Sleep Better with REJUVII™

1. 1. As part of the circadian rhythm, serotonin slowly converts to melatonin throughout the day and signals the ventro-lateral preoptic nucleus (VLPN), part of the brainstem, to release neurotransmitters for sleep.
   2. Adenosine and prostaglandin D2 signal the other areas of the brain for deep sleep.
   3. GABA and galanin inhibit the ascending arousal system (cognition centers of the brain).
   4. The VLPN is inhibited by acetylcholine.

1. The lateral hypothalamus secretes orexin, which signals the rest of the nervous system to shut down, especially in the brain stem, hypothalamus, and fore-brain.

1. Alpha wave (8-13Hz): Meditative or the feeling of “drifting off”
2. Light Theta (3-7Hz): Heart rate slows and body temperature drops. 
3. Light Stage 3: Theta waves characterized by sudden pulses on electrical imaging equipment
4. Delta / Deep sleep (<4Hz): Body is not responsive to sound, light and often touch. 
5. REM sleep: Brain waves, breathing and heart rate become very random. The eyes move erratically, hence the name “Rapid Eye Movement”.

The Pons areas of the brain stem secretes specific neurochemicals that release neuromuscular control and the brain goes into REM (rapid eye movemement stage) sleep. Primarily 3 Neurotransmitters are released by the Pons: Norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.

Norepinephrine conducts a wide range of functions, including regulation of cardivascular activity, micturation, respiration, sleep and dreaming, motivation, emotional expression, and mobilization in response to pleasure, fear, or stress.

Dopamine is produced predominantly within the midbrain substantia nigra and tegmentum.

5HT serotonin receptors restrict perceptual and information processing and in fact increases the threshold for neural responses to occur at both the neocortical and limbic level, making brain activity slow down.

The lymph system carries special neuro-nutrients such as medium chain triglycerides, proteins, and neurovitamins to the brain through a system of tubes called the glymphatic system.

The liver releases glycogen through the cardiovascular system to the brain to replenish the energy stores of the neurons. Glucose, the precursor to ATP (cellular fuel) is chained together by the body into long strands called glycogen. About 100-120g of glycogen is stored in the liver. The liver passes glycogen through the bloodstream which gets readily absorbed by mainly the astrocyte brain cells. By the end of the sleep cycle, the liver is almost devoid of glycogen stores. (Brown 2004; Cataldo and Broadwell 1986; Magistretti et al. 1993)

The lungs erratically breathe in big breaths of air to deliver oxygen to the brain to support the metabolic  processes. During non-REM sleep, the lungs will breathe more consistently, but significantly less than during daytime breathing with less oxygen in the blood. During REM sleep, breathing becomes more irradic, with bigger breaths taken in corresponding to the eye movements, but the blood oxygen level becomes even lower due to the increased consumption of oxygen by the brain. Douglas, NJ; White, DP; Pickett, CK; Weil, JV; Zwillich, CW (1982)

The brain shrinks to about 60% of it’s original volume while expanding tubules of cerebrospinal fluid (fluid from the spine) as a means to “flush” out neuronal metabolic waste products. This system of tubules performs similarly to the well-known lymph system in the body, but solely operates in the brain. The glymphatic system then carries away the old fats, proteins, excess waste products, and toxins, specifically carbon dioxide, ammonia, and proteins such as amyloid-beta (the primary protein found in brain plaque buildup in alzeihmer’s patients) back to the liver to be encapsulated and sent to the colon for disposal.

Neurotransmitters are produced and well regulated by the microbiome and the enteric nervous system within the colon. At the end of the sleep cycle, neurotransmitters such as serotonin are produced mostly by the enterochromaffin cells of the mucosa. 

Wakefulness promoting neurotransmitters such as glutamate, acetylcholine, dopamine, adrenaline, and histamine then activate the ascending arousal pathway and cause the thalamus to slowly speed up the brain waves from delta (~3Hz) to Beta (~18Hz), making us feel awake.