Can melatonin help?!?!?

[Sleepy Etech]

I was wondering has anybody used melatonin to have a more sound sleep and if so what were your results

Thanks this is a great forum

[Java]

You should read this post about melatonin. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=82542&hilit=melatonin

[Sloop]

Right -- but make sure you read the whole thread.

Melatonin is a very safe alternative to prescription sleep meds. Not only is it safe, it is one of the most powerful anti-oxidents in fighting off things like cancer.

I recommend the sublingual kind taken immediately before lights out. 1 mg

[Sir NoddinOff]

I'm on the melatonin roller coaster myself (sublingual 3mg) . Sometimes it works and other times zip. I do worry about subverting the pineal gland that produces melatonin, plus there have been a few recent posts on the downsides of using this substance. Wish I had a good answer for you... get in line with the rest of us guinea pigs if you wanna give it a try. EDIT: Lately I've been trying not to take it every night, ie. limiting myself to three times a week max. It actually sez on the label "For occasional use only".

[Sleepyinpdx]

I've been taking melatonin (1mg) every night for the past several years. I get the chewable kind (peppermint) from Trader Joe's. I take it 20 min. before I go to sleep and it zonks me right out. I checked with my sleep doc and he said melatonin is ok to take and I read that it can have some health benefits. I find it relaxes me when I'm stressed out so I can fall asleep quickly. I was allowed to use it for my titration study.

Now that I'm on cpap and sleeping deeper I'm planning on cutting my dose in half and see if that's enough.

[mon]

Check this You tube link out before you take melotonin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r7l_cm ... =endscreen

[jnk]

. . . side effects include: Daytime sleepiness / Dizziness / Headaches -- Other, less common melatonin side effects might include abdominal discomfort, mild anxiety, irritability, confusion and short-lasting feelings of depression. . . . can interact with various medications, including: Blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants) / Medications that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants) / Diabetes medications / Birth control pills . . . Check with your doctor first — especially if you have any health conditions. . . . Melatonin is generally recommended only for short-term use — up to two months. . . . choose commercial supplements produced in a lab. Melatonin supplements made from animal sources might contain various contaminants. . . . -- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/melato ... ts/AN01717

[lazer]

and the saga continues... Is the jury still out on Melatonin OR has it been deemed a not so good substance? I'm hearing so many mixed reports...

Oh well, it seemed to work ok for me whilst on it BUT due to all the horror stories and the video, it got me thinking and I have since switched to the big pharma - Zolpidem or whatever it's called (Generic Ambien) 10mg. Yea, I know it has it's horror stories to but so far it to is seemingly doing fine with me.

What to do?

[jnk]

Every drug/hormone has good and bad qualities.

Most anything is good for some people and bad for others.

Such decisions are highly individual, but it is good for us to make them with all the facts and opinions available on the matter, in my opinion.

That way, we know what is being decided when we flip the coin.

[archangle]

. . . side effects include:

That sounds scary, but read this:

Side effects include: Heartburn; nausea; upset stomach.

Severe side effects: Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); black or bloody stools; confusion; diarrhea; dizziness; drowsiness; hearing loss; ringing in the ears; severe or persistent stomach pain; unusual bruising; vomiting.

That's some of the side effects of aspirin. People do die from the side effects of aspirin all the time, especially from bleeding.

What's my point?

Be careful about any medicine, even non-prescription, or "herbals" and "natural" stuff. However, don't get overly panicked by the list of possible reactions.

[jnk]

. . . side effects of aspirin. People do die from the side effects of aspirin all the time, especially from bleeding. . . .

I agree that aspirin can indeed be quite the dangerous drug for many people.

And I agree that whatever a drug is designed to treat is likely to end up on its list of side effects, since that's why people are taking the drug in the first place.

But when people start dividing up in their mind what substances are safer compared to others, I believe they often tend to make assumptions that have little scientific backing. At least I know I do.

I now believe that no matter how "natural" something is considered to be by others, it can be just as dangerous and complicated as the not-so-"natural" stuff. Especially for some.

In my opinion.

[archangle]

But when people start dividing up in their mind what substances are safer compared to others, I believe they often tend to make assumptions that have little scientific backing. At least I know I do.

The real shame is that the damn lawyers have infested everything so bad that warnings about real dangers don't look any more serious than the 1 in a million warnings.

[jnk]

It can be quite serious for that millionth guy.

It is impossible to answer the question meaningfully "Is it safe for a person to cross a street." Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. It is for some, but not for others. The best that can be done is to point out what the dangers often are and to mention some things to look for in general and to say what has worked out for some. But the biggest danger is for someone who has crossed the street hundreds of times to now assume it is somehow "safe" for everyone to cross all streets in all circumstances because he has never been hit himself yet and he has never seen anyone get killed doing it. It is still dangerous, and it is still important to keep one's wits about oneself and to be reminded on a regular basis that one must be careful.

So it is with drugs and drug-like substances, in some respects, in my opinion. Even for the lawyers who like to take drugs and play in the street.

[carbonman]

It is impossible to answer the question meaningfully .

With a degree in philosophy........

WHY do you want fries w/that?

[Sloop]

I am sitting here LMAO when I read posts where melatonin is put along side the same degree of danger as Ambien. But go ahead -- buy into it.