Glycine for sleep and hot flushes

One of my favourite supplements is a small amino acid - Glycine. Specialising in supporting women in perimenopause and menopause, I particularly love this supplement as it helps to improve 2 common symptoms in my clients - improving sleep and lessening hot flushes

As a supplement, glycine is actually able to cross the blood-brain barrier. activating what are known as NMDA and glycine receptors. When glycine binds to glycine receptors in the brain, it inhibits the firing of neurons, allowing the mind to feel more at ease and become less responsive to certain stimuli.

The ability to fall asleep is partially dependent on a drop in body temperature at night. Taking Glycine has been shown to promote sleep and shorten the time to get into non-REM sleep through mechanisms entirely related to a drop in body temperature resulting from vasodilation of blood vessels.

Vasodilation of blood vessels is necessary so that blood flow to the skin can increase and remove heat from the core. The main site of glycine’s action of vasodilation is at these NMDA receptors located in the part of the brain that regulates circadian rhythms and the vasodilation helps with hot flushes!

Taken before bed, a dose of 3g glycine can stabilise sleep, lower the time taken to get to sleep and help to reduce hot flushes… Give it a try!

In health,
Tx