GABA and Sleep
There’s a lot of scientific terms surrounding sleep. And once you start looking into the hormonal side of sleep it can get even more complicated. Melatonin and cortisol are the two we talk about often but there’s a whole world of biological, chemical and hormonal sides to sleep. As we get more invested into the “why”s of sleep and the research deepens, new terms pop up. One of these latest sleep-related terms is GABA.
What is GABA?
GABA is gamma-aminobutyric acid. This acid is a neurotransmitter - not a hormone - in your brain that assists in the movement of messages, thoughts, ideas and other signals.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, GABA is a particular type of brain-messenger in that it actually slows down your brain cell’s ability to receive, send or create “messages”. So, it really is a brain receptor blocker (technically called an inhibitory neurotransmitter).
Because GABA blocks messages, it can slow down your brain and produce a sense of calm in your body. It plays a big role in our brain’s natural ability to manage stress, fear and anxiety.
GABA in simple terms
Think of GABA as a giant weighted, warmed-up teddy bear giving your brain a nice big hug after a long day. It’s a natural relaxant for our brains. And it really does feel nice.
Changing levels of GABA
There are many types of mental health illnesses and neurological conditions connected to changing and abnormal levels of GABA in the brain. “Abnormal” or “changing” can refer to:
GABA not communicating with other types of brain hormones properly (GABA and serotonin often work together to maintain proper brain function and levels)
Lower / higher GABA activity than expected
Some of the diseases, according to Cleveland Clinic, associated with low GABA levels include:
Anxiety and mood disorders
Depression
Epilepsy
Schizophrenia
There are also a number of other medical conditions connected to abnormal GABA levels including hypersomnia and Huntington disease.
How to tell if you have low GABA
If you are suffering from any of the mental or physical illnesses above, it could be worth bringing up GABA levels to your doctor. If you are struggling to sleep and all of the non-medical tips and tricks (meditation, stretching, deep breathing, reading, cutting of screen time etc) don’t work to help you sleep, it may also be a good conversation to have with your doctor.
GABA and sleep
Because GABA plays a huge role in our ability to relax and calm down, it definitely is connected to our sleep quality. Without this inhibitor, you can have higher rates of insomnia, lay awake at night and struggle to feel relaxed at the end of the day.
Those with active and normal levels of GABA can sleep:
Deeper
Longer
Without disruption
Quicker
GABA supplements
You can find supplements to take to top up GABA levels and help improve the quality of your sleep. As mentioned, however, GABA does affect your neurological functions and should not be bought and taken without the direction of your doctor.
Trouble sleeping?
When you have trouble sleeping, it’s easy to be roped in with seemingly “easy” or “quick” fixes like taking GABA, melatonin or other sleep inducers. These can be more appealing than many of the other natural sleep aids like meditation, sleep schedules, diet changes and more because they don’t take as much time to feel the effects.
But easy isn’t always the best answer.
If you are having trouble sleeping and you want to learn more about your sleep habits, a sleep study can give you lots of insight to what happens while you’re sleeping. Sleep studies are covered by OHIP and can be set up by a doctor referral. Learn more about sleep studies and book yours today!