Originally Posted by
AnalogMan
The Creepy Crawler: You fall asleep just fine. But then you wake up at an unreasonable hour, maybe 3 or 4am., and no matter how hard you try, you can't fall back to sleep. You may resort to 'creeping' around the house or surfing the internet instead. The technical term for this problem is Sleep Latency Insomnia.
Antenna Head: You climb into bed at a reasonable hour and lie there as your brain becomes an antenna for every thought on the planet. Your head goes into 'rewind' mode as you think about what you should've done, what you might have said, and what you still need to do. Then around 1 or 2 am when you are fully maddened, you might doze off. This is termed Sleep Onset Insomnia.
5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin a hormone thats lifts depression, elevates mood, and promotes good sleep. 5-HTP occurs in your body naturally, but you can also take it as a supplement. You get twice the benefit from 5-HTP, because in the body, it goes on to make both serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin helps improve mood, and melatonin regulates sleep. Great for Creepy Crawlers and Antenna Heads.
Sleep is crucial, human growth hormone (HGH) and insulin growth factor (IGF-1) are typically produced at night. IGF-1 is triggered by the presence of HGH and is released by the liver and skeletal muscles to help build and repair tissues. IGF-1 shares the same receptor sites as insulin, the peptide hormone that regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism. When insulin is present because you've indulged in a high-carb snack before bed, IGF-1 is pushed aside. Eating carbohydrates at night hampers the muscle-repair process because insulin levels increase, preventing IGF-1 from binding to receptor sites. Avoid eating carbs after your evening meal and try consuming smaller meals low in high-glycemic carbs throughout the day.
3-4 hours before bed: Complex Carbs if you choice. Brown rice is a complex carb..........AM