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Q. I've been a victim of insomnia for the past two years. My doctor has tried me on three different drugs, separately of course. The side effects were worse than the loss of sleep.
Melatonin popped into my head for some reason. I did some research and found it is a sleep aid. I bought some over the counter and after two months of using it, I now fall sleep easily. Is melatonin natural? Are there any dangers?
A. Melatonin is natural. It is a hormone that our bodies make to help regulate our cycles of sleeping and waking.
Prolonged-release melatonin (Circadin) was approved in Europe as a drug in 2007. Studies have shown that melatonin is effective and does not cause rebound insomnia when it is stopped (Journal of Sleep Research, Dec. 2007). In the US, melatonin is sold as a dietary supplement; the quality of dietary supplements is largely unregulated.
We discuss the pros and cons of melatonin and other nonprescription approaches to insomnia as well as sleeping pills such as Ambien, Lunesta, Rozerem and Sonata in our Guide to Getting a Good Night's Sleep.
Melatonin works very well for me. I take it an hour before I want to be asleep. I get deep natural sleep and wake up refreshed. I used to wake up every night to urinate (I'm 53). No more since Melatonin.
Melatonin taken with HTP-5 has helped me go to sleep and sleep through the night. I may wake up to go to the bathroom, but go back to sleep quickly now. The HTP-5 contains tryptophan, the enzyme in turkey that makes us all sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner. I read about this combination when researching fibromyalgia treatments.
Apparently some of the foremost authorities on fibromyalgia recommend these supplements to patients so they can get the restorative sleep they need.
Melatonin should be very helpful for you. To dose it, start with a small amount (whatever you find in a good vitamin shop...not a megamart or a drugstore chain)...probably 3mg or 5mg. Take one a night for a week. Then, after a week, when you first wake up (still in the bed, haven't gotten up & around yet) can you remember your dreams & are they in color? If yes, then you have your correct dosage...keep taking that amount each night.
If no, then add another melatonin (double dose to either 6mg or 10mg), go another week, and repeat the assessment. Keep adding a melatonin until you pass the test.
For me, I'm at 10mg per night. My husband is at 20mg, but he had ADD symptoms to start with (which were greatly cured by melatonin alone, w/o prescription ADD drugs).
Forget the drugs, drink warm milk! If you don't like milk add honey, or cocoa.
I have tried every possible way, from auto-hypnosis to Ambien 10 (and everything in between), to get to sleep and stay asleep for a reasonable length of time and, after a while, nothing really helps. Do you believe I would be putting myself in danger if I were to add Melatonin to my dosage of Ambien each night? I am 72 years old and remember that my father had this same problem as he aged. Thank you both so much for all you do.
Melatonin works, but most people who say it does not are not taking enough. It's sold in 1 mg and 3 mg sizes that are useless for people who have sleep issues. Try more than 5 mg, and up the dose as high as 10 mg until you find it's working. It's also great for speeding up recovery from jet lag when you have to jump several time zones.
The article states that melatonin is natural, not a drug. I started using it recently and it works like a charm. Furthermore, warm milk rarely works and many people have trouble digesting it.
My problem was not falling asleep but awakening several times a night and sometimes not getting enough sleep. I would wake up still feeling tired.
I read an article on the Amino Acid Glycine and how it improves the quality of sleep. Started taking a teaspoon (4 Grams)of the powder and found that I would sleep through at least 5 hours without waking up and felt refreshed when I woke up with no more afternoon blahs. I also take 500 MG of Ester C to help keep my cortisol levels down.
Here is a link to the Glycine article
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Industry/Amino-acid-promotes-sleep-finds-Ajinomoto
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THERE SEEMS TO BE GOOD RESEARCH CONNECTING GLYCINE RECEPTORS TO REM SLEEP, PUBLISHED IN THE NOV. 2008 ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL SLEEP. APPLYING IT TO HUMANS IS STILL SOMEWHAT PRELIMINARY. WE'RE GLAD IT WORKED FOR YOU.
I alternate between melatonin and half a Diphenhydramine (benadryl)to help me sleep through the night. I generally get to sleep ok, but if I awaken after 3 am I have trouble getting back to sleep. Even nights where I forget to take one or the other, about half of those times I can get back to sleep with controlled meditative abdominal breathing.
Melatonin works, but I felt groggy some mornings for up to an hour and I was only taking 300 mcg (micrograms not milligrams). I actually quarter (or try to) and that fraction (probably 50-100 mcg) seems to work best for me.
Here lately after struggling to decide which is the best medical plan for 2010 I have had a night or two where neither drug or deep breathing worked.
I tried melatonin and it would work one night then not the next night. A naturapath put me on 5htp and I added melatonin and that makes me sleep all night. If I get up for the bathroom, I can get back to sleep. Previously, my problem was waking about 2 am and not being able to get back to sleep until about 5 am.
Melatonian is not without problems. It causes vivid, disturbing dreams. I don't know if the people who like it don't have dreams or don't remember, but I tried it a few times and every morning I awoke with feelings of terror as I came out of a dream. I won't touch it again.