Starting Melatonin, but I have some questions.

WickedPissah · #1 08-06-2009, 06:35 PM

Hey all-

I've had a wicked hard time trying to sleep lately, so I went and picked up some Melatonin at GNC today. I have a couple of questions for anybody with experience. If I want to sleep shortly after midnight, what time should I take the pill? My typical late-night schedule goes like this:

11:00- get off computer, watch the news
11:15- go upstairs, turn on AC in bedroom, come back down
11:30-12something- watch Conan for a few
12something-Wee Hours- lie awake and fall asleep eventualy

Should I take the pill right at 11ish, closer to 11:30 or even earlier?

Also, I've heard all this stuff about having really crazy, whacked out dreams on Melatonin. Is that true?

I'm on a very small amount (1mg), if that makes any difference.

allexcosta · #2 08-06-2009, 06:43 PM

No coffee after noon. Start breathing deeply close to bedtime, chamomile and turkey meat can help too. Melatonin did nothing for me, so really can't comment on it.

Thunderscreech · #3 08-06-2009, 06:43 PM

Take the pill half an hour before you want to go to sleep. and No caffeine, etc, or else you wont be able to do anything but sleep the entire next day.

and you will have VIVID dreams. Not necessarily crazy, but they will be vivid.

irishryno · #4 08-06-2009, 06:45 PM

and yes your dreams will be bright vibrant and vivid. enjoy.

funkalicious101 · #5 08-06-2009, 06:47 PM

There was a month or so where I couldnt sleep without 3-5 of them.

There was plenty of other stress in my life so I wouldnt chalk it up to the pills. I now take them once every week or two.

WickedPissah · #6 08-06-2009, 07:04 PM

Thanks guys. Do you mean bright and vivid like everything's all colors and "Incense and Peppermints" is playing in the background?

Thunderscreech · #7 08-06-2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedPissah

Thanks guys. Do you mean bright and vivid like everything's all colors and "Incense and Peppermints" is playing in the background?

Kinda, yeah. Depends on your dream style.

I had VIVID dreams that people gave me money, and I thought it was real and got angry when I woke up.

doctorjazz · #8 08-06-2009, 08:35 PM

No experience with it in normal situations, but it did cut down on the time I spent bored out of my mind over the Pacific Ocean last month so I will say it does at least work well as a sleep aid.

jucas · #9 08-06-2009, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allexcosta

No coffee after noon. Start breathing deeply close to bedtime, chamomile and turkey meat can help too. Melatonin did nothing for me, so really can't comment on it.

+1 to better sleep hygiene making a bigger difference. Less TV and dimmer lights instead of Conan. Regular schedule, less coffee, and all that.

I'm a bit of a hypocrite about melatonin... I've read a paper or two that says its not going to make a difference in getting you rest unless you're blind early on in your eye or travel a lot and have altered day/night exposure (etc). You'll be out faster but probably change your sleep cycle enough that you don't spend more time asleep (you just don't notice that part).

But then, I've used it and felt like I was better off taking it a couple nights a week than other sleep meds. Probly a placebo, but I'm happy with that. I usually took it about an hour before I went to bed. Never more than 1mg sublingually and I'd still be kinda tired in the morning. Never had weird dreams either.

WickedPissah · #10 08-07-2009, 07:46 AM

It didn't work too well. It was 3-4am and I'm laying there like WHY, WHY? It must have worked a little because I did sleep and I did have a dream that I thought was real when I woke up, and I'm still having a hard time believing it wasn't real.

OrionManMatt · #11 08-07-2009, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allexcosta

No coffee after noon. Start breathing deeply close to bedtime, chamomile and turkey meat can help too. Melatonin did nothing for me, so really can't comment on it.

+ 1

Most studies for melatonin show only minimal effectiveness and its side effects should be taken into consideration.

In addition to allexcosta's recommendations:
1) Only use your bed for two things.
2) Sleeping temperature should be 60-68F.
3) Are you exercising at all?
4) Are you taking any other medications?

