Melatonin for sleep

**m16a2** · 10-28-2002, 12:18 AM

I have read through the archived posts about people's experience with melatonin and I just wanted to report mine and possibly take suggestions. I have trouble falling asleep, and trouble staying asleep. Usually I'll wakeup at least 2 times during the night to piss and have a little trouble falling back asleep. The problems have been chronic for a little more than a year now. I first used ambien, then found it hard to sleep when I stopped. I ended up getting another prescript and basically realized that the reason I couldn't sleep at night was that my body had no routine. I ended up using xanax to fall asleep during the summer after I ran out of ambien. While coming back to school, I brought some xanax with me, but am about to run out. I have been working on my patterns so that I can have healthy sleep from now on, and I started taking melatonin.

This is where I finally get to the point -- I have been using it for about a week and I am pretty sure that it works well to help me fall asleep. I know for a fact that I'm not staring at the dark walls for 3 hours anymore before I doze off lightly. However, I am still waking up, and even the slightest disturbance will wake me in the early hours (about 5-6 hours after initially falling asleep). I feel ok during the day, but not rested still. Does anyone have any recommendations to stay asleep, maybe hit REM for the first time in a year?

I am taking 6 mg of melatonin about an hour before bedtime. I go lie down relax and watch stupid network television till i feel tired enough to goto sleep. Does anyone else have similiar problems?

**McBain** · 10-28-2002, 12:40 AM

I'd recommend not watching TV, I found I get worse sleep if I fall asleep watching tv. Reading a book is a better option imo. Better for your mind anyways

What about ZMA? My mother used to always wake up during the night until I put her on some ZMA, now she doesn't wake up nearly as much. Make sure you don't use the melatonin everyday either, otherwise after about 2 weeks it will be ineffective. I try not to use it more than every 3 days or so. Only on nights when i NEED to fall asleep.

**Warrior** · 10-28-2002, 12:55 AM

Reading is awesome! Gets your eyes nice and drowsy... grab a book on training and have REM visions of dumbells!

Melatonin is a hormone excreded by your body naturally at night when the sun goes down. During times when your natural levels become out of balance like traveling to a new time zone - supplemental Melatonin can help. But it should not be used everyday. If abused your natural levels can become suppressed and even Clomid will not help with that

They have some pretty effective night time teas at the grocery store - you can put down a couple glasses before bedtime. They contain herbs for relaxation - Melatonin free.

**McBain** · 10-28-2002, 01:06 AM

oh good suggestion with the tea, get sleepy time extra (with valerian) great shit. lol dreams about lifting, I remember the night after my first shot I dreamt about repping out 150lb dumbells for bench press with ease

Get a book of short stories, they are great because you can finish an entire story in one night and they help you get to sleep. Lookup Herman Hesse's book of short stories, GREAT stuff. Title sounds a little cheesy forget what it is exactly something about fairy tales but it is a great read. His descriptions are breathe-taking I think. His other books are good too.

**m16a2** · 10-28-2002, 01:13 AM

lol, Usually I read maxim to fall asleep. It works wonders for helping me fall asleep at night. But my subscription hasn't transfered to my new address just yet. The melatonin should be kicking in soon, and I'm watching some of face-off until I feel sleepy. I tried the valerian root, but it didn't do shit for me. I know its not safe to use anything everyday, but if I have to choose between xanax/ambien/bendryl/sominex or melatonin, I'd choose melatonin. There are guys on here who claim to have been using melatonin daily for years, without any major issues. I think I'll use it until my cycle ends at least.

**McBain** · 10-28-2002, 01:22 AM

Oh I don't think there are any serious health implications in taking melatonin everyday; however I have been told it begins to lose it's effectiveness if you take it ed for a while. Did you try the valerian root tea or the pills? I tried the pills and they didn't do shit.

**m16a2** · 10-28-2002, 10:35 AM

I can't stand drinking tea or coffee. Maybe its part of dealing with add, but it makes me feel like shit when I have caffine or anything hot to drink.

**Warrior** · 10-28-2002, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by rampage76
I can't stand drinking tea or coffee. Maybe its part of dealing with add, but it makes me feel like shit when I have caffine or anything hot to drink.

Dude - you get the caffeine free shit or it will just keep ya up

Mine is a Chamomile Tes called Sweet Dreams. I get it at the grocery store when picking up chow. It contains some other calming herbs too. It works great after 2 cups. I might get some Valerian to add to it later on too... but it works great so far, as is.

**m16a2** · 10-28-2002, 03:04 PM

Originally posted by Warrior

Dude - you get the caffeine free shit or it will just keep ya up

Mine is a Chamomile Tes called Sweet Dreams. I get it at the grocery store when picking up chow. It contains some other calming herbs too. It works great after 2 cups. I might get some Valerian to add to it later on too... but it works great so far, as is.

Well, drinking anything too close to bedtime might prove to be a bad idea! I already wakeup 2-3 times every night and that's without drinking before 1-2 hours of bedtime.

**sicilian40** · 10-28-2002, 09:30 PM

valerian is a great thing to drink to fall asleep too....also my grandmother used to make hopps tea to fall asleep because she had a slight case of insomnia....herbs tend to be the best non addictive way that dont distrubt your sleep patterns...if all else fails...do what i do...smoke a joint!

**primodonna** · 10-29-2002, 12:56 AM

How do you guys function in the morning after taking melatonin the night before?

**Warrior** · 10-29-2002, 01:04 AM

Originally posted by primodonna
How do you guys function in the morning after taking melatonin the night before?

My first Melatonin experience was CRAZY! The stars must have aligned perfectly that night. My dreams were so vivid I thought I had actually woken up and went through an entire day - only to actually wake up.

To answer your question, me personally... I tended to sleep very hard and feel great the nxt morning. But it has never worked as well as that first try at it and I hardly use it anymore...

**m16a2** · 10-29-2002, 01:07 AM

Originally posted by primodonna
How do you guys function in the morning after taking melatonin the night before?

Are you kidding? You guys must have a much stronger reaction to it then me. I fall asleep much easier, but I'm awake about 3 hours later, and have to fall back asleep. Then I wakeup about 3 hours after that, and go back to sleep. Then I wakeup feeling kinda drowsy.

That was last night >> took 9 mg melatonin. I wanted to test out what happened if I took my normal 6, and then did one more right before hitting the sack. It didn't work great, so its back down to 6 mg tonight.

**Warrior** · 10-29-2002, 01:16 AM

If you are going to take that much - get a timed release version. Get a timed- release version anyway... easily found at many GNCs.

**m16a2** · 10-29-2002, 02:20 AM

yeah, i ended up getting mine from rite aid. Went to a bunch of diff stores looking around. Anyways, I will use this up and then get timed release. Low budget until something changes.