Sleep/Melatonin

[wavingrl]

Melatonin for Sleep: Hormone and Supplement Effects on Sleep

I am trying this. Have others tried this? What sort of results did you have?



<It may be that melatonin, when taken as a supplement, can stop or slow the spread of cancer, make the immune system stronger, or slow down the aging process. But these areas need more research.


Is taking a melatonin dietary supplement safe?

In most cases, melatonin supplements are safe in low doses for short-term and long-term use. But be sure to talk with your doctor about taking them.

Melatonin does have side effects. But they will go away when you stop taking the supplement. Side effects may include:
Sleepiness.
Lower body temperature.
Vivid dreams.
Morning grogginess.
Small changes in blood pressure.

During health exams, tell your doctor if you are taking melatonin. And tell your doctor if you are having trouble sleeping (insomnia), because it may be related to a medical problem.

In adults, melatonin is taken in doses from 0.2 to 20.0 mg, based on the reason for its use. The right dose varies widely from one person to another. Talk to your doctor to learn the right dosage and to find out if melatonin is right for you.>

With 9mg I had a sound sleep w/vivid dreams--cannot verify any of the other possible side effects.

???I should probably go up to 12mg or 15mg. I will ask my doctor tomorrow--lol--knows his drugs pretty well.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/409457-the-melatonin-dosage-for-a-sleep-aid/



http://insomnia.emedtv.com/melatonin/melatonin-dosage.html

 

[waltky]

Wavingrl: Yea, Melatonin is good for sleep - it also is good against nightmares.

Alcohol changes our sleep patterns...

Alcohol-fuelled sleep 'less satisfying'
22 January 2013 : A tipple before bedtime may get you off to sleep faster but it can disrupt your night's slumber, say researchers who have reviewed the evidence.

The London Sleep Centre team says studies show alcohol upsets our normal sleep cycles. While it cuts the time it takes to first nod off and sends us into a deep sleep, it also robs us of one of our most satisfying types of sleep, where dreams occur. Used too often, it can cause insomnia. Many advocate a nightcap - nursing homes and hospital wards have even been known to serve alcohol - but Dr Irshaad Ebrahim and his team advise against it.

Fragmented sleep

Dr Ebrahim, medical director at the London Sleep Centre and co-author of the latest review, published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, said: "We should be very cautious about drinking on a regular basis. "One or two glasses might be nice in the short term, but if you continue to use a tipple before bedtime it can cause significant problems. "If you do have a drink, it's best to leave an hour and a half to two hours before going to bed so the alcohol is already wearing off." He said people could become dependent on alcohol for sleep. And it could make sleep less restful and turn people into snorers. "With increasing doses, alcohol suppresses our breathing. It can turn non-snorers into snorers and snorers into people with sleep apnoea - where the breathing's interrupted."

From the hundred or more studies that Dr Ebrahim's team looked at, they analysed 20 in detail and found alcohol appeared to change sleep in three ways. Firstly, it accelerates sleep onset, meaning we drop off faster. Next, it sends us into a very deep sleep. These two changes - which are identical to those seen in people who take antidepressant medication - may be appealing and may explain why some people with insomnia use alcohol. But the third change - fragmented sleep patterns the second half of the night - is less pleasant. Alcohol reduces how much time we spend in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep - the stage of sleep where dreams generally occur. As a consequence, the sleep may feel less restful, said Dr Ebrahim.

Chris Idzikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said: "Alcohol on the whole is not useful for improving a whole night's sleep. Sleep may be deeper to start with, but then becomes disrupted. Additionally, that deeper sleep will probably promote snoring and poorer breathing. So, one shouldn't expect better sleep with alcohol." The Sleep Council said: "Don't over-indulge. Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, just before bedtime, can play havoc with sleep patterns. "Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, but will interrupt your sleep later on in the night. Plus you may wake dehydrated and needing the loo."

BBC News - Alcohol-fuelled sleep 'less satisfying'

 

[waltky]

Are ya sleepin' good?...

Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body
25 February 2013 - A run of poor sleep can have a potentially profound effect on the internal workings of the human body, say UK researchers.

The activity of hundreds of genes was altered when people's sleep was cut to less than six hours a day for a week. Writing in the journal PNAS, the researchers said the results helped explain how poor sleep damaged health. Heart disease, diabetes, obesity and poor brain function have all been linked to substandard sleep. What missing hours in bed actually does to alter health, however, is unknown.

So researchers at the University of Surrey analysed the blood of 26 people after they had had plenty of sleep, up to 10 hours each night for a week, and compared the results with samples after a week of fewer than six hours a night. More than 700 genes were altered by the shift. Each contains the instructions for building a protein, so those that became more active produced more proteins - changing the chemistry of the body. Meanwhile the natural body clock was disturbed - some genes naturally wax and wane in activity through the day, but this effect was dulled by sleep deprivation.

