Does anyone use Melatonin?

[desamnik]

My OBGYN suggested trying this to help me stay asleep. I've been waking up and having trouble going back to sleep.

I tried it last night for the first time. I was in bed at 9:35, had taken it at 9:20. All of a sudden I am wide awake, I look at my clock and it is 10:33! I tossed and turned ALL night.

What is your experience? Does it take a few nights for your body to adjust to it?

I am up now and feel kind of foggy!

Thanks.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

My OBGYN suggested trying this to help me stay asleep. I've been waking up and having trouble going back to sleep.

I tried it last night for the first time. I was in bed at 9:35, had taken it at 9:20. All of a sudden I am wide awake, I look at my clock and it is 10:33! I tossed and turned ALL night.

What is your experience? Does it take a few nights for your body to adjust to it?

I am up now and feel kind of foggy!

Thanks.

First a few questions: what strength did you start with? What is your usual bed time and wake time.

Melatonin takes approximately 90 minutes to work. So you woke when it would have been kicking in. If you take too high of a dose it can cause you to toss and turn and feel groggy.

I would recommend the lightest dose at least 90 minutes prior to your usual bedtime. I feel a bit loopy right before I fall asleep. It last for 6-7 hours for me. Now if my body/mind is off I will wake at the 6 hour mark. I usually get up, do a few "morning things" and am able to go back to sleep to the 8 hours mark which is how much I need.

Without the Melatonin I wake every 2-3 hours and have to go through the steps to fall asleep so those nights I am up 3 times which is very broken sleep. The getting up once is much better.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

DH took it and had the side effect of very vivid dreams.

 

[Aimros]

Subbing - I've been thinking of trying melatonin as I've also been having interrupted sleep lately, OP.

 

[Luv2Run]

I'm a night owl with a day job, so I almost always have to take something to help me get to sleep at night, otherwise I'll be up all night and super tired at work the next day. I started taking one Trader Joe's chewable melatonin (they're peppermint) about an hour before bedtime, and those worked like a charm. The only thing I didn't like about them is they occasionally gave me nightmares, and after a while (~2 weeks of regular use) I would build up a tolerance.

Nowadays I drink Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra Wellness tea before bed. I like that it's an herb vice a hormone, and it definitely helps me relax and wind down, and it keeps me asleep all night.

 

[shortbun]

Some people have opposite response to medications. Could be your problem. melatonin works for me, just like described. I take it about an hour before I want to be asleep and only when I have at least 7 hours til wake up time. Try benedryl, that's what's in Tylenol PM and Advil PM. Some people react opposite to that too, though.

 

[North of Mouse]

My OBGYN suggested trying this to help me stay asleep. I've been waking up and having trouble going back to sleep.

I tried it last night for the first time. I was in bed at 9:35, had taken it at 9:20. All of a sudden I am wide awake, I look at my clock and it is 10:33! I tossed and turned ALL night.

What is your experience? Does it take a few nights for your body to adjust to it?

I am up now and feel kind of foggy!

Thanks.

Have never used melatonin but have used Benadryl (rather a generic equivalent) and that works great for me. In fact, the ingredient in Benadryl is in most sleep aids and is a fraction of the price (generic). I don't use it every night as your body will get used to it and you'll need to take more. It's not addictive. It just helps to keep my body on track just using it 2-3 times a week.

 

[sam_gordon]

I use melatonin but not on a regular basis. It usually works in ~30 minutes for me. It does give me vivid dreams.

My only complaint (and it doesn't happen all the time) is I get such a deep sleep, if I wake up for something, I'm fully awake. It doesn't matter when I wake up.

I use it if I can't get to sleep or if I know I'm going to sleep less than normal (ie: early wake up).

 

[desamnik]

hmmm I think maybe I have the "reverse" reaction to these meds. I took Benadryl last week and had the same reaction. I wonder what causes that? I know I can't take Aleve, that makes my left shoulder and arm ache and hurt. strange.

 

[Jennasis]

I use Melatonin along with Trazodone (like you I can fall asleep but I don't stay asleep). My only complaint is that I have to take a bucket of popcorn to bed with me cause every night it's off to the movies in my head with the craziest vivid dreams! Every night is full of ninjas, aliens, explosions...full on plot lined action films.

but I wake up refreshed every morning.

 

[elphaba91]

If you want a lower dose still (or don't like taking tablets) you can also get melatonin naturally from cherries, grapes and walnuts. The latter also contains tryptophan, the amino acid found in warm milk, which helps the body to produce serotonin and melatonin.

 

[Coonhound]

Do not use if bipolar, melatonin can be good for sleeplessness and depression but actually works against bipolar.

