In today’s fast-paced world, getting a solid night’s sleep is harder than ever. And let’s be honest: most people don’t realize how much poor sleep is costing them.
We’re not just talking about grogginess.
Poor sleep sabotages your recovery from workouts, slows your fat-burning potential, and messes with your hormones. But the good news? You can fix it.
Here’s what’s likely messing up your sleep; and the research-backed solutions that actually work.
Too Much Screen Time Before Bed
Let’s start with the obvious: phones, laptops, and TVs.
Blue light exposure in the evening disrupts your body’s natural production of melatonin—the hormone responsible for sleep initiation [1]. In one study, evening screen use suppressed melatonin by over 50%, delaying sleep by up to 90 minutes [2].
What to do:
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Avoid screens 60 minutes before bed
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Use “night mode” filters
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Supplement melatonin if you’ve been chronically wired at night
High Cortisol and Stress at Night
You can train hard, eat clean, and still struggle with sleep if your cortisol levels are spiking before bed.
Cortisol—the stress hormone—should be low at night. But mental stress, overtraining, or stimulants like caffeine can keep it elevated, making it harder for your body to transition into deep sleep.
Research shows that chronic stress shortens deep sleep duration and reduces REM sleep quality [3].
What to do:
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Cut caffeine after 2 PM
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Use adaptogens like Ashwagandha (shown to lower cortisol by up to 30% in 8 weeks) [4]
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Try L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes calmness without drowsiness [5]
Nutrient Deficiencies
Modern diets often lack the key nutrients required for sleep and recovery. Without them, your body can’t properly shut down or repair itself at night.
Key missing nutrients often include:
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Magnesium – Supports relaxation and muscle recovery
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L-Theanine – Helps quiet a racing mind
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Melatonin – Regulates your body’s internal sleep clock
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Tart Cherry Extract – Naturally boosts melatonin and reduces inflammation [6]
What to do:
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Optimize your diet
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Consider using a targeted recovery + sleep formula to fill the gaps
Your Sleep Is Too Light
Even if you fall asleep, the depth of your sleep is just as important.
Most people spend too much time in light sleep and not enough in slow wave (deep) sleep—the stage where your body repairs muscle tissue, restores hormones, and burns fat efficiently.
One of the most proven natural tools to enhance deep sleep? Tart Cherry Extract. It’s been shown to increase total sleep time and improve sleep efficiency [6].
5. Your Metabolism Stalls at Night
If your goal is fat loss or body recomposition, poor sleep will stall your progress—fast.
Inadequate or shallow sleep disrupts insulin sensitivity, reduces leptin (the satiety hormone), and slows your metabolic rate [7]. But even while sleeping, your body can be primed to continue burning fat if it has the right signals.
What helps?
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L-Carnitine – A compound that transports fat into cells to be burned for fuel
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Fucoxanthin – A thermogenic from brown seaweed shown to increase resting fat oxidation [8]
Final Word
You don’t need to overhaul your life to fix your sleep.
But you do need to support your body with what it’s missing.
That’s why we built Opti-Sleep — a 3-in-1 recovery system that:
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Knocks you out (melatonin)
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Keeps you in deep, restorative sleep (ashwagandha, theanine, tart cherry)
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And keeps your metabolism burning through the night (L-carnitine + fucoxanthin)
No shortcuts. No fluff. Just what your body actually needs.
References:
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Chang, A-M. et al. (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. PNAS, 112(4), 1232–1237.
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Cajochen, C. et al. (2011). Evening exposure to a light-emitting diodes (LED)-backlit computer screen affects circadian physiology and cognitive performance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 110(5), 1432–1438.
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Meerlo, P., Sgoifo, A., & Suchecki, D. (2008). Restricted and disrupted sleep: Effects on autonomic function, neuroendocrine stress systems and stress responsivity. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 12(3), 197–210.
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Chandrasekhar, K. et al. (2012). A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of Ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 34(3), 255–262.
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Hidese, S. et al. (2019). Effects of L-theanine administration on stress-related symptoms and cognitive functions in healthy adults: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients, 11(10), 2362.
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Pigeon, W. R. et al. (2010). Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Journal of Medicinal Food, 13(3), 579–583.
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Spiegel, K. et al. (2004). Sleep loss: a novel risk factor for insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 99(5), 2008–2019.
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Maeda, H. et al. (2005). Fucoxanthin and its metabolite, fucoxanthinol, suppress adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 15(4), 655–660.