Disclaimer: I'm not a qualified health professional and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

WickedPissah · #12 08-07-2009, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrionManMatt

+ 1

Most studies for melatonin show only minimal effectiveness and its side effects should be taken into consideration.

In addition to allexcosta's recommendations:
1) Only use your bed for two things.
2) Sleeping temperature should be 60-68F.
3) Are you exercising at all?
4) Are you taking any other medications?

Disclaimer: I'm not a qualified health professional and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

1) Sleeping and ****ing?
2) It is.
3) Yeah, a bit.
4) No.

OrionManMatt · #13 08-07-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedPissah

1) Sleeping and ****ing?
2) It is.
3) Yeah, a bit.
4) No.

1) Naturally! It really does make a big difference....

No idea what's going on in your life but it could be that too much is on your mind. Stress, anxiety, and depression are common and real factors to take into consideration as to why you're having trouble getting to sleep. But it could be any number or any combination of things. Isolating those is a great start to figuring out what the right suggestions are.

Thunderscreech · #14 08-07-2009, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedPissah

It didn't work too well. It was 3-4am and I'm laying there like WHY, WHY? It must have worked a little because I did sleep and I did have a dream that I thought was real when I woke up, and I'm still having a hard time believing it wasn't real.

yeah, that can happen. Avoid caffeinated beverages after 10:00 pm and try again.

WickedPissah · #15 08-07-2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderscreech

yeah, that can happen. Avoid caffeinated beverages after 10:00 pm and try again.

I didn't have any caffiene though! Maybe it was just slow because it was my first time using it?

xtorrak · #16 08-07-2009, 10:44 AM

I don't condone the use of marijuana but....

Take a few hits from a vaporizer, and drink a margarita. I promise you will sleep.

standupright · #17 08-07-2009, 11:04 AM

i was having trouble sleeping through the night about 6 months ago. waking up every 45 mins to an hour, looking at the clock, rolling over and going back to sleep. took melatonin ONCE. went to go to bed and could barely pick my head up off of the pillow 9 hours later. been sleeping fine ever since. maybe you should try a higher dosage?

Sterling_Bass · #18 08-07-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrionManMatt

+ 1

Most studies for melatonin show only minimal effectiveness and its side effects should be taken into consideration.

In addition to allexcosta's recommendations:
1) Only use your bed for two things.
2) Sleeping temperature should be 60-68F.
3) Are you exercising at all?
4) Are you taking any other medications?

He is right. A lot of what Matt said comes right out of proper Sleep Hygiene Techniques. Google it and you will find numerous tips on how to improve your sleep without any pills.
Using the bed for only sleep and sex conditions your mind to associate the bed for only those two things. If you are having difficulty falling asleep after 15 minutes laying in bed, it is strongly suggested that you get out of bed and do something else for a little while. Get back into your bed when you feel tired. Again, this will help condition your mind that "Bed = Rest" rather than "Bed = Stress and Anxiety from not being able to fall asleep."

Thunderscreech · #19 08-07-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WickedPissah

I didn't have any caffiene though! Maybe it was just slow because it was my first time using it?

It might take a bit of getting used to.

Also, i use the 3mg size pills from Vitamin Shoppe. or used them when I took the stuff.

**lowendfriend** · #20 08-07-2009, 04:20 PM

My problem is that I could fall asleep in free fall if need be, but I wake up after a couple hours and that can be all she wrote for the nite.

I record "brainwave entrainment" sounds in Sony Sound Forge.....100 Hz in the right channel 103.6 hz in the left and mix in a little white noise. Your brain perceives 3.6 Hz...too low to hear, but it can perceive the beat frequency between right and left channels.

I generate a 4 hour file, put it in an iPod playlist after an album and out I go for the night. Works fine lasts a long time. No drugs...

Try it. Sounds really weird the first time you do it, but it works for me.