melatonin - yay or nay??

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Jones4177
Jones4177 Posts: 136
in Health and Weight Loss
I sometimes have trouble sleeping and have heard of Melatonin and that it helps. What are your opinions??
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  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
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    It gets prescribed in the UK fairly regularly for kids with ADHD, I'd try everything else first though.
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    It resets your internal clock - I believe it's much better for people who do shift work or travel between time zones. I personally like Bach's Sleep Rescue.
  • kykykenna
    kykykenna Posts: 656 Member
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    I take it nightly. I like it. Usually I take it 45 min or so before I go to be. I didnt know if it worked when I first started taking it, but I realized if I waited up 45 min to an hour, when I went to bed and actually laid down and closed my eyes, I had no trouble at all falling to sleep. Actually, hubby makes fun of me how fast I now fall asleep. Feel just fine in the AM, too. I take 5mg.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    Melatonin is naturally released when you have a highly carbohydrate based meal. Try eating a carbey/sugary snack/light meal factored in to your calorie allowance about 45 minutes to an hour before you want to sleep. I had sleep problems (serious ones that lost me a medical category to do my job temporarily until resolved) and I sorted it through this and cognitive behavioural therapy. Don't be putting synthesised hormones in your body... it'll only work temporarily. If you're having sleep problems, go see your doctor or a counsellor or a psychiatrist. They'll be able to help you out. You're not mad if you do but it's within their specialisation. Mostly people can't sleep because of something stressful or depression.

    You're better getting to the rout of the cause..trust me... Temazepam and Zopiclone did nothing for me... it was the natural lets get down to the nut of it all that sorted it out for me.
  • kykykenna
    kykykenna Posts: 656 Member
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    It resets your internal clock - I believe it's much better for people who do shift work or travel between time zones. I personally like Bach's Sleep Rescue.

    I used to take that...and forgot all about it! Will have to get more of it. Love Bach's anything! :) Thanks for the reminder.
  • krikit_lo
    krikit_lo Posts: 31 Member
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    I was at a conference on Saturday where a nutritionist actually addressed just this issue. She was not a fan of melatonin. She recommended trying magnesium supplement before going to bed. Her rational was that magnesium is what our muscles need to relax (when we contract a muscle we draw calcium from our bones, when we relax a muscle we draw magnesium). The lack of magnesium keeps the muscle tense. She said this is why our grandmothers used epsom salt baths to relax, epsom salts are magnesium and can be absorbed through the skin slowly over time.

    that's my two sense :)
  • ackeebee
    ackeebee Posts: 1,042 Member
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    I was at a conference on Saturday where a nutritionist actually addressed just this issue. She was not a fan of melatonin. She recommended trying magnesium supplement before going to bed. Her rational was that magnesium is what our muscles need to relax (when we contract a muscle we draw calcium from our bones, when we relax a muscle we draw magnesium). The lack of magnesium keeps the muscle tense. She said this is why our grandmothers used epsom salt baths to relax, epsom salts are magnesium and can be absorbed through the skin slowly over time.

    that's my two sense :)

    this is rather interersting. i must go and get some magnesium supplement tomorrow.

    i have been struggling with sleep on and off for years. more recently i think it is work stress related. i went to see my doc last week and he refused to prescribe any sleeping pills. basically he recommended that i change my lifestyle, avoid the gym at night, avoid tea and coffee, alcohol, heavy meals at night etc
  • mmocarr
    mmocarr Posts: 108 Member
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    I know this sounds odd because most people I've talked to are for melatonin. But when I took it I got more frequent sleep paralysis. I get it about once every couple of months anyway, but the melatonin made it much more frequent. Its the sensation/experience when your mind wakes up before your body does and you can't move at all or talk ect. Its temporary but definitely scary and unpleasant. My doctor said its harmless but I do not take melatonin for that reason.
  • ninjapixie87
    ninjapixie87 Posts: 124 Member
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    I use melatonin occasionally, I think I have the 3mg pills. I take it when I start getting ready for bed so it has time to start working before I lay down. It definitely helps me get to sleep, but I've found that I often wake up after one sleep cycle (3-4hrs later) and have trouble going back to sleep. It doesn't happen as often if I take 2 instead of 1. But the great thing about melatonin is that I wake up feeling rested, with none of that groggy drugged-up feeling I get from other stuff.

    My doctor recommended taking it to help "reset" my internal clock. He said to take it regularly for a few weeks until my body adjusts to sleeping more regularly, then stop taking it for a week or so, then go back to taking it...and continue as needed. Be aware that melatonin can be habit forming, just like the non-natural sleep aids, so you need to give your body a break from it every once in a while.
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
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    I went through a bout of insomnia last year and tried the usual non-medicinal remedies- no caffeine, getting to bed at the same time, etc. I tried an over the counter sleep aid and that didn't work either. After 2 weeks of getting only 2-3hrs sleep I was about to get a prescription when I decided to try melatonin. I took 3mg and when I lay down an hour later I was asleep immediately. After a few days of doing this I was able to fall asleep normally again without it. Given that the OTC aids had no effect but this did, I think it was more than just placebo affect.

