What's the best "wake up refreshed in the morning" supplement?

[SnoozeFighter]

Alright guys so i work 2 different jobs, trying to make the ends meet. I've been doing it for just about 6 months and i feel like sh*t. The problem is that i don't sleep at a specific time and I can manage only about 6 hours of sleep a night. A few nights a week i sleep from about 1 AM to 7 AM and the rest of the nights from about 6 AM to 12PM. I feel tired and groggy most of the time and i'm feeling a little depressed. It's been so long since i've woken up feeling refreshed. I know that what i'm currently doing is not the best thing for my body, but i need to do it.

So does anyone have any suggestions? Are there any supplements or nootropics that I can take before going to bed that will help me get up in the morning when I'm not getting enough sleep?

 

[Admin]

PES Alphamine. Now I haven't tried many others and I'm sure you will get a bunch of recommendations.....and it really depends on how you respond to stimulants but as of now, Alphamine is a supp that gives me extreme clean energy while also elevated my mood drastically.

I'm looking for alternatives as well since you ahve to cycle it on and off.

Going to try some Controlled Labs and also Performax stuff (ordered some today) to compare.

 

[Admin]

If you're looking for a supplement to help you get a better sleep, then thats something I havne't really tried. I wasn't sure whch one you wanted....looks like you want something to help with sleep..in that case, ignore my post above.

 

[heavylifter33]

I've tried multiple things ranging from basic to exotic (i guess). ZMA and melatonin have both worked reasonably well for me, i like ZMA because you can take it every night and not worry about any type of dependence or anything. Melatonin has worked well for when i really needed an extra kick. As far as "formulated" supplements go, my two favorites are Fat Free PM by AppNut and Growth Factor XT from SNS. Fat Free was a real surprise but wow i really really loved the two bottles i used. Always woke up really rested and ready to take on the day and just like you i've been a pretty poor sleeper throughout my life. Growth Factor was a sleeper pick as well, nothing too intense but when taken before bed i felt it relaxed me to ease in to sleep and i definitely felt more rested the next day.

At the end of the day i do think sleep supps can be worth it, especially since better/deeper sleep can actually translate in to better performance and overall body composition changes. The better you recover and the harder you can work in the gym will over time lead to better gains. Hope that helped a bit.

 

[Admin]

Was just going to tag Synapsin to address the nootropic area......

 

[Synapsin]

Alright guys so i work 2 different jobs, trying to make the ends meet. I've been doing it for just about 6 months and i feel like sh*t. The problem is that i don't sleep at a specific time and I can manage only about 6 hours of sleep a night. A few nights a week i sleep from about 1 AM to 7 AM and the rest of the nights from about 6 AM to 12PM. I feel tired and groggy most of the time and i'm feeling a little depressed. It's been so long since i've woken up feeling refreshed. I know that what i'm currently doing is not the best thing for my body, but i need to do it.

So does anyone have any suggestions? Are there any supplements or nootropics that I can take before going to bed that will help me get up in the morning when I'm not getting enough sleep?

How depressed would you say you are? Depression greatly impacts your sleep and if you are moderately to severely depressed, it would be the first thing to address for your sleep issues. Also have you had a blood test recently, and if so, how was your thyroid? Have you tried melatonin before for your shift work? Melatonin is chronobiotic and is very useful for those doing shift work or have erratic sleep schedules

I've tried multiple things ranging from basic to exotic (i guess). ZMA and melatonin have both worked reasonably well for me, i like ZMA because you can take it every night and not worry about any type of dependence or anything. Melatonin has worked well for when i really needed an extra kick. As far as "formulated" supplements go, my two favorites are Fat Free PM by AppNut and Growth Factor XT from SNS. Fat Free was a real surprise but wow i really really loved the two bottles i used. Always woke up really rested and ready to take on the day and just like you i've been a pretty poor sleeper throughout my life. Growth Factor was a sleeper pick as well, nothing too intense but when taken before bed i felt it relaxed me to ease in to sleep and i definitely felt more rested the next day.

At the end of the day i do think sleep supps can be worth it, especially since better/deeper sleep can actually translate in to better performance and overall body composition changes. The better you recover and the harder you can work in the gym will over time lead to better gains. Hope that helped a bit.

