Melatonin Dosage

[pratzert]

Hi All.

I think that this whole COVID pandemic has affected my sleep, as it has many of us.

I talked to my regular Doc (Not a sleep specialist) about the possibility of trying Melatonin.

He said there "wasn't a down side to it, so give it a try".

We didn't discuss dosage amount, but I grabbed the first bottle of Melatonin I saw at the Pharmacy. It was 10mg.

After talking to a few people... it seems 10mg may be pretty high, although I have not experienced any daytime sleepiness.

I wonder if I should decrease the dosage? Since it seems to be helping a little without any sleepiness, should I stick with it?

I've been using it for about a month, and I think it's helping a little, but I still wake up and can't go back to sleep sometimes.

My question is.... what is the dosage you all are taking?

Thanks.

[Julie]

Why not try a smaller dose. I ta'ke 1.5 mg/night and more leaves me with a slight hangover needing more coffee next day.

[LSAT]

I have been taking 5mg for a couple years....it helps me fall asleep, but not stay asleep. Over the past few years I have averaged 6-6.5 hours a night.....but...The older I get, the less sleep I seem to need.

[pratzert]

Why not try a smaller dose. I ta'ke 1.5 mg/night and more leaves me with a slight hangover needing more coffee next day.

Thanks. I may try 5 mg and adjust from there.

[pratzert]

I have been taking 5mg for a couple years....it helps me fall asleep, but not stay asleep. Over the past few years I have averaged 6-6.5 hours a night.....but...The older I get, the less sleep I seem to need.

Thanks. 5mg seems like a more common dosage.

[zonker]

My question is.... what is the dosage you all are taking?

Thanks.

i take less than julie, under 1 mg. i buy it as a liquid and try to take the tiniest amount. but it's dispensed via a dropper so i'm not sure how much i'm taking.

yet i'm like lsat in that it helps me sleep about 5 or 6 hrs. i keep meaning to take a second dose after that, but haven't managed to do that yet.

the only side effect that i know of is the hangover the next day. but if i stay with the dosage i have, it doesn't seem to do any hangover stuff.

[Julie]

Show off!

[booksfan]

I take 3 mg each night and have for years, even before starting CPAP 3 years ago. Maybe 18 months ago I was having even more trouble with waking and mentioned it to (I think) my endocrinologist. Whichever dr suggested doubling my dose to 6 mg. It helped. I had to stop taking it for 6 months 2019 after a pulmonary embolism. After seeing a hematologist, he gave me the OK start using melatonin again (thank goodness! better sleep again!), and I restarted with 3 mg which worked well...until a couple of weeks ago. I am now using 6 mg again, but plan to try 3 after about 6 weeks. Maybe getting over the hump will be good enough.

[zonker]

Show off!

anything to show you up, my lady!

[Bobby269]

I cut a 5mg into 4 parts.For me it works great, It doesn't work for my Wife.

[pratzert]

I cut a 5mg into 4 parts.For me it works great, It doesn't work for my Wife.

Thanks. It seems like I have to try different dosages to see what works best for me.

[Rob K]

I go back and forth between doses because none of it seems like it does anything for me other than helps to get to sleep quicker. 10mg seems like it may only work for an hour because it does nothing to keep me from waking up many times a night. I'm just figuring out I likely have rem sleep disorder. They say 6-12mg is a high dose for rem sleep disorder and if that doesn't work to try other meds. I think most people would be looking at lower dosages from 1-5mg. Obviously none at all or the lowest dose that works is best.

[pratzert]

I go back and forth between doses because none of it seems like it does anything for me other than helps to get to sleep quicker. 10mg seems like it may only work for an hour because it does nothing to keep me from waking up many times a night. I'm just figuring out I likely have rem sleep disorder. They say 6-12mg is a high dose for rem sleep disorder and if that doesn't work to try other meds. I think most people would be looking at lower dosages from 1-5mg. Obviously none at all or the lowest dose that works is best.

Thanks !

[willy737]

Microdosing melatonin works best for me. If I take 3mg+, I fall asleep fine, but wake up multiple times throughout the night wide awake. I've read that larger doses may inhibit your own production of melatonin. I'm not a doctor so don't quote me on that!

I take 300mcg (micrograms), so 1/10th the usual dosage of 3mg. I was skeptical it was going to work, but surprisingly enough it has been quite effective. Worth a shot if you're having periodic wake up issues with larger doses.

[pratzert]

Microdosing melatonin works best for me. If I take 3mg+, I fall asleep fine, but wake up multiple times throughout the night wide awake. I've read that larger doses may inhibit your own production of melatonin. I'm not a doctor so don't quote me on that!

I take 300mcg (micrograms), so 1/10th the usual dosage of 3mg. I was skeptical it was going to work, but surprisingly enough it has been quite effective. Worth a shot if you're having periodic wake up issues with larger doses.

That's interesting.... Thanks!