Synergistic Programs – Sleep Improvement

Written by MICANS, MS, PharmB, Philip A

Stage 1:

    • Melatonin tablets: 3mg to 6mg at bedtime. Melatonin helps to rebalance the circadian rhythms (the day-night cycle), as a result deeper REM sleep is improved and the individual feels more refreshed the following day. Remember that light entering the eye destroys melatonin, so it is important to be in bed, in darkness within 15-minutes of taking the melatonin.
    • L-Tryptophan capsules: 500mg to 1500mg taken at bedtime. L-Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin, which in turn is the precursor to melatonin. You may remember that Grandma gave you milk to sleep before bed to aid your sleep, this is due to the content of L-Tryptophan.

Stage 2:

    • Adrafinil tablets: One tablet 1 or 2 times a day. As an aid to staying awake in the daytime, so that bedtime produces better sleep by preventing napping during the day, an agent such as adrafinil is useful. Adrafinil is the earlier analogue to modafinil and it acts in the same way, although it is not as potent. We do not recommend using adrafinil continuously for longer than 3-months.
    • GABOB: 500mg to 1500mg taken at bedtime. Also known as aminohydroxybutyric acid, GABOB is the closest legal molecule to GHB. GHB has since been banned because of its ability to put people to sleep within 20 minutes. GABOB does not have that ability, but nonetheless at the dosages referred to can create drowsiness to aid sleep and also appears to have significant HGH release- which in turn has been associated with better, deep (REM) sleep.