Melatonin - what to expect

[mlktwins]

I am taking my first dose of melatonin tonight.  I have the 2.5 mg gummies to start.  What can I expect?  I never have any trouble falling asleep, but have a lot of trouble staying asleep.  I need to try something to help.  I have a bit of medical anxiety with trying new meds so I’m a little nervous LoL.

[mlktwins]

3 minutes ago, Margaret in CO said:

You may find that low dose doesn't do much, but it's a good place to start. I found that since I slept deeper, I dreamed more. 

I’m nervous to start with a higher dose LOL.  How long should I give it a try before moving up to 5 mg?

[Storygirl]

You may need to try an extended release version. The regular kind helps with falling asleep, but we found we needed the extended release for one family member -- he needed help with getting to sleep and staying asleep, and he needs the extended release kind to stay asleep.

I have only taken it a few times, though I have family members who use it nightly. I found for myself that I had a window of time, where it would work, and if I did not go to bed during that window, that it didn't help me. So my advice is to take it right before you turn out your lights. (If you had trouble getting to sleep, I would say to take it 15-20 minutes before turning out the lights, so that it had a little time to take effect, but not too much time).

Some people find that it gives them bad dreams, but no one that I know has had that problem.

[Jaybee]

I tried it, but it made me feel groggy and sluggish the next day, and it made me have bad dreams. I know lots of people benefit from it, though.

[crazyforlatin]

My mom tried it, the Life Extension version, which is very low dosage, and still had a bad reaction. Now to help her fall asleep she’s been alternating among various supplements, such as tryptophan, lysine, cannabis patch, lemon balm. They all work well, but the body adjusts which means she has to change it every few days.

 

[Tenaj]

As someone already mentioned, I've found the 1mg extended release to be the most helpful in preventing the middle of the night waking.  I was taking up to 5 mg a night and still waking up.  When I switched to extended release I was able to lower the mg to 1 and it worked great.

[Pawz4me]

I have the same problem--staying asleep. I only take 1 mg. when I've gone several nights without decent sleep. Taking a higher dosage than that, or taking even that low dose for more than a couple of nights in a row, causes me to have weird dreams.

[Pen]

I suggest a half or a third to start.  Some people find less to be more with melatonin.  

I’ve not used gummies form.

Worst things I’ve had happen are a headache or feeling groggy next day.  Or feeling a little groggy/disoriented if waking in the middle of night after taking it. But I can waken myself and deal with some problem if need be. 

[mlktwins]

8 minutes ago, crazyforlatin said:

My mom tried it, the Life Extension version, which is very low dosage, and still had a bad reaction. Now to help her fall asleep she’s been alternating among various supplements, such as tryptophan, lysine, cannabis patch, lemon balm. They all work well, but the body adjusts which means she has to change it every few days.

 

What kind of bad reaction 😲?

[mlktwins]

DP

Edited November 15, 2019 by mlktwins

[BeachGal]

If you’re having trouble staying asleep, you might want to take 2-5 mg of glycine about 1/2 hour before bed. It works by lowering your core body temperature which helps you to fall asleep and go into deeper sleep. It also increases serotonin which is used to make melatonin. There are a few instances where you should not take it — if you are taking clozapine or if you’ve had a stroke — but it’s tolerated well by most people. I sometimes take the Now brand powdered stuff. 1/2 teaspoon is 2 grams. Here’s a good article:

https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/07/23/understanding-glycine/

[crazyforlatin]

32 minutes ago, mlktwins said:

What kind of bad reaction 😲?

She’s way older than you, so her digestive system can’t tolerate it. I think her reaction was IBS, but most people who can’t tolerate it have the groggy/headache reaction. Lemon balm has been working for me. I’m scared of headaches because mine can turn into migraines.

[gardenmom5]

staying asleep can be more about adrenals and cortisol than melatonin.   (which works best for those who don't produce enough).

I respond better to adrenal support for middle of the night waking than I do melatonin.

[BeachGal]

9 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

staying asleep can be more about adrenals and cortisol than melatonin.   (which works best for those who don't produce enough).

I respond better to adrenal support for middle of the night waking than I do melatonin.

 

Melatonin was not helping my husband much. I’ve always suspected his cortisol is off, especially considering his upbringing. He tends to be high strung. A 10” back massage before bedtime does wonders. He sleeps much better now but still sometimes wakes too early which is not ideal. At least he’s getting solid sleep.

[gardenmom5]

45 minutes ago, BeachGal said:

 

Melatonin was not helping my husband much. I’ve always suspected his cortisol is off, especially considering his upbringing. He tends to be high strung. A 10” back massage before bedtime does wonders. He sleeps much better now but still sometimes wakes too early which is not ideal. At least he’s getting solid sleep.

has he tried taking adrenal support supplements?  there are some very helpful ones on the market.

[Corraleno]

2 hours ago, gardenmom5 said:

has he tried taking adrenal support supplements?  there are some very helpful ones on the market.

I'd like to try this — what would you recommend?

[mlktwins]

OP here.  I didn't try it last night.  I have to get the boys to a class an hour away from home today and didn't want to be wonky if I had the headache/grogginess reaction -- LOL.  They have early morning sessions at a swim meet this weekend and a 9 am class on Monday.  I am going to try Monday night because Tuesday is the first day I don't have to go anywhere early :-).  I will look into the extended release 1 mg too.

