Has anyone tried taking Melatonin to improve and extend your sleep? Did it work? (allergy, doctor)

[kanhawk]

As I get older, I'm 52, getting a solid night sleep doesn't happen as much anymore. I can't seem to sleep much more than 6 hours anymore. I don't have trouble getting to sleep but can't sleep a solid 8 hours like I used when I was younger.
A friend suggested I try Melatonin. Has anyone had success with that? Did it truly extend your sleep or is it a waste of money?

[kygman]

2 tablets about bedtime (11-1130) and I'm snoring till around 630 or so. My 92 yr old dad has trouble sleeping (he says when you're 92 you don't do enough during the day to make you sleep all night. lol) and occasionally takes Midnight PM. Said he's out like a light in no time.

[North Beach Person]

Well, I don't know how old you are but we tend to sleep less as we get older. I've never slept more than about 6 hours a night anyway. I did sleep in today, until 5:30.

My doctor recommended taking Melatonin a few months ago when I was having trouble staying asleep. I'd wake up and not be able to get back to sleep. It has seemed to work, I take it about 8:30 or so and am sleepy by 9:30, usually read a bit and fall asleep by 10:15 or so.

Now, there is a variable. My insomnia was work related, I went on extended sick leave about the time I started taking the pill and my issues went away.

Is my sleeping better a result of the Melatonin or my leaving my job and then putting in for retirement? I don't know.

I don't know what you pay but here a bottle of a couple hundred or so pills is $5 at CVS.

[D217]

Definitely helps me fall asleep faster (which is what I had problems with). My sleep time varies though- some days I'm fine and feel rested with just 5 hours, other days I can sleep 9, even 10 hours.

[yankeegirl313]

They have 10 mg of melatolin now! Works good!!

[Billy_J]

That is a tough sleeping problem... Some sleep drugs make you drowsy at first so you can get to sleep, but wear off after a couple of hours - then when you wake up in the morning, there is no "hangover". [Also some drugs with a side effect of making you drowsy like the allergy medicine Benadryl.]

Other sleep drugs will keep you sleeping all night (prescription), but you wake up with a "cloudy head" and walk around in a daze.

I would try the melatonin or Benadryl first (Over the Counter)... If that does not work, see your doctor. Note there is a tranquilizer called Lorazepam which has the side effect of making you sleepy for just a couple of hours, but I would think this would best be taken after say 4 hours of sleep to minimize being groggy in the morning?

Also I do not know if this particular drug can be taken long term or would cause problems. And drugs work differently on different people, so you may be able to take it when you wake up or maybe taking it at bedtime would keep you sleeping all night? Or another drug may work for you? (Ask your doctor.)

[pdxMIKEpdx]

I take 3mg when I need to, and it helps me get a good nights sleep.

One side effect is vivid dreaming, it can either be fun or......

[MissTerri]

Melatonin will help you fall asleep but it's not really meant to help you sleep longer. There's no harm in trying though. It's possible that it could help.

[katie45]

I tried Melatonin and didn't have positive results because the problem was stress-related and once I retired I no longer had any trouble falling asleep.

Another issue, for me, is that I require quiet time before going to bed: no loud tv or music for example. If I went out in the evening I would need about an hour before going to bed to relax.

[jmking]

Melatonin is fast acting and subtle. Take it about 15 minutes before turning out the light. It works for me.