mportant advice from Dr. Mercola. There are many fronts that can influence sleep: psychological factors, stress, digestive health, especially intestinal. Increase Gaba: "When CBT-I is insufficient, foods containing or promoting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are beneficial. These include foods rich in apigenin (found in parsley and chamomile), magnesium, quercetin (found in onions and apples), theanine (found in green tea), glycine (found in pumpkins, carrots, peas, and potatoes), sprouted legumes, and fermented soy and rice. Studies reinforce that without sufficient vitamin B6, the conversion of glutamate (an excitatory neurotransmitter) to GABA (a calming neurotransmitter) is blocked, exacerbating feelings of stress.”
Delve deeper into gut health. Studies presented in 2025 confirm that enteroendocrine cells in the gut produce massive amounts of melatonin, up to 400 times greater than those of the pineal gland. Melatonin synthesis in the gut depends directly on the presence of specific bacteria (such as Bifidobacterium longum). When dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance) occurs, systemic melatonin levels drop, affecting the onset of sleep. Maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier is crucial for this precursor to circulate correctly to the brain.
Certain strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium directly synthesize GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms neuronal activity to allow for deep sleep. 95% of serotonin (a precursor to melatonin) is produced in the gut. Specific strains facilitate the conversion of the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, optimizing the circadian rhythm. The fermentation of fiber by the gut microbiota produces butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Recent evidence from 2025 indicates that these metabolites reduce neuroinflammation and cross the blood-brain barrier to promote deep (non-REM) sleep. Studies suggest that "postbiotics" (bacterial byproducts) are as effective as live probiotics in improving sleep architecture.
The goal is to help the body reduce inflammation, achieve a healthy gut, and avoid stress. Try taking dried parsley, which is very rich in apigenin, or liposomal apigenin capsules with superior bioavailability. Pay attention to your diet to produce butyrate. Include fermented foods, probiotics, and postbiotics, as well as digestive enzymes and foods high in serotonin.
Yup. Get stuck into a routine of lousy sleep to then eventually turn into a potted plant, can't get to sleep or stay asleep and end up binge watching TV. Then what is the "potted plant" fed? constant commercials about snacks to 'Take Off the Edge." The followed by medicine commercials to address the many symptoms for taking that edge off. The Edge by the way, what we are actually feeling is not a deep natural desire for snacks, but a signal the body is beginning its process to drift into sleep and is burning calories in order to do the needed repairs. interfere with this process and the 'reward' is having a dragging, low energy body the next day, plus adding more inches on the beltline.
And also, JUST, these are the social networks where addictions are created. A study conducted by the Chicago Booth School of Business indicated, more than 10 years ago, that Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks have a greater addictive potential than tobacco or alcohol because, among other things, accessing them is easy and free. Furthermore, if Steve Jobs, the very father of the iPad, iPod, and iPhone, didn't let his children get too involved with technology—limiting their usage time—it's probably because he had some inkling about how social networks affect young people.
The truth is that, in the opinion of many experts, the use of social networks—including instant messaging applications—can generate serious addictions with their consequent repercussions: anxiety, depression, irritability, isolation, detachment from real life and family relationships, loss of control, etc.
These activities include, for example, playing video games, compulsive work, online and offline gaming, and for many, also the excessive use of social media, which already boasts nearly 5 billion active users worldwide. Despite these staggering figures, experts believe that only a small percentage exhibit a true dependence on social media.
The typical profile of an addict is that of a young person between 16 and 24 years old. Adolescents are at the greatest risk of developing this addiction, according to experts, for three fundamental reasons: their tendency toward impulsivity, their need for broad and expansive social influence, and finally, their need to reaffirm their group identity.
Sherry Turkle, a psychoanalyst at MIT, has extensively researched the impact of social media on relationships and asserts that it weakens human bonds. In her book, *Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other*, she describes how, paradoxically, the internet brings with it a certain sense of loneliness: “The bonds we form through the internet are not, in the end, the bonds that unite, but rather the bonds that cause worry.”
According to an article by psychologists Daria J. Kuss and Mark D. Griffiths, people with poor self-presentation skills use social media platforms in preference to face-to-face interactions. Interactions on social media offer a variety of rewards in the form of security and satisfaction that can lead to compulsive use to achieve constant online gratification. The inability to establish and maintain relationships in real life can cause a person to turn to social media, where connections are more readily available.
In an article published in *BMC Psychology*, professors from various universities in Lebanon, led by Lara Yousse, emphasized the direct link between social media use and loneliness and isolation. Higher levels of social media consumption and use were associated with greater levels of loneliness among social media users. Furthermore, spending less time interacting face-to-face can lead to negative moods such as social isolation.
Treatments for social media addiction are listed below.
mportant advice from Dr. Mercola. There are many fronts that can influence sleep: psychological factors, stress, digestive health, especially intestinal. Increase Gaba: "When CBT-I is insufficient, foods containing or promoting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are beneficial. These include foods rich in apigenin (found in parsley and chamomile), magnesium, quercetin (found in onions and apples), theanine (found in green tea), glycine (found in pumpkins, carrots, peas, and potatoes), sprouted legumes, and fermented soy and rice. Studies reinforce that without sufficient vitamin B6, the conversion of glutamate (an excitatory neurotransmitter) to GABA (a calming neurotransmitter) is blocked, exacerbating feelings of stress.”
