neurotoxins Which consisted o
Paint remover, Voc’s. I have headaches and vascular pain. The MRI shows nothing except areas of mild
disturbed in my white matter. I have been taking Mag and glutathione do you think it will help?