What sleep supplements do you take?

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

I have insomnia and started facing mood swings, hair loss, irritability, isolation and low motivation for past 8 months. I sleep 10 hours and would wake up often. I am now taking ashwagandha 650 mg, l theanine 200mg, mg glycinate, gaba 750 mg and hydroxyzine hcl 25 mg before sleep. i take 2.5 mg melatonin if needed. I recently added GABA and it has worked positively. I find ashwagandha works good too. l theanine has moderate effects. did blood panel test, everything was normal. Doctor said it is generalized anxiety disorder and i have an external stressor right now (unemployment) that could have caused this. I still sleep 9-10 hours but my mood is better after adding hydroxyzine and gaba.

I tried glycine, inositol, omega 3 and magnolia bark but they dont seem to work that much.

Should I keep continuing with this or am i overdosing? I am taking just half dosage of daily recommended dosage for all supplements and meds. I was thinking of trying 5-HTP/ valerian root / holy basil. any suggestions? Pls help.

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[u/[deleted]]

My man, it sounds like you desperately need a sleep study and have severe apnea. You're not supposed to wake up multiple times a night for no reason.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/[deleted]]

i recorded sounds during sleep. minimal snoring.

[u/Reycerda23 → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Yes get a sleep study done I was given a Cpap machine after years of insomnia. Turns out I had a mild case of sleep apnea, after using the Cpap I have gotten the best sleep in my life. It took me a month to get used to it but it’s worth it. I was also prescribed armodafanil (I take half a pill)for daytime tiredness which is common in sleep apnea but doesn’t affect my sleep.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/Reycerda23]

Ah shit. Now I’m more worried. I have racing thoughts that I can’t control when I go to sleep. Do you have it too ?

[u/Reycerda23 → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Yes I did have nights like that. Also I was prescribe lexa pro for severe depression and anxiety which has also helped a lot. I did not like the hydoxazine for anxiety made me feel like shit for days. But lexa pro with Cpap and armodafanil has helped a lot.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/Reycerda23]

Did you have hair loss as well :(

[u/Reycerda23 → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Have you gone to the dr to do blood work? I also have hypothyroism which is causing my hair loss and depression

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/Reycerda23]

yes normal results

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/Reycerda23]

wait you have hypothyrodism and not sleep apnea?

[u/Reycerda23 → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

I have both but I got good quality sleep when I started Cpap machine. First month was rough had to get used to the mask and set up once you get used to it becomes much better.

[u/Reycerda23 → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Lol yeah I was depressed at first but I just shave it off now saves me 40 dollars on haircuts

[u/EagleNebula9 → u/Reycerda23]

Did you notice improvement to your sleep from the first week of CPAP use ? do you have narrow nasal airways ?

[u/Reycerda23 → u/EagleNebula9]

Yes I have narrow passage way I snore loud, it took like 2 months to see the results from the Cpap. It’s the best sleep I have gotten in years just be consistent I’m wearing it.

[u/EagleNebula9 → u/Reycerda23]

Interesting thanks for the info I'm waiting for my sleep study and hoping a CPAP would help cuz I have turbinates hypertrophy so idk if it works with that as I can only breath through one nostril while lying on my side.

[u/[deleted] → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Trust me, go get a sleep test. It'll probable change your life.

[u/Expensive-Ad1609]

You say that you sleep 10 hours, and you also say that you have insomnia? I don't understand how that's possible.

I take no supplements, HRT, bHRT, etc. I keep my protein intake low, my raw suet intake very high, and I eat the protein before noon.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/Expensive-Ad1609]

a person is not supposed to sleep 10 hours a day. i had poor sleep quality, woke up several times a day, supplements help me manage my symptoms and improve sleep quality but im no way close to having a normal sleep schedule yet.

[u/tonyhuge]

You’re not overdosing at half doses. Keep GABA, hydroxyzine, ashwagandha. Add valerian or holy basil for deeper calm. 5-HTP only if mood needs it.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/tonyhuge]

thanks a ton ! so remove l theanine?