Good post here. Another one I often recommend before ever prescribing anything is Diphenhydramine

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Glycine can be useful before sleep:

The glycine ingestion significantly improved the following elements: “fatigue”, “liveliness and peppiness”, and “clear-headedness”. These results suggest that glycine produced a good subjective feeling after awakening from sleep.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1479-8425.2006.00193.x/abstract

Thus, a bolus ingestion of glycine before bedtime seems to produce subjective and objective improvement of the sleep quality in a different way than traditional hypnotic drugs such as benzodiazepines.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1479-8425.2007.00262.x/abstract

Thus, glycine modulates certain neuropeptides in the SCN and this phenomenon may indirectly contribute to improving the occasional sleepiness and fatigue induced by sleep restriction.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22529837

 

[Synapsin]

Indeed. List of things I would consider helpful and not very expensive:

Magnesium
Glycine
Ashwagandha

 

[jgntyce]

I just recently started using ZMA and melatonin before bed, and I felt very very rested and refreshed waking up the next morning. BPS Adrenosurge might help you as well, to be taken twice a day when you are awake.

 

[muscleupcrohn]

Indeed. List of things I would consider helpful and not very expensive:

Magnesium
Glycine
Ashwagandha

Nice list. There are also some other things, but I think they're mostly catered towards helping with insomnia and actually falling asleep, which isn't the problem OP is having, but I figure I'll list them anyway:
Lemon Balm, Valerian (apparently additive effects in regards to vivid dreams with kava, which is interesting), tryptophan, and theanine (just for relaxing really). A bit off topic, but all of them together are great for relaxing before bed.

As for something to take during the day, besides caffeine and rhodiola, the following may be worth looking into:
L-Ornithine

L-ornithine supplementation has the potential to relieve stress and improve sleep quality related to fatigue, both objectively and subjectively.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055948/

The results of the present study suggest that there is a unique synergistic effect between caffeine and ornithine on the mood of healthy office workers and that ornithine may potentiate the effects of caffeine.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287333/

ALCAR can also help with mental fatigue.

 

[bonbon]

USPLabs PowerFULL pre-bed works for me

 

[LEATHERFACE]

Glycine is amazing, I use it for joint/tendon, I take 10 grams a day, a tons of benefit, anti aging ect....

too bad I don't have enough messages to post a study , nature . com/articles/srep10434

 

[McBurly]

1/2 tab Benadryl (or generic) + 1 dopadex creates the best sleep 4-6 hours feels like 8+ to me

I also take 1-2 scoops of either Alphamine or Focus Xt to get me going in the morning as well

 

[aaronuconn]

Ashwagandha (as KSM-66) is great pre-bed.

 

[jamesm11]

Go to a doctor. Because of the shifts you work they can usually prescribe things like modafinil, nuvigil, or even adderall or ritalin. If they're not abused thrn they're extremely useful prescriptions to take on a need basis.

 

[paula]

Abyss unparalled

 

[Jebrook]

Gaba
ZMA
Melatonin
Dipenhydramine

I have used all those at times and reaped benefits. I usually use one for a month or so, go off for a month or two, And when sleep starts getting erratic, pick up another one. GABA 500 mg was one of my faves. The tingling, shortness of breath, and mild anxiety after dosing were annoying but went away quickly. All those I listed had little hangover effect for me.
Currently using Gharine(Ibutamoren) 10 mg ed and the sleep benefits are also very good. Sleep is much more restful.

 

[baxtecal]

I would take a good sleep supplement, and I would definatley take 5-htp for depression and positive mood, Its helped me before. And you could add a stimulant in the AM if needed; such as alphamine or norcodrene by PES.

 

[Woody]

Indeed. List of things I would consider helpful and not very expensive:

Magnesium
Glycine
Ashwagandha

What dosages?
400 mg magnesium
3g Glycine

 

[Synapsin]

What dosages?
400 mg magnesium
3g Glycine

Magnesium- 250-500 mg depending on form
Glycine- 6 grams
Ashwagandha- 250-500 mg

 

[Woody]

Magnesium- 250-500 mg depending on form
Glycine- 6 grams
Ashwagandha- 250-500 mg

Which form of mag is best for sleep?

 

[TShoot]

Go to a doctor. Because of the shifts you work they can usually prescribe things like modafinil, nuvigil, or even adderall or ritalin. If they're not abused thrn they're extremely useful prescriptions to take on a need basis.

I was thinking the exact same thing but I believe the OP was asking what he could take BEFORE bedtime to help him feel more rested.

What you mentioned above is what you would take if you wanted to stay alert and focused once you were awake.

Modafinil (and the like) is your friend if you can get it. I can stay awake for two days with that stuff but you eventually have to come down.

