Its not really your brain, but the ultradian cycle which includes the adrenal glands as well as the pituitary gland which is below the brain. CRH comes from the hypothalamus, that causes the pituitary to release ACTH which gets the adrenal cortex on top of the kidneys to release cortisol. I think it is cortisol that keeps you alert. Melatonin oddly enough inhibits the lot, but a drop in serum melatonin levels kicks it off again. Because Melatonin metabolises with 30 min half life if you take it too early it causes the opposite of what you want.
1 Like
There is an interesting trick on that if you get back to sleep during the night with melatonin and then wake again if you take some melatonin really quickly sublingually so it gets quickly into serum you can stop the HPA system going into sympathetic mode and get back to sleep in minutes.
4 Likes
Does extended release help offset that issue and overall work or are you saying that is is bad because we should cycle between para and sympathetic states? (Or something else)
Extended release can help with that depending on how extended it is.
1 Like