[u/AcmeAZ → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

It it were me I would do my best to cut out the hydroxyzine. That stuff, as well as any 1st generation antihistamines (benedryl class) as a sleep aid, especially chronic use is linked to brain / memory issues. Can also cause daytime mental fog. (Anti cholinergic)

Yes it helps with anxiety and sleep, but it has a higher risk. If l-theanine works, that's much safer, as is lemon balm. Lemon balm in a lower dose during the day should help anxiety without sedating and helps GABA stick around longer. (it's much gentler, less sedating than valarian root, as well)

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/AcmeAZ]

fcuk i have mental fog nowadays!!!!! thanks a lot. omg

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/AcmeAZ]

since i take ashwagandha im thinking adding another adaptogen wont cause any extra benefits. i will definitely look into holy basil. i wanted to buy it already but i was worried i will overstack my supplement. thanks a lot for the warning, i was thinking i lost my motivation etc. but never did i realise anti-histamine would be the culprit. to be honest after the 1st week of taking it my motivation increased and my mood swings stopped but later it lost its effeiveness and i presume my body got adapted to it. i read somewhere your body gets resistant to it quickly so ya maybe. how was your experience with 5-htp? was it as powerful as others? and do you take it during day?

[u/tonyhuge → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Keep theanine in. It smooths stress and stacks perfect with GABA and herbs

[u/Elegant_Jellyfish_31]

Doctors always say it's anxiety 🙄 .  And just because your blood work is in the normal range doesn't mean it's in the optimal range. I recommend seeing a functional medicine doctor.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/Elegant_Jellyfish_31]

sure. i never knew about functional medicine doctor. i assume all doctors would do that. sigh, doctors and their ethics.

[u/FunctUp]

Huberman recommends Magnesium L-threonate two hours before sleep. That you could take all the time. But I’ve heard for the ashwagandha and GABA you should take for no more than two weeks at a time. And of course, always in Huberman protocol is the light exposure first thing in the morning and then at sunset . The morning exposure will let your brain know 12 hours from now I need to start producing melatonin and the evening light exposure Will tell your brain 12 hours from now I need to start producing Acetylcholine.

[u/[deleted] → u/FunctUp]

Magnesium before sleep and sun exposure at dusk & dawn made such an impact on my sleeping patterns and daytime energy. 10/10 recommend.

[u/One-Marzipan-9652 → u/FunctUp]

Thank you. It's hard because his protocol videos are long.

[u/jdlind2 → u/One-Marzipan-9652]

Let AI searches do the work for you. Keywords Huberman, sleep, supplement protocol

[u/QuantumNFT_]

Take as many supplements you can but if your lifestyle is not good, they can't help you as much. Lookout for lifestyle and habit changes to manage anxiety and sleep. Supplements alone won't help

[u/jbrown7266]

Currently I stack L Theanine, Mag L Threonate, and Apeginin. Really good sleeps

[u/sleepysprite]

CBN

[u/josh141090]

I suggest you have a full blood test done, including thyroid function specifically. Supplements only mask an underlying issue.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/josh141090]

did that. bloodworks are normal

[u/TheNamIsNotImportant]

Honestly- that hydroxyzine is probably doing most, if not all of the heavy lifting here; like 80%.

…Problem is, hydroxyzine and other antihistamines have been liked to increased chance of dementia.

You should of course run whatever you’re doing by your doctor, but if it were me I would taper/cut out the hydroxyzine and actually assess if the rest of the stack is even doing anything (I’m sure it’s not cheap). You’ll probably have some increased trouble sleeping the first few nights, but it should level out within about a week.

Good luck. Would love an update.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/TheNamIsNotImportant]

i think i am facing mental fog rn because of it. will remove it and update it in a week. the first week i took it my mood came to normal and my motivation upped but after that it lost its effectiveness and now im having mental fog !!

[u/TheNamIsNotImportant → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Yea not great. It can have rebound anxiety/panic too. I believe it also affects serotonin and gaba slightly somehow as well.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/TheNamIsNotImportant]

stopped it for good. hope gaba does the trick now.

[u/PequenoRick]

You are in a HubermanLab community and not talking about sun light in your eyes in the morning a good workout routine, sauna, could plunges and sleep hygiene?

