Anyone out there take Melatonin supplements?

[stitch'sgirl]

I haven't been sleeping well for at least a year. I fall asleep too early, and only stay asleep for about 3 hours. Then I'm wide awake for a good 4 hours and then maybe if I'm lucky I fall asleep for about 45 minutes before the alarm rings. I just can't get off of this crazy sleep cycle. I picked up some melatonin at Costco and trying it tonight for the first time. Anyone have any positive/negative results from using melatonin? If it doesn't work, I guess I have plenty of reading on the disboards!

 

[sonnyjane]

I use it. I bought it when I had bad work-related anxiety, but now I just take it if I know I have to go to sleep early and I'm not quite tired yet. It takes about an hour to kick in, so take it, then take your shower or bath (if you do at night), brush your teeth, sit in bed, and it will make you feel a little sleepy after a bit. It's not like a "sleeping pill" that konks you out, it just puts you a little more "in the mood" for sleep lol. You shouldn't take it every night. You should take it for a couple weeks, then take a break, otherwise the pill will lose efficacy.

 

[wdwiala]

I'm interested to hear this too. I've only heard about people using melatonin as a sleep aid within the last month or so.

 

[sommergirl25]

I do when I get out of a good sleep pattern. Take it and then get ready for bed. Have lights low and turn all electronics off. It usually takes about 30 minutes or so to work.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I've used it off and on since I was in high school. Definitely works!

Sent from me.

 

[stitch'sgirl]

thanks for the input...not sleepy yet but hoping!
My finger is on FIRE from chopping jalepenos earlier, I am hoping that won't ruin it.

I am really looking forward to a DCL cruise in a few weeks. It's the only time I sleep really well!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

LOVE IT!!! I take a 5mg dose 20 mins before bed. About 5 minutes after taking it I sleep well and sleep though the night. been taking it on and off for years

 

[minkydog]

My son Christian has taken melatonin since he was 13. He's mentally handicapped and when he hit puberty, oh brother~! Every night was like a big ol' party in his room. He'd stay up singing and playing until the wee hours, then couldn't get up and go to school. He's like a 1yr old, so there wasn't too much we could do to fix this, other than try a sleep aid. The first doctor suggested a psychotropic drug but I wasn't comfortable with that. The second doctor told me to try melatonin, but if it didn't work we may have to resort to stronger medication.

It worked! The very first night he took it, he fell asleep 30 minutes later and slept almost the whole night! This was after weeks of disrupted sleep. I thought it was some kind of miracle! Now I dont' know if it works that well for everyone, but for Christian it has been a god-send. He is 18 now and he still takes the same dose (3mg) and as long as he takes his melatonin, he falls asleep and stays asleep. If we forget--Katy bar the door!

ETA: Melatonin doesn't have anything in it that will "knock you out." It's a hormone the body produces, the one that makes you feel sleepy after dark. When you take it, be sure you are ready for bed. Don't take it and then stay up doing stuff, especially computer stuff. That will negate the benefits of melatonin.

 

[xipotec]

There is not scientific studies or evidence that show any effectiveness at all for melatonin. Any effect you get on sleep is a coincidence.

The only study that showed any help with sleep was on shift workers ( people who work night shifts then switch to day shifts)

I suggest meditation,.....

 

[nancygirl1]

My husband and I were night split shift workers for 20 years. We started to take it about half way through that time. We started with 3 milligrams. My husband slept like a baby and had no disturbed sleep. I on the other hand had to stop taking it. One of the side effects of Melatonin can be very vivid dreams. Mine were SO vivid that I had to stop. I tried cutting the dose in half, but it still happened so I haven't taken it since. My husband is still taking it 15 years later. It works great for him.

Good luck. It is awful when you can't sleep.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

It works for us. My children's doctor suggested it for my son who would not sleep at night. He was to restless to sleep so we tried it and it really works. We don't take it a lot but it's great if we have trouble falling asleep.

 

[CynJ]

I started taking melatonin about a year ago to try and combat my delayed sleep phase disorder and it works if taken about 15-20 minutes before you want to sleep.

One thing I will caution though is to start out with the lowest dose on the bottle. You're body (read that as your brain) starts to build up a tolerance to it and you'll need to increase the dosage over time. The brand I take says to take between 1 - 4 tablets. So I started with one, but over the course of about three months I was up to four. You may also need to stop taking it altogether and give your body a break from for a week or so if your tolerance level peaks.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

DS16 takes it regularly. He says it helps him fall asleep, but not so much for staying asleep.

 

[sam_gordon]

I use it occasionally, mainly on nights I can't get to sleep. As mentioned, it takes some time to "sink in", and dreams do seem somewhat more "vivid".

 

[tinker*dust]

I've been suffering from insomnia for years. My doctor recommended a vitamin cocktail of melatonin, magnesium and zinc taken 1 hour before bedtime.

Not sleeping is frustrating.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

One of the side effects of Melatonin can be very vivid dreams. Mine were SO vivid that I had to stop.

I bought a bottle but then never took any. DH took them and he described the VIVID dreams also. Not nightmares, but vivid. That scared me into not taking them.

 

[Ephany]

I take it occasionally, but only if I know I can get a full 8 hours or else I'm stumbling around in the morning feeling 'off'. It definitely helps me fall asleep and sleep deeper. My dreams are very vivid when I take it, not nightmares, more like pregnancy dreams lol. Read the bottles carefully, there's a bunch of different strengths that are available and you do want to start at a lower dose.

 

[Claudia1]

One of our children uses the 3 mg timed release every night and it is awesome. Goes to sleep easily and wakes up in a great mood. The timed release works much better than a single dose at bedtime.

 

[wiigirl]

I take it occasionally, but only if I know I can get a full 8 hours or else I'm stumbling around in the morning feeling 'off'. It definitely helps me fall asleep and sleep deeper. My dreams are very vivid when I take it, not nightmares, more like pregnancy dreams lol. Read the bottles carefully, there's a bunch of different strengths that are available and you do want to start at a lower dose.

Same here...

 

[stitch'sgirl]

Thanks everyone for your advice! I slept WELL, almost 12 hours. Wow, that just felt so good. Thank goodness I didn't have to work today. And thanks too for the tip about the dreams, I dreamt I was hanging out with the Brady Bunch, but they were all grown up. Still wearing 70's clothes and hair though! LOL Bonus - fun dreams!