How Does L-Theanine Help with Insomnia? 3 Things You Should Know
It's a question that has been asked since the dawn of time: what happens when women sleep peacefully? The answer, of course, is that they wake up feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to take on the day.
A good night's sleep is important for everyone, but it's especially important for women. We need our beauty sleep in order to look and feel our best. When we don't get enough sleep, it shows in our appearance and in our attitude. We can become moody, irritable, and short-tempered.
But there are times when you're tossing and turning in bed, trying to fall asleep, but your mind just won't shut off. You check the clock and see that it's 3:00 am. Great. Now you're wide awake and stressing about how you're going to function at work tomorrow on zero sleep.
If this is you, well, you are not alone. According to the National Sleep Foundation, around 60 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.
Insomnia is a real pain – quite literally. But it turns out that there may be a way to find some relief. L-theanine is an amino acid that can be found in green tea. It's known for its relaxation properties and has been shown to help with insomnia.
If you are one of the many women who suffer from insomnia, you may be looking for a natural way to get relief. In this article, we will explore more about L-theanine and how it can help with insomnia.
What is L-theanine, and how does it work?
L-theanine is an amino acid that is found naturally in green tea leaves. It is also available in supplement form and is often touted as a natural remedy for a variety of health conditions, including insomnia and anxiety. But how does L-theanine work?
Well, it's actually pretty simple. L-theanine works by interacting with the brain's neurotransmitters to produce a calming effect. It also helps to promote healthy sleep and can improve mental focus and concentration. So, if you're looking for a natural way to boost your sleep health, L-theanine is definitely worth a try. Let's get into the specifics of how it helps with insomnia.
How does L-theanine help with insomnia?
Promotes relaxation
We all know that drinking caffeine can keep us awake and help us power through a long day. But did you know that caffeine also inhibits excitatory brain chemicals? This means that, in addition to keeping us awake, caffeine can also prevent us from getting a good night's sleep.
L-theanine operates in a way completely opposite to that of caffeine. It is known for its ability to promote relaxation without causing drowsiness.
In today's hectic world, it's more important than ever to find ways to promote relaxation. Luckily, there are a number of ways to do this – and one of the most effective is to take L-theanine. It works by inhibiting the release of the neurotransmitter excitatory nerve impulses.
A recent study found that giving Wistar rats L-theanine led to elevated levels of dopamine and glycine in the brain, with the former being released at levels up to 300% over baseline. Both of these are associated with generating a relaxing effect in the brain.
Lower levels of the stress hormones
It's no secret that stress can have a negative effect on your sleep. If you've ever lie awake at night stressing about something, you know how difficult it can be to fall asleep.
Studies have shown that stress and anxiety can lead to insomnia, which can in turn lead to a whole host of other problems. If you're struggling to get a good night's sleep, it might be time to take a look at your stress levels. L-theanine works by inhibiting the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which improves mood and fosters mental peace.
L-theanine (450 mg/day and 900 mg/day) was tested for its calming effects on 46 people with a clinical diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder in recent research. L-theanine resulted in increased sleep satisfaction and reduced insomnia symptoms among participants with generalized anxiety disorder.
Help brains focus
We all know that getting a good night's sleep is important for our health. But did you know that having a focused brain can actually help you sleep better?
We have seen mindfulness experts using this method with people struggling to fall asleep. They ask them to close their eyes and focus on one thing, anything, for as long as they can. Whether it's their breath, a mantra, or a specific image, focus on it intently and see if it helps you drift off to sleep. The idea behind this is to improve focus and concentration.
Similarly, L-theanine works by enhancing the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA, which has calming effects. This activation leads to increased levels of dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with improved focus and concentration.
To Sum Up…
L-theanine is an amino acid that is known to have a calming and relaxing effect on the body. L-theanine has been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety and improving sleep quality. It is thought to be safe for most people, with the most common side effect being headaches. So if you're looking for a natural way to improve your focus and concentration, try drinking green tea or taking L-theanine supplements.
References
Wang, Q., Zheng, Y., Ho, C. T., Huang, J., Guan, X., Lai, C., ... & Lin, B. (2021). L-theanine as a promising agent on brain health-promoting foods–A review. Journal of Food Bioactives, 13.
Wang, L., Brennan, M., Li, S., Zhao, H., Lange, K. W., & Brennan, C. (2022). How does the tea L-theanine buffer stress and anxiety. Food Science and Human Wellness, 11(3), 467-475.
Sarris, J., Byrne, G. J., Cribb, L., Oliver, G., Murphy, J., Macdonald, P., ... & Ng, C. H. (2019). L-theanine in the adjunctive treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of psychiatric research, 110, 31-37.