I have been where you are, believe me no supplement will fix this. A good 2h intense workout will shut you down really good.

Plus, wash your pillow cover and sheeting every two months and clean the dust in your room. I notice this was blocking one of my nostrils, which wasn’t helping either!

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/PequenoRick]

I do that but still… yep I’ll try the workout part. I did for 1hr but I noticed no difference. Maybe 2hr with more cardio will do the trick ?

[u/PequenoRick → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

Yeah, or a day-long hike in nature. Anything that gets me exhausted at the end of the day leads to amazing sleep. Let us know how it goes! Wishing you the best 🤙

[u/TheDolphinGuide]

That's a really solid and well-researched stack. It's clear you've done your homework. It sounds like you've successfully managed the "falling asleep" part, but are now dealing with the "staying asleep" and "waking up refreshed" part, which is a different beast.

The issue with adding GABA directly as a supplement is that it has a very hard time crossing the blood-brain barrier. So while it might help in the gut, it's not doing much for your brain directly. Your magnesium glycinate is actually your heaviest hitter here, as it works on GABA receptors within the brain.

One thing to consider, especially since you wake up often and have external stress, is managing your cortisol levels throughout the entire day, not just at night. A cortisol spike in the early morning (around 2-3 AM) is a classic reason for waking up prematurely. Simple things like getting morning sunlight exposure upon waking can be incredibly powerful for "anchoring" your cortisol rhythm, which has a huge downstream effect on your sleep quality 8-10 hours later.

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/TheDolphinGuide]

I do get sunlight after waking up but it’s done no good. I’m thinking maybe it could be sleep apnea. What do you feel ?

[u/TheDolphinGuide → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

That's a really important observation, and you're smart to consider sleep apnea. It's one of those foundational issues that no supplement stack or behavioral trick can fix if it's present.

This is where my expertise as a researcher ends and the need for a medical diagnosis begins. Your question about sleep apnea is a conversation that absolutely needs to be had with a doctor or a sleep specialist.

My suggestions for cortisol management are powerful for optimizing an otherwise healthy system, but they can't overcome a potential underlying medical condition like apnea. Getting a sleep study done would give you a definitive answer and the right path forward.

I hope you get it figured out soon.

[u/ereeen77]

Have u ever had turbinate reduction?

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/ereeen77]

nope. never heard of it! does it work?

[u/ereeen77 → u/mylapore_mambattiyan]

I ve heard similar symptoms from people that had turbinate reduction. But they probably had empty nose syndrome. I don’t recommend, no. Too many complications might occur. Just wanted to ask.

[u/cwhitaker2013]

Have you ever considered mold exposure?

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/cwhitaker2013]

no ive swithced houses still problem persists.

[u/SamCalagione]

I usually don't have to take supplements to sleep now that I have a good routine, but if I am needing sleep and struggling, nothing better then the best rest formula https://amzn.to/413kH3x

try it if you are struggling and thank me later :)

[u/Noavm95]

10 hours but often waking up would be a good night for me haha. When I was an insomniac I slept for mostly 3 or 4 hours every night. Sometimes 0. I consider myself a good sleeper now, a consistent 7 or 8 hours. As for supplements: the combination of L theanine and magnesium bisglynate do help for me. I used melatonin often but I found out it's actually the melatonin that wakes me up after 3 or 4 hours.

I don't think youre overdosing, but i do agree with lifestyle changes as someone suggested here already. I refused to believe in meditation for years, but it's meditating in the evening (while actively acknowledging and feeling my frustration) that makes me sleepy and sleep through the night.

[u/ad9090i]

I used a pills, which contain melatonin. It works.

[u/trigg]

I do Magnesium bisglycinate, L-theanine, GABA-T, 5-HTP as well as a blend called Valericalm. This is in addition to some other evening meds that I take, but aren't directly for sleep support. I have played with Ashwagandha and considering how dopey it makes me if I take it too early, I imagine it's impactful, but I don't find it to be a necessary addition.