 

[dakcp2001]

Melatonin helps you fall asleep, it doesn't help you stay asleep. It doesn't for me anyway. Try a 3mg extended release. I also have very colorful dreams on melatonin, but I love it. If you have nightmares, they are SUPER scary, but fortunately that doesn't happen to me often. I started with 1mg dissolvable, then 3mg but I was waking up. I tried 5 mg, it was too much, and now, I have found 3mg extended release to be perfect for a 6-7 hour sleep. Everyone is different, what dose did you try?

As a night shifter, I have tried a lot of sleeping aids. Lunesta didn't work made my mouth taste like tin foil. I refuse to try ambien because I see what it does to my patients and a lot of them have bad reactions. Unisom works, but I don't use it often. Benadryl works, but I started to need to take 2 so I have layer off of it. Melatonin really has been the best for me. I try not to take prescription medications or OTC sleep aids if I can do something more natural. I tried valerian root (the plant that valium comes from) and chamomile tea. They worked a little bit, not much.

 

[EMode]

I will be keeping an eye on this thread. I was just complaining to my friend about how every night I can't stay asleep and she told me to try melatonin.

 

[minkydog]

I use Melatonin along with Trazodone (like you I can fall asleep but I don't stay asleep). My only complaint is that I have to take a bucket of popcorn to bed with me cause every night it's off to the movies in my head with the craziest vivid dreams! Every night is full of ninjas, aliens, explosions...full on plot lined action films.

but I wake up refreshed every morning.

Bwahahahaha I know just what you mean. I have these exciting, convoluted dreams. They're almost never nightmares and usually I don't remember the plot when I wake up. I'm usually just left with an impression of the dream, whether it was good or bad or scary.

I tried Melatonin but it didn't help me at all. After trying few other sleep aids (Ambien, Benadryl, etc.) she finally put me on Trazadone. Trazadone is a very old antidepressant which is most often used for insomnia now (there are much better drugs for depression, but the primary side effect of Trazadone is SLEEPINESS.) I'm telling you, I can take that stuff and I am cross-eyed in 20 min. I'm a restless sleeper without it, but when I take the Trazadone I get good, refreshing sleep. I still waken a couple times, but I go right back to sleep. Without this drug I would be the walking dead. God bless the maker of Trazadone~!

 

[Gina]

Melatonin has been a godesend for me. I was having a harder and harder time falling asleep, and then would wake up over and over once I finally did fall asleep. I can't take anything with diphenhydramine -- it gives me the worst case of RLS you can imagine. Someone finally suggested to me that I try melatonin, and OMG! I make sure I have a bottle and a spare at all times now.

It did take my body a few nights to get used to it I guess, but after that it was a miracle pill for me. I absolutely notice it when I stupidly forget to take it -- I lay there staring at the ceiling for an hour and a half minimum before I can fall asleep.

For reference, I take the 3mg "Sleep Support" made by Schiff, that also has valerian and chamomile and a couple other things in it.

 

[kidshop]

I have read that if melatonin doesn't seem to be working, you should take LESS. We use nature's way 2.5 mg dissolvable and cut them in half. And the only ingredient is melatonin, no vit b or anything else.

I think they work well, and I can even take it if I wake up at 1am and feel just fine in the am.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

I may have to try this. I have been chugging Nyqil to get a full nights sleep. So tired from waking up 3 or more times a night :-(

 

[Jennasis]

Bwahahahaha I know just what you mean. I have these exciting, convoluted dreams. They're almost never nightmares and usually I don't remember the plot when I wake up. I'm usually just left with an impression of the dream, whether it was good or bad or scary.

I tried Melatonin but it didn't help me at all. After trying few other sleep aids (Ambien, Benadryl, etc.) she finally put me on Trazadone. Trazadone is a very old antidepressant which is most often used for insomnia now (there are much better drugs for depression, but the primary side effect of Trazadone is SLEEPINESS.) I'm telling you, I can take that stuff and I am cross-eyed in 20 min. I'm a restless sleeper without it, but when I take the Trazadone I get good, refreshing sleep. I still waken a couple times, but I go right back to sleep. Without this drug I would be the walking dead. God bless the maker of Trazadone~!

High five!

 

[lorimay]

Melatonin has been a godesend for me. I was having a harder and harder time falling asleep, and then would wake up over and over once I finally did fall asleep. I can't take anything with diphenhydramine -- it gives me the worst case of RLS you can imagine. Someone finally suggested to me that I try melatonin, and OMG! I make sure I have a bottle and a spare at all times now.

It did take my body a few nights to get used to it I guess, but after that it was a miracle pill for me. I absolutely notice it when I stupidly forget to take it -- I lay there staring at the ceiling for an hour and a half minimum before I can fall asleep.

For reference, I take the 3mg "Sleep Support" made by Schiff, that also has valerian and chamomile and a couple other things in it.

OMG! The restless leg syndrome, it happens to me too. I feel like a crazy person anytime I take something with the diphenhydramine.

My husband takes melatonin and sleeps like a baby. I take it and stare at the ceiling for hours.
I am going to give the sleepy time tea a try and see if it helps.