124 replies to this topic

[Mr.Bananas]

I have tried 1mg melatonin and i gave me nightmares, i have tried hops (my own extract from locally gron hops) and it gave me nightmares, i have tried valeriana and it made me wake up several times in the middle of the night, the only thing that really works for me is 300mg magnesium on an empty stomach.

[pycnogenol]

I take a low-dose of melatonin (100 micrograms) at bedtime which helps me get sleepy but higher than 100 mcg and I wake up with a nasty headache.

[wydell]

Funny, it gave me the worst nightmares I ever had when I was younger. Like a real life horror movie of sorts. Now it has no such effect.

I have tried 1mg melatonin and i gave me nightmares, i have tried hops (my own extract from locally gron hops) and it gave me nightmares, i have tried valeriana and it made me wake up several times in the middle of the night, the only thing that really works for me is 300mg magnesium on an empty stomach.

Edited by wydell, 13 December 2008 - 04:26 PM.

[TheFountain]

There are other people who have experienced the same.
See below:

"Melatonin induces Sleep Paralysis
Message posted by Eric () on 13:5:36 5/30/2001

Message:

Someone posted a question on this board on how to induce sleep paralysis. I answered his/her question by stating that I believed that Melatonin may induce SP. I stated that, in the past, I had SP episodes after taking Melatonin. Well, I decided to try it again -- and sure enough, I had an SP episode. (I don't have SP episodes that frequenty anymore, perhaps once every four months.) Well, this afternoon, I took two more capsules of Melatonin (6 mg), and SP occured *again* while I attempted to take a quick cat nap on a break. Has anyone done some serious resource on the link between Melatonin and SP? Perhaps, it is just a psychological predisposition that is linking the Melatonin with my SP episodes recently, but I feel as it could definetly be a chemical/physical link. Thanks. "
Source:http://www.sleephomepages.org/discussions/basic/messages/msgs10052.html

Cheers

Alex

Same here - tried it like 16 years ago - it just disturbed my sleep!

Cheers

Alex

I've tried Melatonin on and off over the years, revisiting it from time to time...

The only thing it does to me is disturb my sleep and prevent a good nights rest. Definitely a reverse effect on me then most.

It sounds to me like you are misusing melatonin. You are not suppose to take it unless you sleep a full cycle of at least 6-8 hours. Taking it to induce a 'cat nap' while your mind is still highly focused on the daily routine, might in fact induce such a phenomenon. I have experienced this without melatonin after taking similar naps amidst great activity.

Edited by TheFountain, 15 December 2008 - 05:30 PM.

[TheFountain]

For those of us who have nightmares while using melatonin, I want to say this is more the cause of our environment than it is the induction of chemical activity in our brains through the use of this supplement. We are living in complicated times, and I think there has been a lot of disruption from our environment into our private lives and our sleep cycles, which has caused a precipitous decline in the quality of our sleep. Melatonin is simply restoring the quality of that sleep, not necessarily inducing these nightmares. If we are having nightmares it is because we have residual unconscious trauma from living in such a high paced world where all we see on the news is death, war, poverty, more death and so on and so forth. I think we can all benefit from some sort of therapy, be it Jungian, Gestalt, Reichian or classic Fruedian therapy, just to balance that side of our lives out.

Edited by TheFountain, 15 December 2008 - 05:31 PM.

[VampIyer]

I think melatonin is improving my sleep somewhat, however I'm a chronic insomniac. It's difficult for me to sleep without ambien or lunesta or some sort of potent sleep aid (I need to lose this crutch). I've spent thousands of nights laying still and motionless for 3-12 hours just trying to sleep. I can only think of two types of people who do this: other insomniacs, and those who pursue a life of meditation/solitude.

I can confirm that chronic sleep deprivation is accompanied by severe hormonal imbalance, and all sorts of other complications. However, I never purposely abused my sleeping schedule. Apparently, according to my mother, I haven't slept properly since birth. My older brother sleeps well, but I awaken to cell phone vibrate...on a pillow...in the adjacent room. On the bright side: With a gun under my pillow, I'd be the perfect 007 agent.

I use the 3mg LEF 6 hour timed-release. The 750mcg wasn't enough.

