trouble sleeping - melatonin!?

jeda1231
jeda1231 Posts: 63 Member
in Motivation and Support
Good morning everyone!

So - i have been having some issues falling asleep lately which could be due to the fact that my brain does not stop going when I close my eyes! I have tried reading instead of watching TV, going to bed earlier, not eating close to bedtime etc. I also have taken Advil PM and that doesn't do much and I know taking that TOO much is not a good idea.

A few friends have highly recommended melatonin - i got chewable tablets from Trader Joe's (500mcg) each and I have taken one a night - it is not a high dosage so it doesn't help THAT much but it does mellow me out a little. Has anyone had success with this??? I feel like it may be safer than prescriptions (and hopefully not habit forming)! Thanks!!

Replies

  • LaniesMom
    LaniesMom Posts: 3 Member
    Hi there--yes I have used it off and on to help me sleep. I too had trouble especially when I was in college or military training and could not shut my brain off.

    It does work, but you have to take it about 30 mins before bed and allow your body to relax naturally. It will not just make you woozie automatically like Tylenol or sleep meds will. My routine was to shut everything off (tv, music, etc) take my shower then lay down in the dark and just breath. About 10-15 mins later I would be out like a light and sleeping soundly.

    Its definitely worth a try--but do not take the whole pill at once. Start with half and work your way up to the whole pill if needed.
  • rowanwood
    rowanwood Posts: 509 Member
    I hate the way melatonin makes me feel. I prefer valerian root. A couple capsules of that and I'm off to sleep, but it feels like normal sleep, if that makes sense.
  • nickymarie011
    nickymarie011 Posts: 152 Member
    Yes, melatonin all the way! I take it when I cannot sleep and have been for years. I love the fact that melatonin does not make me feel groggy when I wake in the AM like Tylenol PM or Advil PM does. Also, as someone else mentioned, valerian root is awesome too. However, the taste of the capsules is GROSS (fair warning). Chamomile tea works wonders, if you're a tea drinker and Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time tea is even better if you are not interested in taking the supplements and just want plain ole' tea that will knock ya out :)
  • chadraeder3
    chadraeder3 Posts: 279 Member
    Melatonin can help with your sleep depending on why you are having problems. You can find it in cherries instead of buying supplements just a tip for others.

    As another person said Valerian root is also helpful for sleeping, herbalists sometimes call it natural Valium (diazepam) it can have similar effects.

    Please be warned herbs can have interactions with other medications be careful. Before using herbs or other medications try other methods to help you with your condition, for sleeping try to lower light levels well before bed time, do not watch TV and even reading a book about 1 hour before bedtime it can cause problems sleeping. Exhausting yourself physically can also help you get a good nights rest, sometimes stress or worrying about things can cause sleeping issues. Caffeine or other stimulants can affect some peoples sleep too if you do use caffeine give your body enough time fro the effects to wear off before bed time.
  • kensomebody
    kensomebody Posts: 5 Member
    I love melatonin, like they said it takes about 30 mins to kick in and may take a week or so to really get going. Bonus: melatonin is a strong antioxidant which of course means it has lots of other health benefits.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    I'm on medication that suppresses melatonin secretions in the brain. Which equals insomnia. So I take two, 10mg melatonins at night and it helps a lot.
  • Toomanytwinkies
    Toomanytwinkies Posts: 42 Member
    I took it for a few months and liked the way I fell asleep with ease. I started to wake up so tired, like I had never really slept. I didn't connect the two for quite awhile and started to think my thyroid or something like that was causing my exhaustion. When I finally stopped taking the melatonin to see if I felt a difference, I finally felt better. Just a word of warning, if you start dragging through your day, it could be the melatonin causing it.
  • robdel302
    robdel302 Posts: 292 Member
    Melatonin has helped with my sleep for several years. I also stack it with ZMA which is a Zinc monomethionine and aspartate and Magnesium Aspartate blend. It's considered to boost testosterone production and deeper sleep. Both of these statements are highly debated and not backed by much research but most supplements aren't anyway. I can attest that it does help with sleep as magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant and it seems to work quite well on myself and others I know who use it. You can try stacking the two together and see if it helps. Otherwise I'd say increase the dosage of the melatonin as 500mcg is REALLY low. People with sleep issues typically take anywhere from 1-5mg with no side effects.

    Make sure you get a full nights rest and you "shouldn't" get the daytime grogginess but individual results will vary. I'd recommend staying away from the extended release versions jic.

    It should be noted that people who "claim" to have gotten increases in strength and lean muscle from taking this stuff likely result from sleeping better and no longer being in a zing/magnesium deficiency. I doubt it produces enough additional testosterone to the levels of increasing anabolic muscle growth, but this is just my hypothesis.
  • JisatsuHoshi
    JisatsuHoshi Posts: 421 Member
    I found melatonin to be quite useful for them days I decide to take pre-workout supplements in the evening when I workout. Usually knocks me out in 30 mins. Ha!
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    I hate the way melatonin makes me feel. I prefer valerian root. A couple capsules of that and I'm off to sleep, but it feels like normal sleep, if that makes sense.

    totally, same.
  • jeda1231
    jeda1231 Posts: 63 Member
    thanks everyone! I'm going to look for a different brand because as someone pointed out - my 500mcg are extremely low and although they help me fall asleep a little - i have not been staying asleep 100%

    thank you for the tea suggestion too! i will totally look into that although I'm not a huge fan of drinking too many liquids before bed! glad to hear mostly good things!
  • RYFBAR
    RYFBAR Posts: 45
    I totally take 3mg a night, 30 minutes is about right. I will stay up till 4am or even later otherwise. I also play some relaxing sounds at bedtime, and I'm out before the timer ends at 15 minutes. Love my melatonin!

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