Fall asleep earlier in the evening and wake up fully earlier in the morning thanks to PEA

Definition: "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance "

02.10.2023

If you stay awake for a relatively long time after getting into bed, you will benefit from supplementation with palmitoylethanolamide [PEA for short]. PEA can also ensure that you are fully alert and awake more quickly in the morning after getting up.

Fall asleep earlier in the evening and wake up fully earlier in the morning thanks to PEA

Study

Researchers from the Australian private research firm RDC Clinical [Link] published a human study in Sleep Science Practice in 2021, in which 103 adults with sleep problems participated as test subjects. For 8 weeks, half of the test subjects took 350 milligrams of PEA one hour before going to bed. The other half took a placebo.

The PEA application the researchers used was Levagen+, a product of Gencor Pacific. Gencor paid for the study.

PEA
PEA is found in egg yolks, peanuts and soybeans, but immune cells and nerve cells in the body also produce PEA themselves. PEA activates receptors with which endocannabinoids such as anandamide interact. PEA itself is not an endocannabinoid, but an endocannabinoid-like lipid mediator.

Echinacea and cannabis contain substances that work via the endocannabinoid system. Most reduce inflammatory reactions and have a calming and antidepressant effect.

Results
At first glance, supplementation with PEA did not improve the quantity and quality of sleep.

Click on the tables below for a larger version.

However, PEA allowed subjects who were awake for at least 10 minutes after getting into bed to fall asleep faster. At the end of the experiment, the subjects fell asleep about 20 minutes earlier than before the supplementation started.

The figure below shows this.

Fall asleep earlier in the evening and wake up fully earlier in the morning thanks to PEA

PEA shortened the time it took the subjects to wake up in the morning. You can see this in the table above.

Conclusion
"The results of this study support PEA as a potential sleeping aid capable of reducing sleep onset time in individuals with sleep latency issues and improving cognition on waking," the researchers summarize.

"Further studies would benefit by specifically focusing on sleep latency and/or including participants with severely disturbed sleep."

Source:
Sleep Sci Pract. 2021;5(1):12.

More:
PEA against chronic pain | Metastudy 28.09.2023
Palmitoylethanolamide, a natural painkiller with no side effects 03.11.2016

Archives:
Sleep
PEA



Passiflora incarnata, a natural sleep enhancer It has been a trend in sports nutrition for a couple of years now: supplements that are supposed to improve sleep, and consequently enhance muscle recovery and - you guessed it - muscle growth.	PQQ improves mood & sleep If you do not sleep well and if your mood is low, supplementation with PQQ might be an option.	Eating time restriction makes you healthier And improves your sleep.