From: Daniel J. Boone (djboone@romea.com)
Date: Mon Jul 19 1999 - 10:40:06 MDT
The chemical known as GABA (commonly sold OTC as a nutritional supplement) has
the following effects on me, such that I would certainly use it in coping with
a new work/sleep schedule (though I do not know if it would affect sleep cycles
per se):
A dose of 1-2 grams puts me RIGHT to sleep, sound sleep. The brief dozing off
period (which occurs despite my prior state, which may be ennervation due to
caffeine overuse or adrenaline from a stressful day) is characterized by a
warm, mellow relaxed feeling akin to a real good alcohol buzz.
Dreams are more vivid.
Waking usually follows in about four hours, no matter how previously sleep
deprived I was. Upon waking, I usually feel refreshed and ready to leap out of
bed and tackle my day. However, if time allows, or it is the middle of the
night, I can readily fall asleep again.
Upon waking, I sometimes notice a very mild headache that quickly goes away.
It will come as no surprise that the effects described above are dose dependent
and decline with use. In other words, to get the same effect day after day
requires increased dosages after about day three.
Other people have reported similar results.
I suspect that two or three uses at the beginning of a new shift would be very
helpful, if only in guaranteeing a few hours of refreshing sleep during the
unfamiliar sleep period. I mostly use it in circumstances where I'm going to
bed only a few hours before my next work day begins (especially after my poker
game when I am jazzed on caffiene and adrenaline) to prevent painful sleep
deprivation symptoms the next day.
Usual disclaimers apply. This stuff mucks with brain chemistry in ways I don't
understand, so moderation is the watchword. The one time I used this stuff
several days running I fell into a funk that could not entirely be explained by
my circumstances, so I suspect a depressant effect from sustained use.
-- Daniel
>> I remember reading about Melatonin - is it useful in this context? Are there
>> other drugs/supplements which can help with a freaky sleep cycle?
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