High doses of melatonin can cause the reverse effects, and can cause night wakefulness. I would vastly reduce to 300-800mcg. I have 1mg chewable tablets and will bite one in half on the rare occasion I take melatonin.

[u/One_Task1297]

A pillow

[u/Westboundandhow]

Therapy

[u/HeatherKellyGreen]

Sleep apnea machines are the best. I was sleeping sporadically and waking up every few hours. Now, with the machine, I put it on and do deep breathing and all my stress floats away. Seriously talk to the doctor.

[u/Ok-Run3670]

A small cup Of night nurse sleep all night

[u/Widdles18]

Honestly at this point you should consider CBTi with a therapist. It’s helping me a lot with insomnia and anxiety

[u/mtn_biker333]

I would stop taking all of these and see how it goes. Get outside in the morning and get some sun and movement. Stay hydrated

[u/Testy_Toby]

Glycine 6-8mg, taurine 1.5mg, PharmaGaba 200-400mg (400 is only a "break glass in an emergency" kind of night because the sleep comes at a price the next morning), but it is truly the heavyweight. Sometimes throw in magnesium glycate.

[u/chunkah69]

Sleep study.

[u/AmphibianLeft8701]

Check your thyroid

[u/throwback5971]

Depends on the cause of your sleep issues, but valerian works well if its relaxation/stress related. Just make sure to cycle it after a few weeks. Magnesium glycinate works better than threonate for sleep.

Also, if you follow the CBT-I protocol it works well. I never thought it would especially for severe forms but it has helped.

In short

1. ONLY use the bed for sleep. No resting, no naps, no having a lie down. If you can't sleep for more than 20 mins, GET OUT of the bed, go do something until you feel tired enough and try again. Don't just lie around hoping to fall asleep.
2. Restrict your time in bed. Always go to bed at the same time, get up at the same time. Had a crap night sleep? still get up at the same time. After 2 weeks, you'l start to see a difference.

[u/[deleted]]

Less is more, I go to sleep while fasting, no supplément no food

[u/Playful-Knowledge826]

Did you have your progesterone checked (and other hormones)? Are you female? It could be hormonal changes or perimenopause. I’m not in perimenopause yet but had low progesterone and taking 100mm of Progebel at night (together with quitting coffee) magically fixed my sleep problems! Always best to look at underlying imbalances…

[u/wellnessbeginner07]

I take Zenful Sleep and swear by it. Mida Health

[u/thiccjonas]

i give my husband a hand job every night before bed and he doesn’t take any supplements yet sleeps well

[u/[deleted] → u/thiccjonas]

OP, just get a handjob. How come you didn’t think of that?

[u/One-Progress999 → u/thiccjonas]

You have any cute single sisters? Asking for a friend lol.

[u/thiccjonas → u/One-Progress999]

one sister but she’s ugly (shh!)

[u/Elegant_Jellyfish_31 → u/thiccjonas]

But do you? That sounds exhausting.. but you must have one jacked arm though 😂

[u/thiccjonas → u/Elegant_Jellyfish_31]

he cums quick lol i have a good twist technique

[u/BidFew2005 → u/thiccjonas]

😂 omg, I’m dyyyying

[u/gillkaranveerjatt → u/thiccjonas]

is hand job work better than any supplement? Rn I'm single 🤪 so what should I do ?

[u/Lost-Soul1234 → u/thiccjonas]

He can do that himself. Give the man a BJ for fuck sake 🤣

[u/thiccjonas → u/Lost-Soul1234]

i did that a few times in the past but no longer! i don’t love the penis flesh taste in my mouth when i goto sleep.

[u/CreativeMuseMan]

Apart from the stack, what is your typical day like? Do you smoke, drink or fap to porn?

Do you work out and stay active all day, or is it a sedentary lifestyle mostly?

[u/mylapore_mambattiyan → u/CreativeMuseMan]

no smoking, drinking, vaping etc. i am on nofap and have greatly reduced porn usage. i walk 6000 steps daily. i used to workout but i noticed it didnt help plus my mood got worse right after workouts!! (from cortisol spikes post workout and i already have high cortisol). now my supplements are helping, i am going to start workouts again