Prof Colin Smith, from the University of Surrey, told the BBC: "There was quite a dramatic change in activity in many different kinds of genes." Areas such as the immune system and how the body responds to damage and stress were affected. Prof Smith added: "Clearly sleep is critical to rebuilding the body and maintaining a functional state, all kinds of damage appear to occur - hinting at what may lead to ill health. "If we can't actually replenish and replace new cells, then that's going to lead to degenerative diseases." He said many people may be even more sleep deprived in their daily lives than those in the study - suggesting these changes may be common.

Dr Akhilesh Reddy, a specialist in the body clock at the University of Cambridge, said the study was "interesting". He said the key findings were the effects on inflammation and the immune system as it was possible to see a link between those effects and health problems such as diabetes. The findings also tie into research attempting to do away with sleep, such as by finding a drug that could eliminate the effects of sleep deprivation. Dr Reddy said: "We don't know what the switch is that causes all these changes, but theoretically if you could switch it on or off, you might be able to get away without sleep. "But my feeling is that sleep is fundamentally important to regenerating all cells."

BBC News - Bad sleep 'dramatically' alters body

 

[skye]

... and you can buy those melatonin pills over the counter?

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Do NOT store melatonin around kids or impressionable teens.

Intentional over-dosing on melatonin can have hallucinatory effects and in larger dosages melatonin can be injurious to the body.

 

[skye]

Do NOT store melatoninj around kids or impressionable teens.

Intentional over-dosing on melatonin can have hallucinatory effects and in larger dosages melatonin can be injurious to the body.

wow! didn't know that! that's no good then

 

[IlarMeilyr]

Do NOT store melatoninj around kids or impressionable teens.

Intentional over-dosing on melatonin can have hallucinatory effects and in larger dosages melatonin can be injurious to the body.

wow! didn't know that! that's no good then

For occasionally sleepless nights, I have taken small dosages of melatonin.

I don't recall vivid dreaming, but I can report that I have been able to sleep better when I have used it from time to time.

I think the dosage for the ones I have bought is .3 mg per pill.

 

[wavingrl]

I tried .3 mg and that worked for me.

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

Melatonin for Sleep: Hormone and Supplement Effects on Sleep

I am trying this. Have others tried this? What sort of results did you have?



<It may be that melatonin, when taken as a supplement, can stop or slow the spread of cancer, make the immune system stronger, or slow down the aging process. But these areas need more research.


Is taking a melatonin dietary supplement safe?

In most cases, melatonin supplements are safe in low doses for short-term and long-term use. But be sure to talk with your doctor about taking them.

Melatonin does have side effects. But they will go away when you stop taking the supplement. Side effects may include:
Sleepiness.
Lower body temperature.
Vivid dreams.
Morning grogginess.
Small changes in blood pressure.

During health exams, tell your doctor if you are taking melatonin. And tell your doctor if you are having trouble sleeping (insomnia), because it may be related to a medical problem.

In adults, melatonin is taken in doses from 0.2 to 20.0 mg, based on the reason for its use. The right dose varies widely from one person to another. Talk to your doctor to learn the right dosage and to find out if melatonin is right for you.>

With 9mg I had a sound sleep w/vivid dreams--cannot verify any of the other possible side effects.

???I should probably go up to 12mg or 15mg. I will ask my doctor tomorrow--lol--knows his drugs pretty well.

The Melatonin Dosage For A Sleep Aid | LIVESTRONG.COM



Melatonin Dosage

I use it and it is great. No side effects as in zero. I sleep like a top. I take 2 tablets and I'm out in minutes. Make sure your room is completely darkened. You need good REM sleep.

 

[Samson]

I'm gonna try it and report back.

...but taking a nice healthy piss before bedtime is highly recommended.

 

[Connery]

There are other side effects to this as follows:

The most common melatonin 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.

In addition, melatonin supplements can interact with various medications, including:

Blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants)
Medications that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants)
Diabetes medications
Birth control pills
.......

Melatonin side effects: What are the risks? - MayoClinic.com

 

[Political Junky]

I've used it for sleep and, when traveling, to prevent jet lag.

 

[uscitizen]

A good jolt of morphine from my pump works for me.

 

[Stephanie]

Been taking them for years, insomniac here. Still works good for me

 

[Dugdale_Jukes]

My habit during the work week is to take one or two 3mg depending on how fast sleep needs to be induced. My work days are fairly high stress, twelve to fourteen hours, five or six days a week, and melatonin simply eliminated lag time between laying down and going to sleep.

Never had trouble going to sleep but periods of high stress sometimes produced flashback type nightmares. Never had a nightmare taking melatonin, although there have been some interestingly weird dreams.

First took it on VA recommendation forty-three years ago. Along with B vitamins. Then somewhere along the line stopped Just started taking it again about a year ago. Along with B vitamins.

Good stuff used properly.

 

[Samson]

I'm gonna try it and report back.

...but taking a nice healthy piss before bedtime is highly recommended.

I got 10 mg tablets.

Tried 1 tablet for a couple of nights...nothing.

Tried 2 tablets a couple of nigths...nothing.

Tried 3 tablets.....weird dreams....not sure if I was asleep.


Should I go for 4?

 

[Gracie]

I use it sometimes. I usually use the 3mg tablets and it works great for me.