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Home Blog Why Your Nightcap is Ruining Your Night A Kyoto Botanicals Guide Updated: May 14, 2026  •  Author: Mark Gillilan  |  Founder The 3 AM Problem: A Biologist on Why the Nightcap is Ruining Your Sleep It all comes down to the glutamate rebound. You feel more relaxed when you drink because it causes your brain to shut off glutamate (the chemical that makes us feel anxious). But when the alcohol wears off, typically around 3 AM, your brain tries to restore chemical balance. It reduces Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which makes you feel calm, and increases glutamate, which makes...

Home Blog Why President Trump is Calling for an Urgent CBD Law Fix A Kyoto Botanicals Announcement Updated: April 25, 2026 • Author: Mark Gillilan | Founder, Kyoto Botanicals The 0.4mg Hemp Cliff: Why President Trump is Calling for an Urgent CBD Law Fix The Takeaway The hemp industry just hit a 48-hour whirlwind. On April 23, 2026, President Trump took to Truth Social to call on Congress to "get this done RIGHT and FAST", referring to the looming federal hemp ban set for November 12. As a biologist and a founder in this space, I’ve been watching the 0.4mg...

Home Blog Functional Mocktail: Vanilla Maple White Russian A Kyoto Botanicals Recipe Updated: September 3, 2026 • Author: Mark Gillilan | Founder, Kyoto Botanicals Functional Mushroom Mocktail: The Vanilla Maple White Russian I get asked all the time for a functional mocktail recipe that still feels like an actual cocktail, not a syrupy juice blend in a can. This one's become my go-to when I want the ritual of shaking a drink without derailing my sleep. The Evening Reset If you’re moving away from alcohol but still want a sophisticated evening ritual, the sugary juice mocktails in a can aren't...

Home Blog The Reddit Files A Founder Q & A Updated: April 17, 2026  •  Author: Mark Gillilan  |  Founder, Kyoto Botanicals The Reddit Files: Science-Backed Answers to Your Most Common Botanical Wellness Questions "Welcome to The Reddit Files, a dedicated archive where I bridge the gap between community discussion and botanical science. I’m the founder of Kyoto Botanicals, and I spend time every day on platforms like Reddit to engage with real questions from the CBD and functional mushroom community to help bring clarity to a confusing category." — Mark G. Navigation through the world of hemp and fungi...