SLEEP & GABBA
I am Rested – Resting
If you have been reading the news paper lately, you might have seen that there has been a recent report that shows that quality of sleep is associated with quality of life and happiness than duration of sleep.
Poor quality sleep, sleep disorders and the ability to rest properly is prevalent in the world population and amongst the most frequent complaint in primary healthcare.
Sleep and sleep disorders are complex, involving imbalances in nervous and endocrine (hormones) systems, adrenal function through a number of factors including stress, aging, diet, lifestyles and genetics.
Sleep disorders and poor sleep is associated with the complex balance of neurotransmitters such as glutamate, GABA, noradrenaline, serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine that effect the nervous system, sleep / wake cycle and hormone secretion.
GABA –
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in your central nervous system. GABA lessens the ability of a nerve cell to receive, create or send chemical messages to other nerve cells – it helps to slow brain activity down and feel relaxed.
GABA is known for producing a calming effect. It’s thought to play a major role in controlling and reducing anxiety, stress and fear. Decreased GABA levels are associated with several neurological and mental health conditions, as well as other medical conditions. Increasing GABA levels may help treat high blood pressure, diabetes and insomnia. It is increasingly being recognized that dysfunction of the GABA system is implicated in many neuropsychiatric conditions, including anxiety and depressive disorders.
Several of the herbs, minerals and phyto-extracts found in I am Rested also work through GABA-mediated processes.
We want to best support and regulate the function of these neurotransmitters and nourish the nervous system, this is key to a good nights rest.
We can do this through diet and lifestyle choices but also support this through the use of herbs, mushrooms & minerals that interact and support nervous and endocrine function.
Nervines – a herb, mushroom, mineral or medicine that restores the nervous system. Nervines can be:
Relaxing restoratives
Hypnotic, sedative – helping to sleep
Antidepressant
Anti-anxiety, anxiolytic – de stress
Restorative, protective
The key to a good nights rest and to balance nerves is to use restorative Nervines over a period of time. Neurasthenia (Nervous exhaustion) where the nervous system has been run down over a period of time and needs nourishing and rebuilding.
I am Rested has been created to support the nervous system so you can get a good nights rest, it contains a number of nervine plants, mushrooms, extracts and minerals – listed below and why we have used them.
Passionflower
Passionflower used to treat anxiety, sleep disorders , researched extensively for its positive effect on sleep efficiency. Passionflower also contains GABA. It has flavonoids that trigger GABA receptors to calm central nervous system activity.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.3352
https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1092784
Tulsi
Holy basil – used and highly prized in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years – used as a restorative nervine and mood enhancer – it has been studied for its positive effects on mood, stress and sleep.
Phyto compounds found in the extract of holy basil can increase the levels of GABA in the brain – helping to prolong restful sleep.
https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/66159/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4296439/
Lavender
Lavender - a gentle hypnotic – studied for its use to reduce anxiety and to improve sleep quality
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2020/3792390/
Oat
Oat– a restorative nervine used to strengthen and nourish the nervous system – researched for its positive effects on neurotransmitters and brain function
https://gsconlinepress.com/journals/gscbps/sites/default/files/GSCBPS-2021-0351.pdf
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1598
Reishi spores
Reishi has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years it has been extensively researched for its biological effects. It has been researched for its positive effects on stress, anxiety and quality of sleep.
Studies on the extract of Reishi mushroom have found it can improve sleep and relax the nervous system through its effects on GABA receptors, increasing sensitivity to GABA.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12866-021-02361-5
Lions Mane
Lions Mane– a beautiful mushroom where much of the focus has been on cognitive enhancement but research and traditional use also highlights its use in stress, anxiety, sleep disorders and depression to enhance rest.
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/biomedres/31/4/31_4_231/_article/-char/ja/
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/1/163
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2019/7861297/
Magnesium
Magnesium stimulates the activity of GABA by behaving as a modulator for the GABA receptors, increasing their activity. The magnesium binds to and stimulates GABA receptors in the brain, which slows down brain activity. When GABA levels are low, the brain feels like it is constantly switched on, which makes it very difficult to relax and can lead to increased stress and anxiety.
L-Theanine
L- Theanine – an amino acid extracted from green tea researched for its positive relaxing effects on the nervous system
L-theanine increases inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA levels – helping us to feel relaxed
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453021001324
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.7448
