Post: #1

Hello, Forum. I wanted to know if any of you can review melatonin. I have trouble sleeping, and no matter what time I go to bed, I wake up early. When I'm sick, I love the Nyquil-Mucinex combo. But I don't want to load my body up with shit. I've tried taking Melatonin pills twice and, if anything, I just felt tired throughout the next day. Do any of you take melatonin pills/do they actually aid sleep?

-Renberg

Post: #2

I usually don't have trouble falling asleep, but when I do I use Melatonin. I think I don't usually have any trouble going to sleep because I try to follow the rules as I understand them of exercising during the day instead of at night, not using the computer right before bedtime, avoiding caffeine and alcohol during the week, and drinking water before going to bed. When I'm traveling between the US and Japan, the jet lag really screws up my sleep schedule, so I usually carry Melatonin with me.

Melatonin does help me go to sleep. I usually feel drowsy within 10 minutes of taking it and if I lie quietly without interruption, I can usually drop off. I have found the effects of Melatonin to last about 12 hours. So, to keep from feeling drowsy the next day after I get up, I take a Vitamin B6 pill when I awake, which seems to help counteract the Melatonin. I don't know if there is any scientific basis at all for taking B6 to counter Melatonin, but it seems to work for me.

Post: #3

I've used melatonin for years.

It really is only a "fall asleep" aid. Unless you get some timed-released capsules, it only helps you fall asleep.

That being said, I really do believe it can help with sleep habits. A couple tablets can make you drowsy enough to pass out.

Like I said, I don't know about the drowsy next-day issue. Melatonin only helps you fall asleep, it doesn't keep you asleep.

I highly recommend it for men who have a tough time falling asleep.

That being said, sometimes a ritual that you engage in only before trying to fall asleep helps.

For example, I only read fiction books in bed before falling asleep. So, I might sit in bed with a fiction book, read for about 30 minutes or so and after I turn out the lights, my body naturally responds because I have conditioned it so.

If you travel alot, having a before-sleep ritual plus melatonin sounds like a winning combination. I would shy away from approaches that would needless tax your liver and kidneys like Nyquil. A strong night-cap might suit you better long term than drugs like that.

All that said, melatonin seems to be a safe and natural aid to sleep. Imbibing some Nyquil after a particularly stressful day -- perhaps a few vodka sprites -- is nothing but a short term solution. Melatonin is safe long term -- from what I have heard from my doctors -- but you need to try to identify why you have a tough time falling asleep.

Post: #4

The half-life of melatonin is 35-50 minutes according to Wikipedia, so if you feel groggy in the morning you're probably taking too much.

All the research I've seen says that it's not only safe to take melatonin consistently, it produces beneficial effects.

I definitely feel that it improves my sleep quality, even when I have a restless night I'm not burnt out the next day.

"I'd hate myself if I had that kind of attitude, if I were that weak." - Arnold

Post: #5

(05-16-2014 01:26 AM)Renberg Wrote:  Hello, Forum. I wanted to know if any of you can review melatonin. I have trouble sleeping, and no matter what time I go to bed, I wake up early. When I'm sick, I love the Nyquil-Mucinex combo. But I don't want to load my body up with shit. I've tried taking Melatonin pills twice and, if anything, I just felt tired throughout the next day. Do any of you take melatonin pills/do they actually aid sleep?

-Renberg

I take melatonin every night before bed along with some ZMA and GABA. In about 30 minutes that stuff knocks me to sleep. If I fight through the exhaustion, I can force myself to stay away but that's a waste of the supplements.

I wake up groggy, but I normally get up at 5:30 so I end up easing into my day. Take about an hour and a half to get ready, eat breakfast, enjoy the day type of stuff. I then go to the gym which takes care of my exhaustion.

Stop taking the quils, they're horrible for your body. They suppress your body's natural ability to fight infection. By turning off the fever you prolong your illness.

Post: #6

A 3mg pill is enough to make you drowsy. Pop 2 and you're out for the count. I found if you take it two nights in a row you'll be dragging ass the next day.

Magnesium helps you get a deeper more rested sleep. One 50mg pill an hour before bed and you're good to go. Look into it.

Post: #7

I was going to start taking melatonin but then I read this article from Marks Daily Apple.

Quote:melatonin is a hormone.
That’s right – a hormone. Like estrogen. Like testosterone. And just like taking estrogen (whether it’s Hormone Replacement Therapy or the Pill) or testosterone therapy, melatonin comes with risks. Frequent melatonin use – especially in the typical dosage of 3-6 milligrams – can trigger a bit of a vicious cycle in the brain. Supplement with melatonin regularly to get to sleep, and your body is going to produce even less, creating even greater need for the hormone. It’s not that you can’t ever take melatonin;

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/before-yo...z31sv7stbX

Post: #8

I saw that article too.

I can still fall asleep without melatonin, but the difference is annoying. I only need 6 hours of restful sleep with melatonin versus the 9 hours for the same effect without melatonin.

Post: #9

I used to take it in college. It definitely works, but if I took too much I felt drowzy, almost hungover the next day. I had to drink absurd amounts of caffeine just to be functional afterwards, and developed a heavy dependency on it for years afterward. Took me a while to connect the dots and taper off both.

Most pills I see come in 3mg. Cut the pill in half and test it out, then adjust accordingly.

And don't take Nyquil to sleep- not a healthy thing to do long term.

Post: #10

I've been taking melatonin for years and honestly can't tell if it does anything at this point. Going off it for over a week and I sleep about the same.

For the last two weeks I'm having a little red wine before bed, it seems to work better than anything

Post: #11

Thank you for all the advice, guys. I think what I'm going to do is retry taking melatonin, in a relatively small dosage, during a particularly non-stressful week.

