Melatonin

[drusillas_rain]

Anyone on my flist take melatonin? What were your experiences like? Did you find it helpful?

Comments

[rickey-a.livejournal.com]

My eight year old son takes it (1mg) before bed and it works like a charm. He falls asleep w/in 15-30 minutes. No side effects. No problems waking up. It is a godsend. Before 8 months ago, he used to be awake for 1-3 hrs before falling asleep talking and playing. He's autistic and there have been several studies that show sleep onset issues due to melatonin deficiency in people on the spectrum.

From the melatonin studies I've read up on, if you (an this can be a neurotypical person) are having sleep onset issues, it could be a melatonin deficiency. If that's the case, it usually helps reduce sleep onset time without side effects. It isn't a sedative so there aren't the typical issues associated w/sleeping aids (like waking difficulties and grogginess). On the other hand, if your sleep issues aren't 'onset' issues or related to melatonin deficiency, it probably won't help you at all. It's been demonstrated to be safe, so there isn't much harm in trying it and seeing if it helps. Most adults take 3-5mg. Most doctors recommend starting lower and you can always increase the amount if you feel you need to.

I hope that helps.

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the reply!

I ended up trying it last night, and I slept so deeply! This morning when DH was leaving (he wakes up much earlier than me) he actually checked my breathing because I didn't stir. Getting to sleep is always weird for me - doesn't necessarily take hours, but my brain won't stop racing, and last night I didn't experience that. DH also reported that I barely moved all night (I typically do somersaults).

I'm also really surprised at how I don't feel groggy. It took me a bit more time than usual to go from conscious to getting out of bed, but now that I've been up, I feel a lot more alert and ready to go than usual.

[rickey-a.livejournal.com]

sounds like a promising start. good luck!

[mordyn4]

This comment made me happy. :)

I used to have serious problems trying to turn the chatter box off at night. I really hope this stuff works for you. IMO, good sleep is the foundation for good living. That and protein. And friends. And laughing.

:P

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

Protein! Yes! My DH thinks I'm crazy for eating eggs every morning, (he's not a breakfast eater at all), but if I don't have protein first thing I feel useless all day.

<3

[mordyn4]

My mother has/had eggs for breakfast all the way through the eggs are bad/good/bad/good drama in the 90s. I can tell when she hasn't had them, no amount of coffee can make her alert without the eggs.