Delve deeper into gut health. Studies presented in 2025 confirm that enteroendocrine cells in the gut produce massive amounts of melatonin, up to 400 times greater than those of the pineal gland. Melatonin synthesis in the gut depends directly on the presence of specific bacteria (such as Bifidobacterium longum). When dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance) occurs, systemic melatonin levels drop, affecting the onset of sleep. Maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier is crucial for this precursor to circulate correctly to the brain.
Certain strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium directly synthesize GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms neuronal activity to allow for deep sleep. 95% of serotonin (a precursor to melatonin) is produced in the gut. Specific strains facilitate the conversion of the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, optimizing the circadian rhythm. The fermentation of fiber by the gut microbiota produces butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Recent evidence from 2025 indicates that these metabolites reduce neuroinflammation and cross the blood-brain barrier to promote deep (non-REM) sleep. Studies suggest that "postbiotics" (bacterial byproducts) are as effective as live probiotics in improving sleep architecture.
The goal is to help the body reduce inflammation, achieve a healthy gut, and avoid stress. Try taking dried parsley, which is very rich in apigenin, or liposomal apigenin capsules with superior bioavailability. Pay attention to your diet to produce butyrate. Include fermented foods, probiotics, and postbiotics, as well as digestive enzymes and foods high in serotonin.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11113552/ (2014).-
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1724829/full (2026).--
https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07511855 (2026).-
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1733772/full (2025).-
https://ecancer.org/en/news/28072-aacr-2026-sleep-deprivation-disrupts-gut-microbiota-worsening-colorectal-cancer-outcomes (2026).-
Yup. Get stuck into a routine of lousy sleep to then eventually turn into a potted plant, can't get to sleep or stay asleep and end up binge watching TV. Then what is the "potted plant" fed? constant commercials about snacks to 'Take Off the Edge." The followed by medicine commercials to address the many symptoms for taking that edge off. The Edge by the way, what we are actually feeling is not a deep natural desire for snacks, but a signal the body is beginning its process to drift into sleep and is burning calories in order to do the needed repairs. interfere with this process and the 'reward' is having a dragging, low energy body the next day, plus adding more inches on the beltline.
And also, JUST, these are the social networks where addictions are created. A study conducted by the Chicago Booth School of Business indicated, more than 10 years ago, that Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks have a greater addictive potential than tobacco or alcohol because, among other things, accessing them is easy and free. Furthermore, if Steve Jobs, the very father of the iPad, iPod, and iPhone, didn't let his children get too involved with technology—limiting their usage time—it's probably because he had some inkling about how social networks affect young people.
The truth is that, in the opinion of many experts, the use of social networks—including instant messaging applications—can generate serious addictions with their consequent repercussions: anxiety, depression, irritability, isolation, detachment from real life and family relationships, loss of control, etc.
These activities include, for example, playing video games, compulsive work, online and offline gaming, and for many, also the excessive use of social media, which already boasts nearly 5 billion active users worldwide. Despite these staggering figures, experts believe that only a small percentage exhibit a true dependence on social media.
The typical profile of an addict is that of a young person between 16 and 24 years old. Adolescents are at the greatest risk of developing this addiction, according to experts, for three fundamental reasons: their tendency toward impulsivity, their need for broad and expansive social influence, and finally, their need to reaffirm their group identity.
Sherry Turkle, a psychoanalyst at MIT, has extensively researched the impact of social media on relationships and asserts that it weakens human bonds. In her book, *Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other*, she describes how, paradoxically, the internet brings with it a certain sense of loneliness: “The bonds we form through the internet are not, in the end, the bonds that unite, but rather the bonds that cause worry.”
According to an article by psychologists Daria J. Kuss and Mark D. Griffiths, people with poor self-presentation skills use social media platforms in preference to face-to-face interactions. Interactions on social media offer a variety of rewards in the form of security and satisfaction that can lead to compulsive use to achieve constant online gratification. The inability to establish and maintain relationships in real life can cause a person to turn to social media, where connections are more readily available.
In an article published in *BMC Psychology*, professors from various universities in Lebanon, led by Lara Yousse, emphasized the direct link between social media use and loneliness and isolation. Higher levels of social media consumption and use were associated with greater levels of loneliness among social media users. Furthermore, spending less time interacting face-to-face can lead to negative moods such as social isolation.
Treatments for social media addiction are listed below.
1) Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
2) Behavioral activation
3) Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
4) Family therapy https://diamondrehabthailand.com/what-is-social-media-addiction/ (2023)
https://www.iberdrola.com/social-commitment/impact-social-media-youth (2023)
https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/social-media-addiction/ (2023)
https://socialmediavictims.org/social-media-addiction/signs/