Anyone use Melatonin? What's your experience?

[lizziegrace]

Sleep is elusive these days.

x(

[lost-in-nj]

1. sorry to hear this

Lizzie

I don't sleep much either

I know 1 person that takes melatonin so he can sleep on overseas flights

he says it works....

some people use tylenol or advil PM


:hug:

wish I could help


lost

[lizziegrace]

2. Thanks

Tylenol PM and Advil PM are just tylenol or advil with benedryl added. Benedryl will put me in a coma during the day but at night, I sleep for exactly 4 hours and am wide awake. Bleh.

[ThomCat]

3. It didn't do a thing for me.

But I'm not someone you want to use as a typical case study. :shrug:

Of course, to an extent, neither are you. :(

:hug:

If you try it, I hope it works for you.

[lizziegrace]

4. I hate not being ordinary

or normal. x(

:hug:

It can't hurt and I've got to get some uninterrupted sleep.

[av8rdave]

5. Tried it once - didn't do a thing for me!

[hobbit709]

6. Glass of warm milk always works for me.

[lizziegrace]

8. Dairy

doesn't like me...

[SPKrazy]

7. It can work

its something you take and then go to bed and give it a chance to work. Also works best if it is as dark as you can make it because your body produces melatonin when it is dark on its own.

Sorry you aren't sleeping well. Everything seems worse when you don't sleep.

Give it a try, it's safe as far as anyone knows.

:hug: :hug:

[Lyric]

9. I was an insomniac when I was younger, and I used it.

It worked best when I used it as part of a schedule--I'd take the pill, then run a hot bath and soak. After I was out of the bath, the natural cooling of my body released more melatonin just as the pill was starting to take effect. Combined with a fan in the room for some white noise, I'd fall asleep with no problem.

At risk of mentioning the unmentionable...there are also other "adult" options you could include in said ritual that have a soporific and relaxing effect. I occasionally did that too, if the pill and bath alone weren't enough.

I also recommend reading a book that you've read a hundred times before. You don't want something new, because your interest in the story will keep you awake. Just some old friend of a book in which you know the story almost by heart.

I hope you find what works for you--goodness knows you have enough to deal with as it is.

:hug:

[ellaydubya]

10. I have and it work for me.....

BUT I have very bizarre, wild, crazy dreams when I do. I have tried just about everything since I have always had a hard time sleeping. Right now I like "Restful Sleep" that I get from Whole Foods- it is a combination of herbs with the two main ingredients of valerian and passionflower.

Good luck!

[jobycom]

11. It put me to sleep, but never a deep sleep.

I tried it for a while. It made me drowsy and helped me fall asleep, but I slept shallow, had weird dreams, and woke feeling tired, like you do when you sleep restlessly. It also only kept me asleep four to five hours. I've heard others say it had the same effect on them, and still others who felt it worked well for them.

I've always been horribly insomniac. Only a few things have ever helped me sleep. If I take Nyquil when I'm truly sick, I'll sleep extremely well. Also, it I take Benadryl with a glass of wine, I sleep well. I avoid doing both of these, for fear of some form of addiction, but that's just me. Too much addiction in my family for me to mess with it. It's almost a phobia of mine.

The other thing that works for me is a complete lifestyle change. A few times in life I've given up sugars, processed foods, caffeine, and meat, and worked out vigorously. After a couple weeks of this, I began sleeping well. For some reason, I never maintain these periods of good living for long--the longest was about two years, usually it's only a few months. I guess I'm just a naughty boy who hates to be good. Or I'm lazy and self-indulgent, take your pick. Another good thing of the healthy living thing is that it improves mood and outlook, and makes me feel more confident and positive about everything.

Anyway, that's my input.

[no name no slogan]

12. I'm taking Restoril right now

Which is a benzodiazepine, like Xanax or Valium or Klonopin. It makes me drowsy enough to fall asleep, if I take it a couple hours before I need to sleep. Although it's a prescription, they make a generic and it's pretty cheap.

The best one I ever took was Ambien CR, but my insurance won't cover that any more. I also took Trazodone for many years, but it gave me serious night munchies.

I hope you find something that works. Not sleeping is not good for you. :hug:

[lizziegrace]

15. I take Klonopin for anxiety

and always take one every night. It's not cutting through the "noise".

[no name no slogan]

17. I took that for awhile too

It didn't make me very sleepy-- but I was taking it for anxiety so that's probably why.

Do you have a doc you can talk to about it? They may be able to do something for you which may not even involve drugs.

[lizziegrace]

20. I'm exploring all non-drug, non-medical options

I'm uninsured...

[Gidney N Cloyd]

13. I've had some luck with it >>>

>>> I've often gone through periods where my sleep cycle just gets off-- I'll wake up at 2:00 AM and toss around. This would go on for days or weeks. I found if I'd take melatonin for a couple nights it would get me back on track.

[Whoa_Nelly]

14. Maybe some of the proven suggestions from this site can help you

:hug: :loveya: :hug:


http://health.howstuffworks.com/how-to-fall-asleep.htm

[ghostsofgiants]

16. I use it sometimes. Does the trick for me.

[Lavender Brown]

18. It didn't really work for me

Unfortunately... :(

[DeepBlueC]

19. I didn't notice any difference

But it does help to sleep in the darkest environment.

[blogslut]

21. It works for me

Which is unusual because I tend to have opposite reactions when it comes to over-the-counter stuff. Never have had any side effects with it. Give it a shot. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work.

[Callalily]

22. I too have been experiencing

sleep problems due to work related issues as in, who next at work will be asked to leave, give up their job. I've never used melatonin, but sat next to a guy on a recent flight who traveled to Japan regularly and swore by it.

Sorry, I have to easy answers for you.

:hug:

[lizziegrace]

23. I'm so sorry you're going through all that

:hug:

I'm always here if you need to vent. I know exactly how you feel.

[Callalily]

26. Thanks. These are tough

times for all. And I suspect that you could write a book on the topic.

Wishing you the best.

:hug:

[Shine]

24. Hi lizziegrace!

yes, I've used melatonin for a while now and it's seemed to help...but lately it's not been helping like it used to.

I'm waking up several times a night and feeling fatigued for most of the day. It's been a drag.

I'm actually planning to get my hormone levels checked to find out if there's anything else going on. I'll be 45 next month and I'm in the throes of peri-menopause. Ugh.

Hope you're able to find some relief, too! Good luck!

:hi: :hug: :loveya:

[DS1]

25. Drrowsiness, sometimes sleep

but sleep that ends early and I spend between 3 and 5 am awake.