Melatonin-My Hero

I have to write this in the hopes it can help someone else who is going through what I've described recently on this forum under the thread "Untrain My Awakenings." It was about how I would wake up every night at 1:30, 3:30 and 5:30 AM due to what I can only deduce were the months of nights of waking up every time I turned over to make sure the masks wasn't leaking or the hose wasn't being constricted laying across my body. But now that I have the Aura, which is leak-free and I wear the hose behind me, I was still waking up, I feel subconsciouly, and was starting to really feel the multiple awakenings every night. And since my AHI's are always under 1, I didn't feel it could be the amount of episodes I have because I average 1-3 episodes per night. I didn't know how to retrain my brain to not wake up every night at those same hours.

Well, when I was at my doctor's office Thursday evening, she suggested melatonin, a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland, that, as we age, sometimes the body can produce less of and can create sleeping problems, such as insomnia and inability to stay asleep. By replenishing what could be a lesser amount than the body needs to have a productive sleep cycle, you could benefit from its use. From what I've read, it is pretty safe to use and they are even investigating its properties to be an anti-aging supplement. It is supposed to be an anti-oxidant and help to eliminate those pesky free radicals in the body. This is what I've read on the Internet in more than one site. Also, there is not supposed to be any groggy mornings after taking melatonin 30 mins. before bedtime as you can have with some prescription sleep aids. The dose is to start with is 1 1/2 mgs., working up to 3 mgs. I just started at 3 mgs. since that was the strength of the tablets I bought. They are, by the way, over-the-counter at drug and health food stores. I bought 60 tablets (two month supply) for $4.99 at Rite Aid.

In any event, the first night was an improvement. Went to sleep at 11:30. Did wake up at 1:08 AM (not 1:30) and cut out the middle awakening and slept till 5-something AM. Better than I had been.

However, last night, went to bed at 11:30. Woke up for the first time at 5:30!!! Six hours of straight sleep!!!! I haven't had that much sleep in I don't know how long. It was wonderful. Then went back to sleep until 9:15.

To say I feel better about this is an understatement. It truly is working and getting better night after night. I know it's only been two nights, but it's heading in the right direction finally. And to know I can use something that is not a chemical produced in a lab, but rather a synthetic hormone (better IMHO), I'm happy.

Just thought I'd bring this topic up in case anyone else is experiencing the same problem. I would just talk to your doctor first before starting any new drug or supplement and make sure it's okay for you to do it. If it works for you, though, the way it seems to be for me, you'll be as happy as I am. Between the Aura, which is the most comfortable and leak-less interface I've ever owned, and now the melatonin, I just may end up sleeping through the night mosts nights after all, something I thought was far out of my graps forever.

Hey, that's wonderful news! I hope it continues. How much are you taking, and when prior to bedtime to give you these results. And I can shout out a YIPPEE for your success!

Beth

ProfessorSleep wrote:Hey, that's wonderful news! I hope it continues. How much are you taking, and when prior to bedtime to give you these results. And I can shout out a YIPPEE for your success!

Beth

All "yippee"s are welcomed, thank you.

I take 3 mgs. 30 minutes or so before bedtime, as the Internet suggested as the label on this brand tells you virtually nothing. But that seems to be the recommended dose. They say you could start out with 1 1/2 mgs. and work up to 3 mgs., but I figured, "Why play around with the puppies when you can go right to the big dogs?"

Are you thinking of giving it a try? I'm sure your lessening of the production of melatonin wouldn't be an age-related issue as your photo doesn't make you appear to be old enough to have age-related issues yet. If I'm wrong, what are you doing right to look so young???

Not for myself, but I have recommended it to a number of people at the time and dose you mentioned. Just wanted to know what was working for you. I had a dog previously to whom I administered 3 mg prior to thunderstorms. It had a good, calming effect on her. It's a very valuable supplement and a lot of people find it a good, natural way to improve sleep.

As for looking young? Well, I'm old enough to appreciate that. But I'm guessing the somewhat low resolution photo helps to give that impression. You can't see all the gray in my increasingly more salt-like salt & pepper hair!

ProfessorSleep wrote:As for looking young? Well, I'm old enough to appreciate that. But I'm guessing the somewhat low resolution photo helps to give that impression. You can't see all the gray in my increasingly more salt-like salt & pepper hair!

If gray hairs were my only indication of aging, I'd be a very happy camper. It's those subtle lines and dryer skin that I hate. I moisturize all the time, but I don't think you can beat out Mother Nature. So I accept aging as gracefully as I can as I am not one to go spend thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery every few years to try to look like I'm 20 when I'm almost 50. Maybe if I was rich and had money to burn, but there are definitely more important uses for my hard-earned cash than that, like CPAP masks, Tegaderm patches, heated hoses...and the list goes on (not to mention one college grad, one in college and an almost teenage daughter who loves Abercrombie & Fitch clothes).

