L-Glycine is a simple amino acid, but when it comes to sleep and metabolic health, it’s a bit of a heavy hitter. It’s naturally produced by your body and found in protein-rich foods, but many people use it as a supplement specifically to improve sleep quality without the "hangover" effect of traditional sleep aids.
Here is a breakdown of how it works and what else it does for you.
How Glycine Helps You Sleep
Glycine doesn’t work like a sedative; rather, it prepares your body’s internal systems for rest through two primary mechanisms:
1. Lowering Core Body Temperature
Your body temperature needs to drop slightly to initiate and stay in deep sleep. Glycine increases blood flow to your extremities (vasodilation), which helps dissipate core heat. By chilling you out—literally—it helps you fall asleep faster.
2. Increasing Serotonin Levels
Glycine increases serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a precursor to melatonin, the hormone responsible for your sleep-wake cycle. More interestingly, glycine helps modulate NMDA receptors in the brain, which can help calm overactive neurons.