Anxiety? The Forgotten Amino Acid That Could Transform Your Sleep...and Find You Feeling More Sure-Footed

How 3 Grams Before Bed Could Change the Way You Wake Up Tomorrow

Anxiety? The Forgotten Amino Acid That Could Transform Your Sleep...and Find You Feeling More Sure-Footed

How 3 Grams Before Bed Could Change the Way You Wake Up Tomorrow

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #513: Saturday, August 30th, 2025.

Let Me Hit You Straight Between the Eyes

If you’ve followed me for long…you know I’m a fanatic about getting enough quality sleep.

Not just “time in bed”…but the kind of restorative…deep sleep that rewires your brain…resets your hormones…and puts steel back in your spine for the day ahead.

Because I track several variables of my physiology closely…heart rate variability… resting pulse…REM vs. deep sleep…I knew something was off.

My time spent in the deep…Delta-wave portion of sleep was starting to lag. And lagging deep sleep isn’t a small problem…it’s the red warning light on your dashboard.

So I tested a simple amino acid most people overlook. And on the very first night…I was floored. My watch confirmed it…my deep sleep time improved by one-third that night.

And it hasn’t been a fluke. For nearly thirty days straight…night after night, my Delta sleep has stayed higher…steadier…and stronger. And, as a result…my HRV (heart rate variability) has been increasing. That…is critical…to say the least.

You’ve been lied to about sleep.

The “experts” want you to believe it’s all about blue-light glasses…$2,000 mattresses… and breathing apps that sound like they were designed by a yoga instructor with too much free time.

That’s window dressing. (although not completely unimportant. More on this in the future.)

The real secret to deeper…higher-quality sleep…the kind where your body rebuilds itself and your brain actually resets…isn’t some gadget. It isn’t another pill from Big Pharma that leaves you groggy and wired at the same time.

It’s a dirt-cheap amino acid you’ve probably walked past a hundred times at the supplement aisle without even noticing: glycine.

Why Should You Care About Glycine?

Because if you can’t sleep…you can’t think.
If you can’t sleep…you can’t lead.
If you can’t sleep…you can’t fight.

Sleep deprivation isn’t just “feeling tired.” It’s mental fog…short temper…poor judgment…wrecked hormones…immune breakdown…and the kind of stress response that turns molehills into mountains.

And in a world where stress is baked into the cake…the ability to reset your nervous system overnight is the closest thing you’ve got to a superpower.

That’s where glycine comes in.

What Is Glycine, Really?

Strip it down: glycine is the simplest amino acid in your body. It’s a building block of proteins, collagen, and neurotransmitters.

It’s not flashy. It doesn’t have a billion-dollar marketing machine behind it.

But don’t confuse simple with weak. Glycine is like the janitor in your body…quiet… unassuming…and holding the keys to every door in the building.

Here’s what it does:

• Cools your core body temperature at night (critical for deep sleep).

• Calms overactive neurons in the brain…acting as a natural “brake.”

• Boosts serotonin and melatonin synthesis…the hormones that actually regulate sleep-wake cycles.

• Improves sleep quality without sedation…so you wake up alert…not groggy.

The Science (In Plain English)

Let me break it down so you don’t need a Ph.D. to get it.

Japanese researchers ran a series of trials where they gave insomniacs 3 grams of glycine before bed.

The results? Participants fell asleep faster…reported less fatigue the next day…and scored higher on memory and attention tests.

Other studies using EEG brainwave monitoring showed glycine helps people hit slow-wave sleep…the deep…restorative stage where growth hormone is released…tissues repair…and your brain consolidates memory.

Translation? Glycine helps you not just sleep…but sleep better.

Why It Beats the Alternatives

Melatonin gets all the press. But melatonin isn’t a sleep aid…it’s a circadian cue. And if you use too much…you actually screw up your body’s natural rhythm.

Prescription sleep drugs? They knock you out…but they wreck sleep architecture. You don’t cycle properly…you don’t hit deep sleep…and you pay the price in the morning with a brain that feels like wet cement.

Glycine is different.

It doesn’t force you unconscious. It optimizes your body’s own sleep machinery. You fall asleep naturally…stay asleep longer…and wake up refreshed.

No fog. No chemical hangover.

How It Actually Works in Your Body

Glycine plays two main roles when it comes to sleep:

1. Thermoregulation:
   Deep sleep requires your core body temperature to drop by about 1–2 degrees. Glycine increases blood flow to your extremities…helping your body dump heat faster. That cooling effect cues your brain: “Time to shut down.”

2. Neurotransmitter Balance:
   Glycine doubles as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. It quiets the noise in your nervous system…lowering the odds of those 2 a.m. racing thoughts. And because it helps serotonin and melatonin production…it strengthens the natural sleep-wake rhythm instead of hijacking it.