Now to help you sleep:

Natural
Melatonin (5-10mg)
Valerian Root (100mg)
5-HTP (100mg)
Magnesium (500mg)
Ashwagandha (500 mg)
Phenibut (750-1000mg) (need to be careful about this guy - works well be can become addictive)

Not so natural but OTC
Benadryl
Unisom

Prescription
Ambien 10mg
Lunesta
Trazadone 100mg (Off Label Use - Used for depression too)

Off-Label Use Prescription Meds
Certainly not advocating their use but they do work.
Almost any of the Benzodiazepines (but some are more addictive than others) like:

Ativan (lorazepam) (1mg)
Valium (diazepam) (10mg)
Klonopin (clonazepam) (2mg - can split the tablet in two to take 1mg)
Xanax (alprazolam) (2mg - can split the tablet in two to take 1mg) Be careful with this one - IMHO easier to get addicted to

If you need to be alert AFTER you wake up and are still feeling tired:

Caffeine (100-300mg)
Lot of other pre-packaged stim combinations
Acetyl L-Tyrosine (500-750mg) stacked with Pine Bark (100mg per 100lbs of bodyweight)
Nootropic Stacks (just do a search)
Modafinil (100-200mg) Not OTC
Kratom (read on the various types)
Adderall (Presciption)
Ritalin (Prescription)

Again, not advocating the use of any of these. Do your own research. Talk to your Dr. if you think you need to take it up a notch over natural supplement. Even with natural supplements be smart (Phenibut for one example)

Good Luck!

 

[Synapsin]

Which form of mag is best for sleep?

Now this is particularly interesting, you can do a variety of types. Magnesium citrate is cheap and works well. I personally like magnesium orotate, and another route one can go is magnesium glycinate (so you get both magnesium and glycine out of it). If money is an issue, go for the cheapest one (usually citrate)

 

[Woody]

Now this is particularly interesting, you can do a variety of types. Magnesium citrate is cheap and works well. I personally like magnesium orotate, and another route one can go is magnesium glycinate (so you get both magnesium and glycine out of it). If money is an issue, go for the cheapest one (usually citrate)

What about magnesium chelate. I have some of that laying around

 

[Synapsin]

What about magnesium chelate. I have some of that laying around

Should be fine there, might as well use what you have

 

[muscleupcrohn]

I was thinking the exact same thing but I believe the OP was asking what he could take BEFORE bedtime to help him feel more rested.

What you mentioned above is what you would take if you wanted to stay alert and focused once you were awake.

Modafinil (and the like) is your friend if you can get it. I can stay awake for two days with that stuff but you eventually have to come down.

Now to help you sleep:

Natural
Melatonin (5-10mg)
Valerian Root (100mg)
5-HTP (100mg)
Magnesium (500mg)
Ashwagandha (500 mg)
Phenibut (750-1000mg) (need to be careful about this guy - works well be can become addictive)

Not so natural but OTC
Benadryl
Unisom

Prescription
Ambien 10mg
Lunesta
Trazadone 100mg (Off Label Use - Used for depression too)

Off-Label Use Prescription Meds
Certainly not advocating their use but they do work.
Almost any of the Benzodiazepines (but some are more addictive than others) like:

Ativan (lorazepam) (1mg)
Valium (diazepam) (10mg)
Klonopin (clonazepam) (2mg - can split the tablet in two to take 1mg)
Xanax (alprazolam) (2mg - can split the tablet in two to take 1mg) Be careful with this one - IMHO easier to get addicted to

If you need to be alert AFTER you wake up and are still feeling tired:

Caffeine (100-300mg)
Lot of other pre-packaged stim combinations
Acetyl L-Tyrosine (500-750mg) stacked with Pine Bark (100mg per 100lbs of bodyweight)
Nootropic Stacks (just do a search)
Modafinil (100-200mg) Not OTC
Kratom (read on the various types)
Adderall (Presciption)
Ritalin (Prescription)

Again, not advocating the use of any of these. Do your own research. Talk to your Dr. if you think you need to take it up a notch over natural supplement. Even with natural supplements be smart (Phenibut for one example)

Good Luck!

I'd be careful with kratom as well. I've read a few studies that have lead me to not using it. I'll link them up when I get to my laptop.

 

[BigGame84]

Abyss unparalled

Yep. Was going to say the same. I don't think it's being made anymore though. I liked it.

 

[paula]

Yep. Was going to say the same. I don't think it's being made anymore though. I liked it.

Yah so sad..... i heard ronnie coleman resurrect pm also have a lot of good reviews.

 

[Woody]

Yah so sad..... i heard ronnie coleman resurrect pm also have a lot of good reviews.

Careful. Some versions contain Phenibut.

 

[Cjg]

Reduce xt

 

[paula]

Careful. Some versions contain Phenibut.

Is that dangerous?

 

[GreekTheBrick]

1/2 tab Benadryl (or generic) + 1 dopadex creates the best sleep 4-6 hours feels like 8+ to me

I also take 1-2 scoops of either Alphamine or Focus Xt to get me going in the morning as well

Very interesting.. How many mg is 1/2 tab? Here I can buy it at the pharmacy only in liquid form

 

[mw1]

Is that dangerous?

You should take it no more than 4 days a week. ..it can be a bit addictive .
But it works I prefer Growth Factor xt myself