    I do not take it regularly, but if I know I'll have trouble I'll take 1-2mg an hour or so before bedtime. It doesn't make me tired or give me that 'drugged haze'. In fact I don't notice any effects, but when I lay down, I fall asleep.

    This is all anecdotal, but perhaps you'll find it helpful.
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,977 Member
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    I rarely have a problem falling asleep but have more of an issue staying asleep through the night. I tried melatonin and it did not work. Actually, it made my not sleeping through the night worse.

    I drink sleepytime tea before bed sometimes. It really helps me to sleep through more of the night.
  • ackeebee
    ackeebee Posts: 1,042 Member
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    I rarely have a problem falling asleep but have more of an issue staying asleep through the night. I tried melatonin and it did not work. Actually, it made my not sleeping through the night worse.

    I drink sleepytime tea before bed sometimes. It really helps me to sleep through more of the night.

    what is sleepytime tea?
  • ifrog3n1
    ifrog3n1 Posts: 29 Member
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    Yay on melatonin. I take Sleep MD every night. Before i started taking it, i would lay in bed, tired, but couldn't turn my mind off of all the things that i wanted/needed to do. Now, i take it before i get in bed. I relax by reading for about 25-45 min. & fall asleep quickly after i turn the light out. <><
  • B3Streeter
    B3Streeter Posts: 292 Member
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    I work midnights, and on my nights off, I try to get back to a normal sleep schedule. Couldn't do it without melatonin! I love it and its worked for me
  • slimkitty
    slimkitty Posts: 418
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    I know this sounds odd because most people I've talked to are for melatonin. But when I took it I got more frequent sleep paralysis. I get it about once every couple of months anyway, but the melatonin made it much more frequent. Its the sensation/experience when your mind wakes up before your body does and you can't move at all or talk ect. Its temporary but definitely scary and unpleasant. My doctor said its harmless but I do not take melatonin for that reason.


    Thank you for this. It just answered one of my concerns.
  • slimkitty
    slimkitty Posts: 418
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    I rarely have a problem falling asleep but have more of an issue staying asleep through the night. I tried melatonin and it did not work. Actually, it made my not sleeping through the night worse.

    I drink sleepytime tea before bed sometimes. It really helps me to sleep through more of the night.

    Nothing really helps me stay asleep through the entire night. Melatoning and Sleepytime time help me fall asleep, but I still wake up in a couple of hours, so I am still searching for a sleep aid...
  • bruthacuervo
    bruthacuervo Posts: 52 Member
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    I will give you an experience I had, but it kind of incorporates all of the above statements.

    I will say that last night, i do excercises at night- and after doing a 60 minute walk, i stopped by a local quicktrip and picked up a late night snack of a fruit bowl- (imagine about 2 cups in there-- still well under my calorie counts but expect your sugar count to go red *im of opinion that if its natural sugars from fruit, it really doesnt matter as much*.) and a drink called Neuro-sleep, its 35 calories sugar free, and incorporates melatonin and magnesium.

    after getting home with this, i ate the fruit, drank the Neuro-sleep, and normally after excercising im wired pretty well. I imagine it wasnt about 30 minutes after this that I was going down for the final count.

    id have to look closer to see if one item works as well without the other, but since i only drink water and tea anyway, i was liking the "break" from that in the drink anyway.

    but as you can see, it kind of takes all of the above statements and applies it at one time. definately no hangover effects, and i actually woke up fairly refreshed BEFORE my alarm went off.. which doesnt happen much for me.
  • luvinlaurakate
    luvinlaurakate Posts: 145 Member
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    I was at a conference on Saturday where a nutritionist actually addressed just this issue. She was not a fan of melatonin. She recommended trying magnesium supplement before going to bed. Her rational was that magnesium is what our muscles need to relax (when we contract a muscle we draw calcium from our bones, when we relax a muscle we draw magnesium). The lack of magnesium keeps the muscle tense. She said this is why our grandmothers used epsom salt baths to relax, epsom salts are magnesium and can be absorbed through the skin slowly over time.

    that's my two sense :)

    I wonder if magnesium would help with what I fear is the beginnings of restless leg syndrome? It doesn't happen to me nightly, but when it does... man, it will keep me awake for hours! Hmm... might have to try it. Not like it will hurt me any.
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
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    I take it from time to time if I need the help falling asleep. Love the vivid dreams I have when taking it.
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,977 Member
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    I rarely have a problem falling asleep but have more of an issue staying asleep through the night. I tried melatonin and it did not work. Actually, it made my not sleeping through the night worse.

    I drink sleepytime tea before bed sometimes. It really helps me to sleep through more of the night.

    what is sleepytime tea?

    It is tea packets that are supposed to help calm you. I get it at Target by Celestial Seasons. They have a sleepytime extra or something like that that also has valerian (sp?) in it. Works good for me. The hot liquid probably helps to calm me as well. Like I said, my issue is more of staying asleep and it does help me with that.

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