Sleep is an elusive concept to many, some struggle to go and stay asleep to fall into that delicious REM cycle; while others seemingly have no trouble closing their eyes and waking up in the morning fully refreshed. If you find yourself in the former of the two then you’ve probably tried just about every “sleep hack” there is, from melatonin gummies to chamomile tea, you’ve been well acquainted with it all.
But have you tried glycine as a sleep aid mechanism?
Glycine is the main amino acid in the popular protein collagen. Collagen has been popping up in recent years for its benefits on your skin, which has led many beauty products to include the protein into their respective formulas. So therein lies the question, if collagen is known for its improvements of skin strength, why are we talking about its supposed effects on sleep? Well that’s all thanks to our previously mentioned friend glycine.
Today we’re here to discuss all things collagen and sleep quality while answering your questions about how it affects the body, whether it truly works, and a supplement to bridge the gap between collagen and helpful sleep aids.
- What is Collagen? What does it do for the body?
- What is Glycine?
- Collagen and Sleep Quality
- Multi Collagen Plus and Bedtime Burn
Dr. Emil knows that everyone’s body is different, what works for some, may not work for others. It’s all about finding the right balance for you. So keep that in mind as you read on about collagen and sleep quality.
What is Collagen? What does it do for the body?
In the intro we talked briefly about how beauty companies are utilizing collagen in their products because of its effectiveness on our skin's health. But what is collagen exactly?
Collagen makes up 30% of our body’s protein, and it mainly affects the skin, muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage, amongst other things.
Protein itself is made up of amino acids, and the main amino acids of collagen specifically are proline, hydroxyproline, and glycine- (more on this amino acid below).
These three work together to form strong, flexible fibers (connective tissue) which makes it so certain bodily processes are strong and supported.
Here’s a list of what collagen does:
- Helps to replace dead skin cells
- Creates fibroblasts which form in your middle skin layer (known as the dermis) so it helps new skin cells grow
- Makes your bones strong
- Lets your skin and tendons stretch the way they need to
- Provides a protective covering for your organs
But what’s most interesting about collagen is instead of it being classified as one “thing” there are actually many types of collagen. Scientists have been able to identify 28 types, but types I, II, and III make up the majority of our body’s important functions.
Type I: Making up 90% of our body’s collagen, type I supports our skin’s elasticity and strength, as well as being the base building block of our bones, tendons, fibrous cartilage, and more connective tissues.
Type II: Mainly found in cartilage (the bendable material in the nose, ears, and joints). Without this protein, we wouldn't be nearly as supported or as flexible in those specific areas.
Type III: Works alongside type I in our skin, internal organs, muscles, and arteries.
We’d be remiss to not mention types, IV, V, and X which are also important players in the body. They each target different things but are less abundant. That's why sometimes you’ll see supplements only targeting I, II, and III, while others, (more on that below), will target IV, V, and X as well.
Recommended by Dr. Emil
Multi Collagen Plus
Hydrolyzed multi-collagen with Types I, II, III, V, and X — a rich source of glycine for sleep support alongside broad connective tissue, skin, and joint benefits.
Shop NowWhat is Glycine?
Proline, hydroxyproline, and glycine are the main three amino acids making up collagen. Proline specifically helps with skin healing and maintains healthy joints and tendons, while being the primary precursor agent for hydroxyproline which in turn synthesizes collagen.
Glycine itself does a lot more than just being a building block for collagen, it makes glutathione which is a powerful antioxidant, protecting your cells from harm. It also is a part of the process of making creatine, supports heart and liver health, and helps prevent type 2 diabetes.
What’s most interesting about glycine is through a recent study, it was shown to have positive effects on our sleep. Taking just 3 grams of glycine created a calming effect, by lowering your body’s temperature- (which is paramount to a consistent deep sleep, as fluctuating temperatures can greatly disturb your night’s rest), decreased the amount of time it took to fall asleep, and improved morning and daytime fatigue and cognition.
All this to say, one of the support beams of collagen, glycine, can effectively improve your sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and cognition, which means that if you’ve been looking to add collagen or subsequent supplements to your routine in hopes of seeing your skin’s health increase and sleep improve, you might be onto something.
Collagen and Sleep Quality
When researching collagen and its effects on sleep quality, one major study concluded that collagen peptide aka “CP supplementation did not influence sleep quantity, latency, or efficiency, but reduced awakenings and improved cognitive function in physically active males with sleep complaints.”
This is obviously just one study, but so far there have been positive effects regarding collagen and sleep quality, not necessarily quantity, but quality.