Post: #12

It's an effective sleep aid. I feel a bit groggy in the morning but nothing that a black coffee won't cure.

Post: #13

Avoid melatonin or any other specific sleep assisting supplements !!

That garbage is treatment for a symptom which is caused by other problems.

Fix the problems to eliminate the symptoms of poor sleep or light sleep.

Post: #14

Post: #15

I used to have problems sleeping, but I manned up and solved them.

If you can't get off to sleep, or you wake up in the night, then eat something. The body won't sleep if your sugar levels are too low! But don't eat too much sugar before bedtime, or you'll sugar crash and wake up after 2-3 hours.

Bad sleeping patterns could be a sign of diabetes, so check your blood sugar levels.

If you wake up early, get darker curtains.

If your neighborhood is noisy, buy ear plugs. They make a huge difference to your ability to sleep well.

Post: #16

Melatonin is awesome.

The solution is to increase production naturally, and ideally not rely on supps. I generally would recommend only taking it if you have really horrible sleep issues or to compensate for jet lag. Supplementing hormones make your body produce less.

To do that, you need to be exposed to bright light during the day. The morning is most important, however midday is brightest, so go outside in those times. You also need to have no blue light during the night. Turn off your lights, put f.lux on your computer(filters the blue light), wear a sleep mask and/or have thick curtains. If you need the lights try buying red/orange lights as that will not interfere with your melatonin production/circadian cycle.

I sleep at 9 40-10 during this and Im a teen who used to like staying up relatively late(few years ago, until 11-12). I probably would sleep even earlier if I dont go on the computer and parents dont have the light/s on in the adjacent room.

Post: #17

It definitely works but is most effective only for a few weeks and then it will still help you fall asleep but you'll start feeling groggy the next morning. It's definitely useful to cycle and use around times where you want a little reassurance of getting a good night's sleep.

It is a band-aid solution however and you'll definitely want to delve a little deeper into exactly why you have issues with getting the sleep you need. I've had lack luster sleep for about 5 years now and it certainly will affect you.

There are a lot of factors at play and of course our modern lifestyles contribute to the problem as well. Ultimately it is up to you to do a self-assessment and some digging around to better your situation. I'm certainly still working on it myself.

I'm about to try supplementing with particular amino acids to help positively support my neurochemistry and help offset the negative effects of sleep on cognitive function.

I'll write up a report once I've bought everything and tried it out for a few weeks.

Post: #18

Better than all of this shit is Percocet or Vicodin. Pop one of those bad boys
and you mellow right the fuck out and your off the LALA Land.

Post: #19

Melatonin only works 100% when it's complete dark. I forget the science behind it but it works off your light patterns of your eye lids and isn't as effective when your body senses light.

For me it only worked when I used my eye patch to block out light, anything else and it wouldn't be as effective to get me 6hrs of sleep at least. It's good but I find ZMA just as effective as times even though it dosnt work as well to keep me asleep 6hrs, my body dosnt fight of ZMA like it does Melatonin.

So take it in a dark room and to make sure it stays dark the best you can. I you don't believe me go try it out tonight if you consistently use it and then so the usual night routine with a lamp or light on the next night and contrast your sleep.

Post: #20

Quote: I've tried taking Melatonin pills twice and, if anything, I just felt tired throughout the next day. Do any of you take melatonin pills/do they actually aid sleep?

-Renberg

Tried them for two weeks. Then I threw them out. I had 1 gram pills. first two nights they did nothing. I go to bed at 10:15 on weeknites.

I awoke suddenly at about 11:30 and couldn't fall back asleep on the 3rd nite.. Same thing happened the rest of the week. I halved the pills in week 2 and then started having night terrors.

For that 2 weeks I slept about 12-15 hrs total but didn't feel tired but my focus and mood were shit. Ymmv but I would never try it again.

Post: #21

They work great for me. I have 10mg pills. About a half hour or so after taking them, it's hard to even keep my eyes open.

Post: #22

Melatonin got me to sleep, but gave me wicked, WICKED nightmares.

I go with valerian root: mellow, no side effects, wake up sharp.

Post: #23

I could not have gone without melatonin, I took it very nearly every night for about 2 years. Chronic pain will keep you up . . . Melatonin was a godsend.
Sometimes I'd be groggy but only if I tried to sleep more than 8 hours. You'll wake up normally anyway at its point, so don't try to fight it, else you'll be groggy the rest of the morning.

Also second kosko, dark room, quiet and just cool enough is the ticket.

Post: #24

I take a combination of melatonin, valerian root, and l-theanine. These 3 together while wearing a sleep mask has proven to be the best combination for me.

Post: #25

(05-16-2014 07:02 PM)kosko Wrote:  Melatonin only works 100% when it's complete dark. I forget the science behind it but it works off your light patterns of your eye lids and isn't as effective when your body senses light.

For me it only worked when I used my eye patch to block out light, anything else and it wouldn't be as effective to get me 6hrs of sleep at least. It's good but I find ZMA just as effective as times even though it dosnt work as well to keep me asleep 6hrs, my body dosnt fight of ZMA like it does Melatonin.

So take it in a dark room and to make sure it stays dark the best you can. I you don't believe me go try it out tonight if you consistently use it and then so the usual night routine with a lamp or light on the next night and contrast your sleep.

Kosko, if you haven't tried it yet put the melatonin and the ZMA together. It's an amazing experience.

When you get bored of that combo, buy some GABA powder and throw that in too. You will have the most restful sleeps ever.

I had an ex who suffered from insomnia. She took Ambian (horrible) and then tried zzquil. Her sleeping patterns were all fucked up. I get her taking my nightly sleep supplements and sure enough she was able to naturally fall asleep after a week on them.