How Much and How to Use It

Forget the complicated stacks and “biohacker” cocktails. The research is clear:

• Dose: 3 grams of glycine (roughly a teaspoon of powder) 30–60 minutes before bed.

• Form: Pure glycine powder is cheap and effective. Capsules work…but you’ll swallow a handful to get to 3 grams.

• Taste: Sweet…no joke…glycine actually tastes like sugar. Mix it in water…tea…or take it straight.

Personally, I take capsules. The brand I take is Thorne. There are cheaper brands…that are likely just as effective…it’s just that I know a fair bit about Thorne and their quality standards and third-party testing, and know it’s a respected brand by the Special Forces communities.

Some people push to 5 grams…but 3 grams is the sweet spot for most.

The Bonus Benefits Nobody Talks About

Here’s where it gets even better: glycine doesn’t just stop at sleep.

• Collagen synthesis: It’s a major component of skin…joints…and connective tissue. Your body needs glycine to repair itself.

• Detoxification: Glycine supports glutathione…your body’s master antioxidant.

• Metabolic health: It can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control.

• Calm under stress: Because it regulates excitatory neurotransmitters…glycine can make you more resilient to daily stress.

But make no mistake…the crown jewel is sleep. That’s where glycine shows up with a sledgehammer.

My Own Experience

Let me cut through the science with a straight testimonial.

I’ve tried every sleep aid under the sun. Herbs…pills…blue light hacks…blackout curtains…weighted blankets. Some worked…most didn’t. (We keep our bedroom intentionally blacked out at night…and cooler at night by 2 degrees.)

But nothing…nothing…has been as consistently effective as glycine.

The first time I tried it…I was out cold in about 40 minutes. That’s when taking it an hour before I want to be asleep. Woke up the next morning with none of that “knocked out” hangover. Just rested. Clear. Focused.

And here’s the kicker: glycine isn’t addictive…isn’t habit-forming…and your body actually wants it. You’re replenishing a raw material…not tricking your biology.

Why You Haven’t Heard About It

Simple: there’s no money in it.

Pharma can’t patent glycine. Supplement companies can’t slap a trademarked label on “the simplest amino acid.”

So instead of glycine…you get spoon-fed flashy “sleep gummies” and overpriced concoctions. They sell you expensive sizzle while the steak…glycine…sits ignored.

While Thorne is one of the more expensive brands of supplements…Glycine is relatively inexpensive…even at Thorne. I pay $29 for 250 capsules. I take 3 each night, so a bottle will last me 83 days…or almost three months. That’s about $9.60 a month.

The Bottom Line

If you value your mind…your energy…and your resilience…you need sleep.
If you want quality sleep…deep…restorative…uninterrupted…glycine is your ally.

It’s safe. It’s dirt cheap. It works.

Take 3 grams before bed. Sleep deeper. Wake sharper. Live better.

That’s it.

One Last Thing

You can keep throwing money at gadgets and gimmicks…or you can fix the one thing everything else depends on: your sleep.

The choice is yours.
Excuses won’t give you energy.
Excuses won’t calm your racing mind at 2 a.m.
Excuses won’t build the clarity and resilience you need in a world that’s trying to break you.

But…glycine will.

I have no relationship with Thorne beyond being a paying customer. No kickbacks. No freebies. No perks. The only “benefit” I get is the one I feel from the supplements I buy and use myself.

When I recommend something…it’s not because a sponsor is paying me…it’s because I trust it…I use it…and I believe it works. I have zero sponsors…zero affiliate links…and zero hidden agendas.

If I put a product or service in front of you…it’s because I’d tell my closest friends the same thing: this is worth your consideration…but I’ll not earn any form of compensation from it.

Other than my newsletter…and the Jack Hopkins Now T-shirts/coffee-cups, etc. I offer….it’s just, “Hey. I like this. I use it. I do so for good reasons. I thought you might like to know about it.” It’s really as simple as that.

Again: Safe. Natural. Dirt cheap. And almost impossible to overdose on…research shows even five times the sleep dose has no ill effects.

Clinical trials have tested doses up to 15 grams at a time with no serious side effects. The most anyone ever reports is a little mild stomach upset if they go way overboard.

That means the 3–5 grams used for better sleep isn’t just effective…it’s miles below any level that could cause harm. In plain English: you’d have to try to hurt yourself with glycine.

Back soon,

-Jack

P.S. If you’ve been carrying that knot in your gut…anxiety…edginess…fear…because of the headlines and the chaos you see unfolding…then getting deeper…higher-quality sleep isn’t a luxury…it’s survival fuel.

The sharper and steadier you are…the harder you are to rattle…and the more effective you’ll be in meeting the challenges ahead. Sleep isn’t retreat…it’s preparation.