purplejackmama Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Do you take melatonin? Do you think it's safe? Is there a maximum number of days you should safely take it? Are certain brands better than others? Signed, A very very sleepy insomniac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I've had no sleep with other brands, but Source Natural is the best and most effective brand I've found. http://www.iherb.com/Source-Naturals-Melatonin-5-mg-120-Tablets/1310#p=1&oos=1&disc=0&lc=en-US&w=source%20naturals%20melatonin&rc=5678&sr=null&ic=3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I don't care for melatonin for me, at least not by itself. I get weird dreams. I do like a Source Naturals product called NutraSleep that is a mixture of things. Lately I'm finding that certain daytime supplements seem to make it easier to sleep all the way through the night. I give some of my kids small amounts of melatonin, 500 mcg, Trader Joes chewable brand from Amazon. One of them gets it on a very regular basis. The ped has no issue with it. With melatonin, I may have read recently that less-is-more though it's not always easy to find in the smaller doses. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 It didn't work for me. Dh works weird hours and he swears by it. I looked into it for my kids and found that there were very few studies about long term use in kids and decided I didn't feel it was proven safe enough (though no judgement on anyone who uses it for their kids... I just didn't feel there was enough information out there to use it for mine). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplejackmama Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 Lately I'm finding that certain daytime supplements seem to make it easier to sleep all the way through the night. . Tell me more about your daytime supplements. Please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I also get weird dreams with it. I don't think it's unsafe, though. My dd has had insomnia for the last year or so, and her pediatrician recommended she take it every night. She's been taking 3 mg for several months, and no side effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Tell me more about your daytime supplements. Please. To make a long story short, I like to try out supplements my kids are taking; one of them is on many supplements for some issues. So I don't necessarily have a major purpose, if you know what I mean. My favorite new supplement is Pycnogenol. I read (on this board at first and then later googled the studies) about it being good for both asthma (one of my kids) and attention/focus (another one or two of my kids). I found that to be true. The effect for me is dose-dependent - much bigger effect with the bigger dose. That is, a couple days ago I wanted to try closer to 1 mg per pound in a single dose rather than smaller doses, so I did and wow did I get a lot done in the house that day LOL. It was awesome. But the sleep help I noticed even if I took a smaller dose, say in the afternoon. I even took it in the evening a few times though I read that some people might get a bit too much energy and have trouble going to sleep. I'm really stretching my memory when I say this, but I may have read that it can lower cortisol or perhaps modulate it or something. (I have not yet tried the kids on the bigger dose but I'm considering it. So far I've only given them smaller doses.) I have also taken a few more oddball supplements during the day, herbal stuff related to treating infections, and those seemed to help sleep as well, though I wasn't keeping careful track. I try to take most things during the day as simple vitamins and such can keep me awake if I don't take them in the morning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 My son takes up to 6mg. It was rec'd by his nd. We're comfortable with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 It is not recommended in pregnancy. I don't remember ottomh why, though. I have used it with excellent success. And I've given to my kids on trips out of our usual time zone, to reset. I always had the peppermint flavored sub-lingual kind. I will say, however, that if I took melatonin, went to sleep, and then woke up (like a toddler needed me at 1am) I could NOT! go back to sleep. My then-4 year old ate half a bottle once. I called poison control and they said he'd be fine. And he was! Didn't sleep in or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 My daughter's neurologist suggests it for kids long term. DD takes it with no ill effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heatherwith4 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I developed insomnia about a year or year and a half ago, and I was quickly getting miserable. I tried Melatonin (sometime in March) and it has been a game changer for me. I take it nightly. One night DH was gone, and I was afraid I wouldn't sleep. So I took two. I had some seriously crazy and vivid dreams. I woke up feeling like I hadn't slept at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I bought it when my insomnia got crazy bad, I use the Source Naturals brand, it works pretty well here(most nights I take it helps me sleep deeper). I do have to watch it that I don't take it too late or I'll be half-asleep all day. My daughter - 8yo - takes it sometimes as she has difficulty quieting her mind at times. Dh has tried it on occasion and it seems good for him. I rec'd it to my mom and it helps her some, like me it is not guaranteed nights sleep but often helps- I think it depends on why you are having difficulty sleeping, there are sometimes that nothing helps, except perhaps tranquilizers which I don't have access too unfortunately :) To make a long story short, I like to try out supplements my kids are taking; one of them is on many supplements for some issues. So I don't necessarily have a major purpose, if you know what I mean. My favorite new supplement is Pycnogenol. I read (on this board at first and then later googled the studies) about it being good for both asthma (one of my kids) and attention/focus (another one or two of my kids). I found that to be true. The effect for me is dose-dependent - much bigger effect with the bigger dose. That is, a couple days ago I wanted to try closer to 1 mg per pound in a single dose rather than smaller doses, so I did and wow did I get a lot done in the house that day LOL. It was awesome. But the sleep help I noticed even if I took a smaller dose, say in the afternoon. I even took it in the evening a few times though I read that some people might get a bit too much energy and have trouble going to sleep. I'm really stretching my memory when I say this, but I may have read that it can lower cortisol or perhaps modulate it or something. (I have not yet tried the kids on the bigger dose but I'm considering it. So far I've only given them smaller doses.) I have also taken a few more oddball supplements during the day, herbal stuff related to treating infections, and those seemed to help sleep as well, though I wasn't keeping careful track. I try to take most things during the day as simple vitamins and such can keep me awake if I don't take them in the morning. Interesting about Pycnongenol, I have my son take this for attention and it really seems to help him but I'm never tried it for myself, he takes 100mg and is 65 lbs. This really makes me want to try it for me to see if it helps sleep but I become wired extremely easily... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Try eating more of the ingredients for serotonin first. It's better if you can work with your body's natural process of converting left over serotonin to melatonin if you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyto4 Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 My kids have taken it off and on over the years. It has been effective for two of them, and doesn't work at all with one of them. My son's doctor recommended it to help with my third son's sleeping disorder. My kids will ask for it if they are especially tired and can't calm down to go to sleep. The vast majority of nights they just fall asleep on their own, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 I take the melatonin gummies occasionally. I was getting awful insomnia for a while, maybe a year ago. I took two (3 mg each) for a couple of nights and then one for another week or two. I slept wonderfully from the first night on. Now, I take one every couple of weeks at most. It was just what I needed to get my sleep cycles back on track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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