Read this for the amounts of melatonin recommended -

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/melatonin.htm

In earlier research, scientists led by Professor Richard Wurtman, principal investigator for the current study, showed that only a small dose of melatonin (about 0.3 milligrams) is necessary for a restful effect. Taken in that quantity, it not only helps people fall asleep, but also makes it easier for them to return to sleep after waking up during the night--a problem for many older adults.

The researchers also found, however, that commercially available melatonin pills contain 10 times the effective amount. And at that dose, "after a few days it stops working," said Wurtman, director of MIT's Clinical Research Center and the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Professor. When the melatonin receptors in the brain are exposed to too much of the hormone, they become unresponsive.

(My emphasis)

O.

O,

May be a good idea, then, to start off with the 1 1/2 mgs? I don't know. I guess I will have to wait and see. I would imagine, too, that different manufacturer's make it differently, too. And why would they want to use MORE of something when they're not getting paid for it?

From what I've heard and read, there are people using it for years and still swear by it. Hey, everyone is different and I'll have to wait and see. As I said, it's only been two nights. But thanks for the info.

Here's an earlier discussion page with a lot of references: viewtopic.php?t=1819&highlight=melatonin

I wouldn't say the manufacturers aren't being payed for it - I'm sure they charge what they can for what the make.

I would try a lower dosage - haven't yet gone the melatonin route at all.

Good luck.
O.

Ozij and fnorette,

Thanks again for this interesting info. I read it and it causes me to wonder where or how you get the type that you know is not overly high in content. Does the doctor actually write a script for it or is there a way to know how much is in the type of tablet you take? I can just hear my drug plan denying a script for something that I can buy OTC. And I don't want to ruin what seems to be a Godsend so far by having it stop working due to some manufacturer's error in overly dosing their pills.

I would welcome any input on that. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that this won't stop working as I can't believe how great it was to sleep almost six hours straight finally. I really don't want it to stop.

Thanks again.

This is interesting to me. Waking up alot has always been my problem...even though it is now much better since being on cpap. My question is that I take several different prescriptions from the doctor...do you think I should get her OK before trying this melatonin?

lindas88 wrote:My question is that I take several different prescriptions from the doctor...do you think I should get her OK before trying this melatonin?

Absolutely, unequivocally, yes. It is a natural supplement, but you never know how any one substance will interact with another. But if it continues to work for me and it will work for you the same way it has been for me, it is definitely worth the phone call to the doctor (or maybe the pharmacist even, who sometimes I believe knows more than the doctors).

One of the problems in interpreting existing research on melatonin is that many studies and "state of the science" reports fail to make clear the duration of the treatment as well as any extenuating circumstances. There is a big difference between taking 1 1/2 or 3 mg now and then to help sleep and taking .05mg nightly to account for a disruption in the body's normal production of melatonin. Three mg. on a steady basis, I would agree, is too much and the attempt to stop taking it can do more harm than good. If the plan is to take it regularly, age and other factors (particularly exposure to sunlight or sun-spectrum type light) need to be considered. For ongoing use, I'd take the smallest amount possible and give each increment a few days, minimum, to test the effects. For jet lag, shift change, other periodic uses, and with increasing age, 1-3 mg commonly is prescribed by alternative practitioners (and for dogs with severe thunder phobia). I think it is important to remember it is not a sedative or hypnotic, but something to regulate or supplement the body's own processes. Individual experiences will vary, as will the ability to metabolize the melatonin once ingested. As for quality, it is so difficult to tell with the over-the-counter preparations. Name and reputation mean a lot, so go for a good brand or from a good supplier. Look for additives and inactive ingredients that aren't necessary, and try to find the most "clean" or "pure" (that's a tough one) form (e.g., who needs sugar and stuff added to their sleep aid?). Not to be confused with "natural"- natural melatonin is derived from animal stock and may be anything but "clean." This is a place where you probably do want synthetic. And nitey-night!

DISCLAIMER: This is not health care advice. Use at your own risk and under consultation with a physician. YMMV. I think that covers it? I never, ever give health care or medical advice.

I have found that the sublingual Melatonin is far superior to the pill form. it is said that it passes the blood - brain barrier much better than through the stomach.

Good luck

Anonymous wrote:I have found that the sublingual Melatonin is far superior to the pill form. it is said that it passes the blood - brain barrier much better than through the stomach.

Good luck

Where would someone find sublingual melatonin? Is it where you would normally find the tablets that you'd swallow or would it only be in a health food store? There was not a huge selection when I went to Rite Aid. I took what they had.

Beth,
Thanks for the great post. I think maybe I should just go down to the 1.5 mg. dose and see how that works. In any event, I need to discuss this with my PCP who recommended it and see what her take is on all of this. I trust and value her opinion and she's usually right on the money when it comes to diagnoses. Maybe alternating the dose each night, one night 1.5 and the next 3, would be a better idea than to take 3 every night. I need an expert's advice on this now.