Taurine and Alcohol-Impaired Sleep

Taurine and Alcohol-impaired sleep. Even clients who just enjoy one drink in the evening may find it impairs their sleep, esp. as we age. Alcohol induces sleepiness by increasing the action of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, in the brain and blocks the action of glutamate, a stimulatory neurotransmitter. This is how alcohol mellows our thinking. And perhaps makes it easier to *go* to sleep. The problem is that this affect wears off after a few hours and rebounds, promoting higher levels of glutamate, a stimulatory neurotransmitter. So people may wake up 2-3 hours after falling asleep and only sleep fitfully afterward. A simple solution is the amino acid taurine. For adults, 1000mg taurine taken at bedtime helps to increase GABA receptor binding and will reduce the effects of rebound in the middle of the night. The impact? Likely a deeper, more restful night of sleep. Perhaps stopping the cycle of stress that makes a client feel like they want a drink every evening? A great way to wildly satisfy a client early on. Because Nobody likes having a poor night of sleep! If you want to know more sleep solutions: https://schoolafm.com/ws_clinical_know/sleep-remedies-that-work-neurotransmitter-and-hormones/

I hope this quick clinical tip serves you and your patients and clients.

Warmly,