Sleep & Overnight Repair

Written by Dr. Ryan Kneessi, ND

The mechanisms this protocol supports

Your sleep is guided by a circadian rhythm, an internal clock that responds to light, meal timing and activity. As evening approaches, the nervous system shifts toward a calmer state, body temperature drops slightly and melatonin rises.

During deep sleep, the brain’s glymphatic system increases the flow of fluid that helps clear metabolic waste, and the body releases growth hormone that supports tissue repair. Magnesium and calming amino acids such as glycine and L-theanine support the nervous system’s shift into rest.

Research has linked short or poor-quality sleep with changes in blood sugar regulation, immune signaling and long-term cognitive health. You can read more in my articles on sleep optimization and the glymphatic system.

What is in the protocol

The exact products and directions are listed in the Fullscript plan, and here is what each one is commonly used to support.

Magnesium Glycinate Chelate from Designs for Health provides a gentle, well-absorbed form of magnesium that supports muscle relaxation and normal nervous system function. Qualia Night is a blend of nutrients and botanicals designed to support restful sleep and overnight recovery.

Glycine is an amino acid that has been studied for its role in sleep quality and the natural drop in body temperature at night. L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea that supports a calm, relaxed state without heavy sedation.

Related protocols you may find helpful include Hormone & Stress Rhythm.

How to use it thoughtfully

Please talk with your provider before starting, especially if you take medications, are pregnant or nursing, or have a health condition. This page does not list amounts, so follow the label or the specific guidance your provider gives you. When you can, add one product at a time so it is easier to notice how you feel. Sleep, nourishing food, daily movement and stress care are the foundation, and supplements are meant to build on them.

If you take sleep medications or sedating medications, check with your prescriber before adding anything that supports relaxation. Persistent snoring, gasping at night or daytime sleepiness deserve a conversation with your provider.

What the research shows

This protocol has not been tested as a whole in a clinical trial, so the studies below cover its main ingredients.

In a 2012 double-blind trial by Abbasi and colleagues, 46 older adults with insomnia took 500 mg of magnesium or a placebo daily for eight weeks. Compared with placebo, the magnesium group improved insomnia severity scores, sleep efficiency and time to fall asleep, with higher melatonin and lower cortisol, although total sleep time did not differ significantly. The trial was small and in older adults who may have had low magnesium intake.

Glycine was tested in sleep-restricted adults by Bannai and colleagues in 2012. Healthy volunteers slept 25% less than usual for three nights and took 3 grams of glycine or a placebo before bed. With glycine, they reported significantly less daytime fatigue, a trend toward less sleepiness, and performed better on an attention test. The study was small and short, and it tested sleep loss rather than insomnia.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Xie L, et al. Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain. Science 2013. PMID: 24136970. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3880190/
• Van Cauter E, Leproult R, Plat L. Age-related changes in slow wave sleep and REM sleep and relationship with growth hormone and cortisol levels in healthy men. JAMA 2000. PMID: 10938176. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10938176/
• Bannai M, Kawai N. New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep. J Pharmacol Sci 2012. PMID: 22293292. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22293292/
• Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function. Lancet 1999. PMID: 10543671. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10543671/
• Irwin MR, Olmstead R, Carroll JE. Sleep Disturbance, Sleep Duration, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies and Experimental Sleep Deprivation. Biol Psychiatry 2016. PMID: 26140821. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4666828/

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