GABA Helps Women Sleep & Decreases Signs Of Depression

Whether or not we want to, women can do it all. We're excelling in our careers, overtaking higher education, and acting as caregivers, chauffeurs, and chefs for loved ones.

But this endless cycle often leads to stress, limited time for self-care, and poor sleep, which can take a toll on mental health by impacting your brain chemistry. 

One small but potentially powerful way to help the brain be more resilient and balanced to these demands is by supplementing with a specific neurotransmitter that these lifestyle factors impair: GABA.

Its role is to calm down excited neurons—and overly excited neurons can further interrupt an already irregular sleep-wake cycle1 and exacerbate your stress response.

A new study showed that supplementing with it started to improve women's mental health and sleep2 within 90 days. 

The researcher's goal for this study was to see if GABA supplementation improves measures of mental health (such as feelings of anxiety and depression), stress (through heart rate variability), and sleep quality. 

These findings align with what is known about GABA. Studies show that people with depression disorders3 have reduced concentrations of this neurotransmitter naturally present.

People with insomnia4 also tend to have lower levels of GABA (and don't respond well to the GABA). 

So, taking GABA could help fill that gap and help establish a more balanced mood for people with these conditions.

If you want some support to relax your mind and body while helping you sleep longer and deeper, then GABA may be exactly what you're looking for. 

This study had women taking 200 milligrams of GABA a day. But many studies show (and experts recommend) that doses ranging from 100 to 200 milligrams a day are effective. 

And if your goal is to improve your sleep, consider taking it within two hours of going to bed. Pairing it with other calming ingredients like magnesium can be especially helpful.

Magnesium is sometimes referred to as the anti-stress mineral5. It's a GABA agonist and mimics the action of the neurotransmitter—so your mind feels calm and your muscles relaxed. 

GABA is the main neurotransmitter that quiets excitatory nerves. Not only can everyday stressors women experience throw off GABA concentrations, but altered GABA levels also make managing stress and sleeping well all the more difficult.