Does melatonin work?

I've been suffering from insomnia for months now. I either cant fall asleep, or I cant stay asleep and I wake up every hour and toss and turn. My sister uses melatonin at 5mg and it works for her. I'm always a bit wary of pills, but I think I should take it tonight if I cant sleep. Who else uses it? is it safe? is 5 mg to much or to little?

Melatonin does not appear to be helpful in most people who have insomnia, except in people with delayed sleep phase syndrome (i.e. people who take a long time to fall asleep).

Judging by the fact that you've had difficulty STAYING asleep due to frequent wakening for months, I'd recommend you go see your doctor. While your insomnia could be easily remedied by practicing good sleep hygiene, it could also be due to an underlying medical condition, in which case you'd need to take care of that first.

Considering that chronic insomnia can have serious consequences in your physical and mental health, I strongly urge you not to self-medicate with dietary supplements like melatonin and to go see someone who knows what they're talking about.

Bad Side Effects of Melatonin Supplements:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/115717-bad-side-effects-melatonin-supplements/

It works but sometimes you wake up groggy. :yawn:

Yes, and with no side effects. I only use it once every couple of months.

I lived with insomnia since I was a little kid, and I only finally addressed it a few years ago. I highly recommend the professional and objective attention of a mental health counselor, not necessarily a medical doctor. A counselor will dig into the reasons behind why your sleep is disturbed, and what you can change in your daily routine to improve your "sleep hygene." Melatonin was one of the things I tried, and I don't know if it is placebo effect or not, but it helped. Funny I've seen studies that show that placebo effect works even if you know/believe that you are getting the placebo. The mind loves to trick itself

Some of the things recommended for me:

30-60 minutes before bedtime:
Melatonin, if you want to try it
Brief/easy/relaxing stretches
A warm, non-caffeinated beverage (tea, chamomile, just warm water, etc.)
Write a list of the things you are worrying about, or the things you need to do in the morning (gets it out of your head, so you aren't worrying all night that you will forget it)
Turn off all electronics and overhead lights

At bedtime:
As quiet and dark as you can manage in your sleeping area
A glass of water by the bedside, so you aren't forced to get up and go to the kitchen in the middle of the night
15 minute meditation. I use the Mountain Cabin audio found at http://www.excelatlife.com/downloads.htm

My insomnia was a symptom of a deeper problem, but sleep hygiene is important for everyone. I also recommend tracking your sleep on a daily basis, as this helps me realize when my bedtime is drifting too late, or when I am sacrificing sleep for schoolwork, etc. I use a phone app called SleepBot.

**EDIT**
Also, of course, I was recommended to continue exercising, because it improves mood and general health, and both of these are good for sleep. No mention of some magical lifting routine, just good regular exercise that you enjoy.

I lift and occasionally have insomnia.

Grehlin is the hormone that your brain produces to tell you when to eat. Melatonin is the hormone that your brain produces to tell you when to sleep. It is completely safe and already exists in your body. The levels of melatonin vary with your sleep patterns. If you try to sleep when the melatonin in your brain is low, then you will have trouble falling asleep. Taking melatonin at a certain time will cause your brain to recognize that melatonin should be produced at that time. Eventually, your brain will automatically produce the correct amount of melatonin at that time.

It does work if your issues are related to sleep patterns. It does not work if you are not sleeping due to anxiety.

It's worked for me as far as getting asleep. I still wake up in the middle of the night, but it's easier to get back to sleep. 5mg is okay. See how it works for you. It works for me, but not for my dad, so you can't know until you try it, if you feel that's what you need.

I use melatonin very rarely. But when I do, it knocks me out. I wake up the next day feeling great!

OP: Melatonin works for me if I take 9 mg. Melatonin is naturally produced by the body. Don't listen to Nutellabrah- you CANNOT get addicted to Melatonin.

I use melatonin very rarely. But when I do, it knocks me out. I wake up the next day feeling great!

Great to know! I'm going to split the 5mg pill in half soon and take it. I'll update everyone tomorrow. :bigsmile:

I make sure to take it around 8 or 9pm so I am sleepy by eleven or so...that way I don't feel groggy in the morning:happy:

Melatonin has been shown to be fairly safe, and its low incidence of side effects is why many doctors are quick to recommend it. It's not very effective for insomnia compared to other options though.

I have been taking it for months, and it works so well. I take 3mg. I have trouble falling asleep and when i take it, I fall asleep, and if i happen to wake up, i fall back to sleep right away.i have to make sure to get enough sleep otherwise I cant function at work. I never saw any side effects of taking it. Makes me feel well rested.

It works for me, I usually take one on Sundays and maybe one other time per week. I get them from Costco, pretty inexpensive