Melatonin.
CastletonSnob
Posts: 13 Member
I have ADHD, and I have trouble sleeping. I take an OTC sleep formula pill that contains melatonin, which helps me sleep. I've been taking it intermittently since 2007.
However, I'm worried that I'll become dependent on it. What do I do?
However, I'm worried that I'll become dependent on it. What do I do?
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Replies
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Yea, I'd say consult the doctor as well. Melatonin affects different people differently. Typically it's recommended not to take it in higher doses, and not long term. The reason for this (I believe it's a theory, feel free to do your own research) is that your body will stop producing melatonin on its own once it gets used to external doses. For that reason you're supposed to use it short term only, for instance when your sleep patterns have been out of whack. I, personally, take it 3 days a week to aid in falling asleep faster. If I take it more than that it still helps me fall asleep but I find myself waking up a couple of hours later and then having insomnia. If I stick to no more than 3 times a week then it works well for me. Many of the OTC versions of melatonin also have a high dosage, up to 10mg. I believe you should use 3mg or less if it works for you. I have 10mg tabs and generally break them in half on the nights I take them unless I'm wide awake at bed time.0
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Spliner1969 wrote: »Yea, I'd say consult the doctor as well. Melatonin affects different people differently. Typically it's recommended not to take it in higher doses, and not long term. The reason for this (I believe it's a theory, feel free to do your own research) is that your body will stop producing melatonin on its own once it gets used to external doses. For that reason you're supposed to use it short term only, for instance when your sleep patterns have been out of whack. I, personally, take it 3 days a week to aid in falling asleep faster. If I take it more than that it still helps me fall asleep but I find myself waking up a couple of hours later and then having insomnia. If I stick to no more than 3 times a week then it works well for me. Many of the OTC versions of melatonin also have a high dosage, up to 10mg. I believe you should use 3mg or less if it works for you. I have 10mg tabs and generally break them in half on the nights I take them unless I'm wide awake at bed time.
The formula I take has 2 mg of melatonin per serving (2 pills), but I only take one pill.0 -
I guess I'm screwed. I take it every. single. night.1
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I can sleep on my own at least 4 nights a week most weeks.
But what if my body's stopped producing melatonin?0 -
denversillygoose wrote: »I guess I'm screwed. I take it every. single. night.
Try weening yourself off of it slowly. As I said.. do your own research. Google stuff like "long term melatonin use" or "dark side of melatonin use". There are differing opinions on the subject. Dunno if there is any solid research being done on it. Me, personally, I believe I have a shortage of the ability to produce melatonin anyway because I've had insomnia since puberty. Melatonin and sometimes benadryl are the only things that help, other than to just go with it, stay up very late, and sleep late. Can't do that as an adult M-F because of work, so I use melatonin and/or benadryl to aid in falling asleep. I just limit the days I take melatonin if possible, and on days I don't if I need help I use benadryl. I have allergies anyway so I keep it handy.0 -
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I read recently that melatonin can help you adjust your sleep schedule, but that after some weeks it stops working. I had used melatonin for several years up to that point, but decided to stop and try using Valerian instead. I felt no symptom of withdrawal from melatonin.0
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I take it too, and also have ADHD. I would agree that you should talk to your doctor. However, my doctor said it's relatively non-addictive if you take it in phases and keep a low dose.
I would recommend doing other things to wear yourself out during the day, and to relax in the evening. Try to take it only if you absolutely need it, like if after an hour of trying to sleep you're still wide awake. I normally just take it on days that I'm really stressed in my mind is racing or if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep.
Another tip is to try and work on your overactive mind, if that is what is keeping you awake. There is a lot of information online and you can talk to your doctor about doing mindfulness exercises. These have helped me a lot. Coffee, for me, actually calms me down as well. It's a weird phenomena but I guess it's not uncommon for people with ADHD.
Beyond that, try not to stress if you can't fall asleep. Even just laying down helps to rest your body and is better than nothing. Often when people can't sleep they stress about being unable to sleep and that just makes the problem worse. If you tell yourself, "I'm resting my body, it's okay if I'm not asleep. I'll fall asleep eventually, but my main goal is to rest." Whenever you find yourself feeling stressed because you can't sleep, it sounds silly, but it actually begins to work overtime (at least it does for me).0 -
I've kind of developed a habit of looking at my alarm clock, and worrying if I'm not asleep by 10:45. I go to bed at 9:15, and lay in bed until 10:30, when I try to go to sleep.
I also have anxiety problems, and worry about sleep.0 -
megdnoorman wrote: »Beyond that, try not to stress if you can't fall asleep. Even just laying down helps to rest your body and is better than nothing. Often when people can't sleep they stress about being unable to sleep and that just makes the problem worse. If you tell yourself, "I'm resting my body, it's okay if I'm not asleep. I'll fall asleep eventually, but my main goal is to rest." Whenever you find yourself feeling stressed because you can't sleep, it sounds silly, but it actually begins to work overtime (at least it does for me).CastletonSnob wrote: »I've kind of developed a habit of looking at my alarm clock, and worrying if I'm not asleep by 10:45. I go to bed at 9:15, and lay in bed until 10:30, when I try to go to sleep.
Agree with both of you. This is the typical issues I face, and have since high school or earlier. So at night I'll turn my alarm clock so I can't see it. I'll also stop consuming caffeine before noon most days, and I work out very early in the mornings (which helps you be tired at night). All of those things together help, yet I still need the melatonin 2-3 times a week most weeks. I can be so tired I can't keep my eyes open, and the minute I lay down, I'm awake. Been that way my entire adult life.0 -
Should I go to bed later, so I'm not laying in bed for more than an hour before I try to go to sleep?0
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CastletonSnob wrote: »Should I go to bed later, so I'm not laying in bed for more than an hour before I try to go to sleep?
If that works for you sure, me.. nope. If I don't go to bed and lay there for at least an hour, there's no way I'll sleep.0 -
I tried turning my alarm clock the other way a couple of times, but I just had more trouble sleeping because I worried about it.0
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@Spliner1969 sort of weird solution, but the act of laying down used to wake me up. For most of high school I slept mostly upright in a recliner partially reclined or using a pillow that held me upright. There are several versions. I am not sure if this is good for your back and posture, but sometimes desperate situations call for desperate measures.
(The pillow I had was way cheaper than this lol)0 -
Melatonin never worked for me.
I use Zquil but I'm in a similar boat.
Both are supposed to be non-habit forming but I've become dependent on it.
As long as you're not exceeding the recommended dose I don't see any issue but it's not a bed idea to try and ween off it.0 -
Zzzquil is nothing more than liquid flavored Benadryl. A full dose of the liquid is the same as 2 25mg Benadryl (Diphenhydramine HCL). Save yourself some money and buy a bottle of the generic Benadryl for about $3 and take 2 30 minutes before bed. Same thing.
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Have a nightcap0
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First, realize that melatonin is not a sleeping pill. It doesn't work the same way benadryl, or Zzzquil does. Those are both an antihistamine so not really a sleeping pill either, but it does work.
Melatonin is a hormone that is produced once it starts to get dark. It's actually called the dracula hormone. In higher doses, it can cause insomnia and or cause you to wake in the middle of the night, and make you feel drowsy in the morning.
https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep
https://sleep.org/articles/how-much-melatonin-to-take/0
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