Remember: Melatonin should be taken at night. Light (especially bright light to the eyes) slows production of melatonin.

[Mouser]

To those who have tried melatonin and found it not to work, try sublingual before you give up on it. I don't regularly use melatonin because I usually don't have trouble getting to sleep. But I can say sublingual really hits me hard and gets me to sleep if I do need it. Half a 1mg tablet does the trick. Once you get the dose down for getting to sleep you might then try combining the sublingual with a time release formula. One thing to note though, most of the time release formulas have 3mg or more which imho is too much, especially when you don't know how delayed the release is.

Sublingual product that I've tried and like: Source Naturals Sublingual

Edited for misspelling

Edited by Mouser, 09 March 2009 - 01:48 PM.

[hellocruelworld]

Personally, I've found that Melatonin has greatly affected the quality of sleep and I have much more energy during the day now. I was a chronic insomniac and melatonin has really helped me set a sleep schedule again. It's cheap, it's tasty(I simply get the GNC cherry flavored 1mg tablets), and I feel refreshed in the morning.

[Barksdale]

Sure Melatonin makes you fall asleep faster, but I feel that it wakes you up a lot earlier too (like 5am). What I think is the best for sleep:

ZMA
GABA (if your stomach can handle it, mine cant=P)
L-Dopa

[ntenhue]

Sure Melatonin makes you fall asleep faster, but I feel that it wakes you up a lot earlier too (like 5am).

I couldn't agree more! I find it nearly always wakes me up in the early morning (between 3 and 6). Is this fairly common when taking Melatonin?

[FunkOdyssey]

Sure Melatonin makes you fall asleep faster, but I feel that it wakes you up a lot earlier too (like 5am).

I couldn't agree more! I find it nearly always wakes me up in the early morning (between 3 and 6). Is this fairly common when taking Melatonin?

That can happen when the dose isn't high enough (half-life is very short so higher doses may be needed to ensure there is still an effective concentration several hours later). You can try gradually increasing the dose.

[ForeverYouthful]

If you make your bedroom EXTREMELY dark, then your body will naturally make a lot of melatonin.

Close all the shades. Now cover them with something thick like a blanket. Turn off or cover up all sources of light. Alarm clocks, led lights on laptop, any TINY source. The crack under the door, etc.

When mI did this I could notice it very quickly, me and my girlfriend experienced really vivid, intense dreams for a few days, then it went away as apparently our bodies adjusted to the chemical changes.

Edited by ForeverYouthful, 07 October 2009 - 02:44 AM.

[warner]

I agree with what several others have posted...

1 mg sublingual puts me to sleep, but only for about 2 hours
2 mg time-release keeps me asleep for about 6 hours

So I take both (from Source Naturals). I'm also taking it because of recent evidence showing that melatonin (at multi-milligram levels) prevents some of the damage caused by nighttime acid reflux.

But I wouldn't touch the stuff (except for jet lag) if I was younger and had no reason for thinking that my melatonin levels were inadequate. Also, I wouldn't use melatonin in daylight, since it makes your retina more sensitive to damage from light.

[chrono]

I tried melatonin for the first time this weekend. After reading the experiences on the board, some of the potential health benefits, and studies implying applicability to DSP and free-running sleep schedules, I was very hopeful that it might help me get to sleep at a more predictable/consistent time. I picked up a bottle of the LEF 300mcg extended release capsules (new item at iHerb).

It did indeed help me get to sleep 30-60min after ingestion, as I was hoping. It also made me sleep an extra 2-3 hours the two days that I tried it, which is pretty standard for substances with any kind of sedating/soporific effect—the feeling was much less 'heavy' than something like lithium or bacopa, and made sleeping in more pleasant than I remember it being in years.

Unfortunately, there was a negative effect which lingered literally the entire next day. I was completely spaced out, almost like the cognitive effects of getting half as much sleep as I should, except without decreasing as the day goes on. The brain fog was worse than I get when titrating LiOr. There was also a negative mood component to it, a very slight restless anxiety that reminded me somewhat of caffeine (without the stimulation, of course). I did practically nothing this weekend besides watch TV (something I normally have to force myself to do) because I couldn't muster the enthusiasm or concentration for anything else. The effect wore off about 36h after my second dose.

