How Long Does 5-HTP Take to Work for Sleep
If you’re having trouble sleeping, if you have frequent insomnia attacks, if you’re having poor quality sleep, and if you have irregular sleeping patterns, then you may have probably heard of 5-HTP, especially when buying sleeping aids.
5-HTP or 5-Hydroxy tryptophan is a kind of amino acid that the body naturally produces. It is used to produce serotonin – a neurotransmitter that is in charge of regulating your digestion, mood, sleep, and also sends signals to your nerve cells.
5-HTP is also used to produce melatonin – a hormone that plays a huge role in your natural sleep-wake cycle.
Low serotonin and melatonin levels can be linked to anxiety, depression, weight gain, sleep disorders, and other health issues. Hence, increasing your body’s production of serotonin and melatonin can bring plenty of health benefits.
This is the reason why serotonin and melatonin-boosting supplements like 5-HTP are becoming more popular to help regulate sleeping patterns and to provide good quality of sleep. If you want to know more about how 5-HTP works, this blog is for you.
But the questions that most people ask are: how long does it really take for 5-HTP to work for sleep? Will it become effective immediately? Read further to know more.
5-HTP for Sleep
Many clinical studies and evidence found that 5-HTP can help solve sleep disturbances so you can sleep better.
Sleep deprivation or lack of sleep is one of the leading causes of weight gain, poor memory & concentration, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. Therefore, having better and sufficient sleep can significantly improve one’s overall health.
Supplementing your body with 5-HTP can help directly increase the amount of serotonin in your brain to synthesize the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin. This way, if you need to sleep, your body has an adequate supply of serotonin to work with.
Healthy melatonin levels are essential for the proper functioning of the body’s biological clock.
5-HTP will assist your brain and body to fall asleep faster and better throughout the night so you can wake up feeling more refreshed, alert, and well-rested.
How Long Does 5 HTP Take Effect for Sleep?
People who suffered from insomnia and poor sleep conditions that have taken 5 HTP supplement are said to sleep quicker and more deeply.
Researchers advise taking 90 to 400 milligrams of 5-HTP every night to stimulate the serotonin and melatonin receptors in the brain. But if it’s your first time to take 5-HTP, it may take 6 to 12 weeks for it to become fully effective.
The amount of 5-HTP dosage you’ll take will depend on your age, weight, and health condition. A healthy person with no underlying medical condition can start taking 90 mg of 5-HTP every night.
If your doctors prescribe 5-HTP as part of your treatment, make sure to follow the instructions carefully.
If you have no doctor’s advice and want to take 5-HTP to help with your insomnia and anxiety, buy supplements from reliable brands and refer to the label for proper dosage.
In general, take 5-HTP 30 to 45 minutes before bedtime to increase effectiveness. And also to give way for the “wind down sleep routine”, which means allowing your body to have enough time to relax before going to sleep.
Also, avoid watching TV or looking at the bright screen of your phone or computer before bed. Because no matter how much serotonin is present, your brain will still struggle in producing the sleep hormone melatonin if you don’t stop your screen time.
5-HTP supplements can be conveniently bought in pharmacies, health & wellness stores, and from online shops even without doctor’s prescription. But if you’re under medication, talk to your doctor first.
Reminders when taking 5 HTP
- 5-HTP has been shown to be safe in doses up to 400 milligrams per day, according to clinical studies.
- Taking very high doses of 5-HTP can be harmful and less effective. That’s because overdosing 5-HTP can spike the effect of serotonin levels, causing negative side effects to health such as headache, shivering, anxiety, nausea, and heart problems.
- 5-HTP should never be mixed with alcohol, as this can reduce its effectiveness. If you ever drank alcoholic beverages, allow six hours to pass before taking 5-HTP again.
- If you’re only using 5-HTP as a sleep aid, once a day, 30 to 45 minutes before bed is enough. But if your general practitioner prescribed it due to other medical reasons like treatment of depression or anxiety, follow their orders is accordingly.
Purely Optimal’s 5-HTP+ Complex - the best sleep aid you deserve
Our 5-HTP+ contains the following ingredients so you can wind down to a good night’s sleep and look forward to happier days ahead:
- 250 mg of 5-HTP to boost the serotonin and melatonin production
- 550 mg of herbal extracts
- 350 mg of nutritional support
- 90 mg of water-soluble nutrients
- Eleuthero –- for energy support and stress relief
- More types of amino acids – to boost cognitive function
- Vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, niacin, ashwagandha, bacopa, passionflower, lemon balm and skullcap for more body functions support
How our 5-HTP+ contributes to your health:
- Helps you have a relaxed mind and a calm mood so you can feel good from the inside out
- Allows you to look forward to happier days ahead with zero or less stress
- Serves as your natural way to sleep faster at night
- Gives good serotonin and melatonin levels to regulate and improve your quality of sleep
- Assists you to stay on track so you can live a positive life
- Boosts your serotonin levels that also aid in maintaining a healthy weight
- Helps curb your cravings
- Reduces pain associated with fibromyalgia
- Lets you accomplish your day-to-day tasks with laser-sharp focus
Here are 5-star reviews from our customers who have purchased our 5-HTP+ Complex
From JayDee
“I live with PMDD and the associated Depression and sleep disturbances on a cyclical basis. This is partially managed by prescription medication. I started this product to attempt to reduce some of the overall mood fluctuations. I immediately noticed an improvement in sleep which is priceless! I have not yet been in a PMDD cycle but I’m optimistic that my mood will at least not drop as drastically.”
From Christina
“This product has helped me sleep better. I usually sleep through the night now where before I would wake up several times during the night and have a hard time falling back asleep. I haven’t had any side effects. I will continue using.”
From Kristina Hodgkinson
“This is probably the third or fourth different brand that I have tried for HTP. It has 250 mg of HTP which is very hard to find in other products. It also had Vitamin C, Niacin, Vitamin B6 and Magnesium - all things that are recommended for a improving mental health. I am now a repeat customer because it’s the first HTP that I feel has made a difference in stabilizing my mood and helping me sleep.”
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