Melatonin for sleep issues (kava, gain, natural, side effects)
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I've taken Melatonin on and off (more on than off) for years. I began taking it when I was dealing with jet lag going to Russia. It works well for me (3 mg) and takes about 45 minutes to an hour to kick in. I occasionally have dreams, but they are not bad ones (dreamed I had lunch with Princess Diana the other night.) I have also taken Tylenol PM and HATE it. It makes me feel totally groggy in the morning and unable to function.
I might add that after I quit taking benadryl to sleep, I tried melatonin and it worked sometimes but not consistently. Then I tried a half glass of red wine and that did the trick. I also take my Ca/Mg/Zinc supplements right before bed. What's even better is that I really don't even need the wine anymore--and I'm menopausin, folks!
tried melatonin and it doesn't even come close to making me drowsy but DOES cause my legs to hurt so bad. I tried it a few times to see if (A) the melatonin might work eventually and (B) curious to see if my legs hurt every time I took it. Bingo! So there I would be--lying wide awake but crying with leg pain.
No idea why it did/does that to me but it does.
Agree with Stepka. Tylenol PM also causes horrible restless leg cramps. It's an awful drug.
Moonlady, may I ask which dosage of magnesium you used? Also, which brand of valerian did you take... it works well for me but once the capsules break open in my stomach (about 1-hr later), that horrible taste & indigestion is brutal. I'd love to take that because it's more natural but haven't been able to find a brand which doesn't give me those symptoms. Thanks very much!
I take 200mg of magnesium - I take it with my calcium before I go to bed. I think calcium is supposed to help you sleep also, but obviously I take it because I'm an aging female. I take Swanson's valerian. I agree, it can taste and smell awful, but this brand has been better than all the others I've tried. It's mail order only, but I buy almost all of my vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements from them and it's a flat rate shipping.
I take 200mg of magnesium - I take it with my calcium before I go to bed. I think calcium is supposed to help you sleep also, but obviously I take it because I'm an aging female. I take Swanson's valerian. I agree, it can taste and smell awful, but this brand has been better than all the others I've tried. It's mail order only, but I buy almost all of my vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements from them and it's a flat rate shipping.
Thank you, ML, for taking the time to post back. This may sound silly, but I'm wondering if valerian pills are wrapped in a piece of bread & swallowed (like my mum used to do if any of the pet pups needed pilling), they might help them pass through the stomach without those awful taste symptoms? It may take longer to work, but, I just may give it a try.
Thanks for mentioning the calcium, too. At my age, I probably should be taking some, too. Don't want to bogart the post, but have read too much conflicting info on it, so am not sure. I guess with most things, we need to find what works for each of us... boo to that.
On the Valerian . . .I don't know if this is true for other people, but it actually makes me sick as a dog. I will never take it again.
You are not alone, Curious. I did take one brand that made me so nauseous I thought I had caught a terrible flu. After 2-days, I knew it was that brand (or maybe it was the dosage???) Sadly, I tossed it out... don't remember which brand it was & I hope I don't ever accidentally buy it again.
I took the 5mg last night before bed and definitely had a few weird dreams. I'm not sure if it was the Melatonin or the fact I've gotten little sleep the last few days but I slept pretty good last night. Will experiment again tonight.
I've been using melatonin on and off for the past six months or so. It kicks in about a half-hour after I take it, and I don't get any lingering drowsiness upon awakening.
I was real worried I would have to go to prescription medication after taking diphenhydramine (benadryl) for about three weeks continuously until it really had no effect anymore (hit a rough spot at work, lots of stress). I decided to try the melatonin out of desperation, and really didn't think it would work. I was shocked when it knocked me out better than benadryl did.
Now I take it more often than benadryl since I don't notice any growing tolerance to it. I take it almost every night before work, and then use the benadryl if I can't sleep. That saves the benadryl for when I really need it. A plus to the melatonin is that it almost always gives me interesting, rather vivid dreams.
If I didn't know any better, I would almost say the melatonin is having an ambien-like effect for me. Needless to say, I'm very grateful that melatonin has worked out so well thus far for me and would encourage almost everyone to at least try it for sleep problems.
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This may sound silly, but I'm wondering if valerian pills are wrapped in a piece of bread & swallowed (like my mum used to do if any of the pet pups needed pilling), they might help them pass through the stomach without those awful taste symptoms? It may take longer to work, but, I just may give it a try. 