Glycine being the main component in both the why and how collagen impacts sleep is now known to us through its multitude of functions. Glycine helps stimulate production of serotonin.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate our mood, behavior, digestive system, bone health, blood clotting, and sexual health. It also makes the essential hormone melatonin, which regulates our circadian rhythms (the system that helps us sleep and wake up).
Since glycine is a part of the process of creating serotonin and thus melatonin, it makes its effects on sleep become more obvious.
And when we improve the quality of our sleep, we will fall into REM easier and quicker.
The National Sleep Organization details that “REM sleep plays a significant role in helping your brain consolidate and process new information. REM sleep also helps to ensure better mental concentration and mood regulation, two things that are critical to both your daily work performance and overall quality of life.”
Recommended by Dr. Emil
Bedtime Burn
Doctor-formulated nighttime supplement with ashwagandha, GABA, L-theanine, and 5-HTP — supporting deep sleep, cortisol reduction, and overnight metabolism simultaneously.
Shop NowMulti Collagen Plus and Bedtime Burn
One aspect of collagen we haven’t dove too deep into because we were focused on its involvement in our sleep quality is its effects on our body’s health. One fascinating part of collagen is its impact on body fat. More specifically: “collagen supplementation significantly lowered body fat, but did not affect body weight, BMI, or sagittal abdomen distance.” It doesn't directly influence weight loss, but instead promotes a healthy metabolism and reduces that feeling of hunger that creeps up even after a full meal.
And since collagen is the main structural protein in your muscles, it means that taking it can help you build and strengthen your muscles. There was another study done to see its effects on the muscles after a continuous twelve weeks and it showed a “greater improvement in muscle mass and strength” amongst participating individuals.
So if you’re interested in both building healthy habits through improving your sleep quality, losing weight, and building muscles, we have two supplements for you:
Multi Collagen Plus
Dr. Emil Nutrition has Multi Collagen Plus which contains 90 capsules for a 30 day supply. It is Amazon’s number 1 selling collagen supplement and for good reason as it is an effective blend of 100% grass-fed beef, chicken, eggshell, and marine collagen sources, including collagen I, II, III, V & X. Dr. Emil’s high-dose collagen formula is enhanced with BioPerine, a black pepper extract that vastly improves the absorption and metabolization of vitamins and supplements.
Collagen is found in foods like fish, bone broth, chicken skin, and beef (it is a protein that’s only found naturally in animal and seafood). Changing your diet or increasing your intake of all those foods won’t actually make a huge difference in your collagen levels as a lot of the time it’ll be broken down in your stomach. It’s supplementation that will get you there.
And if you’re looking to enhance your sleep quality, fat loss, and muscle gain even more, take a look at:
Bedtime Burn
Dr. Emil’s Bedtime Burn is one of his most popular supplements, it is a PM appetite suppressant, sleep aid, and fat burner all in one. Coming in at 60 capsules for a thirty day supply, it is a formulated bedtime blend made up of ingredients clinically proven to boost metabolism and burn fat.
It is free of harsh stimulants and things that will keep your body restless, this suppressant will actually aid in your relaxation rather than inhibit it like other appetite suppressors out there. It is made from all-natural vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts so you can expect not to experience any of those ugly stomach-aches or jitters that also are unfortunately normal for other like-supplements.
It is important for anyone who’s considering taking any kind of supplement or vitamin, not just Multi Collagen Plus and/or Bedtime Burn, to talk to your doctor or a trusted healthcare professional. Even more so if you are already taking a medication that could directly influence said supplement. By consulting a professional they can take in account current or future blood tests and give you the best advice on dosages tailored to your specific needs.
Why Us: Dr. Emil Nutrition has been featured in acclaimed news and health publications organizations like CNN, The Guardian, and Men’s Health, and has had countless testimonials backing the quality of his products. Using his both medicine and Sports + Exercise Science degrees, his knowledge has led him to create a space that makes holistic health and happiness accessible for not just select persons, but everyone. With a range of supplements covering anything from a good night's sleep, to energy and cognitive boosts, and immune support, you’ll be able to rely on his online stores and major retailers like CVS to get you what you need.
Collagen and Sleep Quality
Collagen and its high content of glycine can effectively improve your sleep quality. Seemingly only a small amount of glycine specifically is enough to impact your sleep in a positive way, but the benefits of taking a collagen supplement in full can improve other areas of your life as well.
From replacing dead skin cells, to protecting your internal organs and promoting healthy strength and stretch, adding collagen to your diet can be a really great boon outwardly and inwardly. Plus, if you are interested in just the skin health benefits and just stumbled upon its unintended effects on your sleep, then you’ve got a two for one special!