Last week, I think I read every thread here on melatonin with more than a few replies, and I don't recall hearing of any reactions like this. Since I want it mainly to get to sleep, and I don't usually have much trouble remaining asleep, I might try a low dose of immediate-release melatonin sometime soon. If anyone has any thoughts about my strange reaction, let me know.

Edited by chrono, 27 October 2010 - 03:35 PM.

[Thorsten3]

I tried melatonin for the first time this weekend. After reading the experiences on the board, some of the potential health benefits, and studies implying applicability to DSP and free-running sleep schedules, I was very hopeful that it might help me get to sleep at a more predictable/consistent time. I picked up a bottle of the LEF 300mcg extended release capsules (new item at iHerb).

It did indeed help me get to sleep 30-60min after ingestion, as I was hoping. It also made me sleep an extra 2-3 hours the two days that I tried it, which is pretty standard for substances with any kind of sedating/soporific effect—the feeling was much less 'heavy' than something like lithium or bacopa, and made sleeping in more pleasant than I remember it being in years.

Unfortunately, there was a negative effect which lingered literally the entire next day. I was completely spaced out, almost like the cognitive effects of getting half as much sleep as I should, except without decreasing as the day goes on. The brain fog was worse than I get when titrating LiOr. There was also a negative mood component to it, a very slight restless anxiety that reminded me somewhat of caffeine (without the stimulation, of course). I did practically nothing this weekend besides watch TV (something I normally have to force myself to do) because I couldn't muster the enthusiasm or concentration for anything else. The effect wore off about 36h after my second dose.

Last week, I think I read every thread here on melatonin with more than a few replies, and I don't recall hearing of any reactions like this. Since I want it mainly to get to sleep, and I don't usually have much trouble remaining asleep, I might try a low dose of immediate-release melatonin sometime soon. If anyone has any thoughts about my strange reaction, let me know.

This is exactly my experience to it as well. The first thought I had upon wakening was 'wow I have slept an extra 2 hours, what brilliant sleep' but as the day continued I too had the spaced out zombified feeling. I got this effect from a 3mg extended release tablet. The extended release mechanism lasts just 8hrs but the sluggish effects lasted over the next 24hrs and effected everything from my mood to basic cognitive processes. S, for me i think my dose was probably far too high.
I tried 1.5mg the following night and there was a slight improvement. I am going to try 750mcg to see if it can still achieve anything at this dose. This is all currently experimentation for me.

Edited by Thorsten, 27 October 2010 - 04:30 PM.

[health_nutty]

3mg makes me feel very groggy and morning. I feel pretty good taking 1mg. I might just end up splitting these in half because 1mg is still waaaaay more that we would produce even in a pitch black environment.

[pycnogenol]

. I am going to try 750mcg to see if it can still achieve anything at this dose. This is all currently experimentation for me.

I take 750 mcg nightly and it works great for me. I take it 30 minutes before bedtime. Higher doses than that does not help me for some reason.

Edited by pycnogenol, 28 October 2010 - 03:48 PM.

[aLurker]

I take melatonin to counteract my delayed sleep phase; 0.25 mg at 22:30 for a projected bedtime of 00:00. Works great and is one of my most useful supplements but I guess I'm an outlier with the delayed sleep phase and I probably wouldn't take it if I didn't have a problem in this area. If I take too much I feel a little groggy the next day, could be psychological though. Some experimentation is definitely in order to find an individual dosage, more isn't always better either and the timing seems to be important and individual too.

Edited by aLurker, 01 November 2010 - 09:23 AM.

[Delta Gamma]

I've found it useful for helping me reset my sleep cycle after exams, but I find that regardless of the dose (~.75mg-10mg) I will wake up 6 hours after ingestion like clockwork. As for the quality of the sleep, it seems to be just straight deep sleep for me, I don't recall dreaming on melatonin at all.

I use 5mg Webber Natural sub-lingual tablets.

[e Volution]

+1 on helping to normalise or correct my sleep schedule / circadian rhythm / delayed sleep-phase syndrome (I don't know exactly what, if anything, is my problem). I haven't really noticed it helping with the onset of sleep however at 300mcg to 1mg an hour before bed.

Edited by e Volution, 11 November 2010 - 04:17 AM.