I am 52 and menopause has not helped my sleep issues at all.  And...I was on high-alert stress wise this past year with my dad.  My shoulders are perpetually tight and I am waiting for the other shoe to drop all the time.  Not a fun way to live.  A good night's sleep sometimes would go a long way for me at this point.

[Soror]

14 hours ago, BeachGal said:

If you’re having trouble staying asleep, you might want to take 2-5 mg of glycine about 1/2 hour before bed. It works by lowering your core body temperature which helps you to fall asleep and go into deeper sleep. It also increases serotonin which is used to make melatonin. There are a few instances where you should not take it — if you are taking clozapine or if you’ve had a stroke — but it’s tolerated well by most people. I sometimes take the Now brand powdered stuff. 1/2 teaspoon is 2 grams. Here’s a good article:

https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/07/23/understanding-glycine/

I'm going to try this out, I do ok with melatonin but finding the right doseage is hard and I don't always feel the best the next day. Right now my sleep isn't horrible but not great either and I'd love to consistently get good sleep. 

[gardenmom5]

7 hours ago, Corraleno said:

I'd like to try this — what would you recommend?

I cannot have holy basil leaf (I'm allergic to it - if I get enough I will have an anaphylactic response, responds to large doses of benadryl - grrr) - so I'm much more limited to what I can have. 

most people don't have an issue, and it can be very helpful and is in many combinations.  look for Adrenal Support supplements.  some good brands are:

NOW

jarrow

swanson

gaia  

My dr recommended Integrative therapeutics cortisol manager - instead I use Jarrow ashwagandha, NOW relora, NOW/Nature's Trove (trying that one) L-Theanine.  I take one capsule of each 4x per day, or more if my adrenaline is running/cortisol is up.  (IT also has phosphytadilserine - but I dont' like how it makes me feel.)

1 hour ago, mlktwins said:

OP here.  I didn't try it last night.  I have to get the boys to a class an hour away from home today and didn't want to be wonky if I had the headache/grogginess reaction -- LOL.  They have early morning sessions at a swim meet this weekend and a 9 am class on Monday.  I am going to try Monday night because Tuesday is the first day I don't have to go anywhere early :-).  I will look into the extended release 1 mg too.

I am 52 and menopause has not helped my sleep issues at all.  And...I was on high-alert stress wise this past year with my dad.  My shoulders are perpetually tight and I am waiting for the other shoe to drop all the time.  Not a fun way to live.  A good night's sleep sometimes would go a long way for me at this point.

this is common in menopause - waking in the middle of the night, is cortisol levels.  yoga helps too.

and this morning - I had a telemarketer at 5:30 am . . . . .and another one just before 7am (after I had struggled to go back to sleep from the first one.).  they're spoofing local phone numbers, so they get through the blocks.  It's not like I have an easy time sleeping.  I'm sure there's a special place in hell for telemarketers. . . . . . . . 

[Hen]

Beach gal,  where do you get  your glycine from? What is it called?  I just tried looking on amazon and it was confusing. 

[Pronghorn]

If your bedroom is not pitch-black dark, wear a sleep mask. Light inhibits the body's production of melatonin. I also suggest you wear amber glasses for two hours before bedtime to trigger natural melatonin production. It truly changed my life after years of taking Ambien.

[BeachGal]

8 hours ago, Hen said:

Beach gal,  where do you get  your glycine from? What is it called?  I just tried looking on amazon and it was confusing. 

 

I bought it from Amazon. It’s the Now brand. Pure powder. 100% glycine — nothing else added. 1 pound.

https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Supplements-Glycine-Powder-1-Pound/dp/B0013OVZJW

1/4 teaspoon = 1 gram of glycine. Most people can take 3-5 grams of glycine but always read about contraindications just to be safe.

About 1/2 to 1 hour before bed, we just mix 1/2 teaspoon into a small amount of water and drink it. It’s strangely sweet. You can also buy capsules but they’re often more expensive.

[Hen]

13 hours ago, BeachGal said:

 

I bought it from Amazon. It’s the Now brand. Pure powder. 100% glycine — nothing else added. 1 pound.

https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Supplements-Glycine-Powder-1-Pound/dp/B0013OVZJW

1/4 teaspoon = 1 gram of glycine. Most people can take 3-5 grams of glycine but always read about contraindications just to be safe.

About 1/2 to 1 hour before bed, we just mix 1/2 teaspoon into a small amount of water and drink it. It’s strangely sweet. You can also buy capsules but they’re often more expensive.

Thank you!!!  my dad is having trouble staying asleep, I'm going to suggest this to him. 

 

[gardenmom5]

17 hours ago, Pronghorn said:

If your bedroom is not pitch-black dark, wear a sleep mask. Light inhibits the body's production of melatonin. I also suggest you wear amber glasses for two hours before bedtime to trigger natural melatonin production. It truly changed my life after years of taking Ambien.

you can also change your monitor settings to  have less blue light in the evening.  that can also be helpful.

[TravelingChris]

It did nothing to help me and gave me a headache to boot.  It did nothing to help my one daughter either, who is an insomniac..  It kind of helps my son.