[ritch]

This stuff just dosen't work for me. It's been a very long time since I've used it, but when I did, I would dream that I wasen't sleeping. Then I wake up wondering if I've slept or not...

[pycnogenol]

This stuff just dosen't work for me. It's been a very long time since I've used it, but when I did, I would dream that I wasen't sleeping. Then I wake up wondering if I've slept or not...

Try taking 5-HTP and see if that helps.

[ritch]

This stuff just dosen't work for me. It's been a very long time since I've used it, but when I did, I would dream that I wasen't sleeping. Then I wake up wondering if I've slept or not...

Try taking 5-HTP and see if that helps.

For sure it does. 50mg with some st john's wort, valerian root and gaba is my best mix to fall asleep! Keeps me in a good state of mind as well.

[ritch]

Love your Debbie Downer avatar pic! That must have been the funniest character she's ever done... I don't know how she can keep a straight face while doing that, nootropics perhaps?

[pycnogenol]

Love your Debbie Downer avatar pic! That must have been the funniest character she's ever done...I don't know how she can keep a straight face while doing that, nootropics perhaps?

Thanks, ritch! Yeah, it must be her killer nootropic stack!

Attached Files

•  DebbieDowner2.png   89.21KB   3 downloads

[longevitynow]

I typically take 1/2-1mg before bed to help me fall asleep faster, and then some 5-HTP to help me stay asleep. This combo works well. Recently I've been contemplating it's anti-cancer effects, as well as reports that it can reverse or prevent grey hair. I don't have a grey hair on my head, but if I let my beard grow out, there are a few white ones. I also have a lot of cancer in my family, so I'm thinking regular use for me is a good idea. I use it sublingually. Swallowing the pill never did much for me as it took too long to take effect and I did not see any improvement in my sleep duration. Oh yeah, probably enhances my dreams.

[pycnogenol]

I typically take 1/2-1mg before bed to help me fall asleep faster, and then some 5-HTP to help me stay asleep. This combo works well.

This is exactly what I do as well. I take 750 mcg of Melatonin + 100 mg of 5-HTP. Works great!

[El Duderino]

I used to have problems falling asleep at night, staying awake until 3-4 AM. This lasted for years, and the chronic sleep deprivation is, I think, one of the reasons I was chronically fatigued for those years. I've used microdosages of Melatonin, but that didn't seem to help.
I started experimenting with larger doses, and one day I awoke completely refreshed and wide awake: it turned out 4 Mg of Melatonin works wonders for me.
Now, I'm in my 40s, and take 4 Mg 5-6 nights a week, it makes me go to bed on time, and sleep like a log. Before, I had trouble getting to sleep if there were light noises outside (ratling signposts, people talking outside). Now, I take my Meltonin, and go to sleep about an hour later, and I awake 8 hours later. I get the most benifit from Circadin, a slow-release version of Melatonin.

[Verne]

I've been taking Melatonin for three days now in the hopes of fixing my horrid sleep-cycle but haven't had much success so far.

The first night I took 3mg and went straight to bed. My eyes felt a little heavier and I felt a little more relaxed, but I still wasn't able to sleep for the life of me and ended up staying awake all night and through most the next day.

Second night I doubled the dosage to 6mg. I fell asleep for about fifty minutes about half an hour after taking it. Woke up and was unable to fall asleep again. Took another 3mg but it didn't help, though it did make my legs feel like they were asleep.

Third Night: Took 15mg of Melatonin. Became very relaxed, but was unable to fall asleep.

Tonight will be the fourth night. I'm going to take 6mg before bed and see how things go again.

The Melatonin brand I'm using is "Schiff Melatonin Ultra" which contains a few other ingredients:

Vitamin B6: 5mg
Calcium: 52mg
Melatonin: 3mg
L-Theanine: 25mg
GABA: 25mg
Chamomile Extract, Valerian Extract (Amount not specified)

The fact that it relaxes me at all is a good sign in my opinion. It might not knock me out, but I think with prolonged use I'll be able to set a better sleeping pattern.

[Athanasios]

For me, it works best when taking 300mcg time release when the sun goes down. Every other day, I take an additional 1mg sublingual right before bed. The downside is, it is hard to stay up past my normal bedtime if I need to do so.