Melatonin Supplements for Insomnia

[Pineapple]

I've had terrible insomnia since I was around 10, and I've recently started looking for natural remedies. I've been told several times lately to take Melatonin Supplements, and I'm wondering what you guys think about this. What brands supply trustworthy supplements (as I know it's not regulated by the FCA)? How is it properly taken? Is it safe for a teenager to take supplements; if so, how much?

I'm just looking for a little help. None of the people that have actually told me to take Melatonin have not been very helpful because THEY don't take it, but a family member of theirs is taking it.

[Recusant]

I've been told several times lately to take Melatonin Supplements...

I'm no doctor, so take this with a grain of salt, but I really doubt that it would be good for somebody as young as you are to be taking melatonin.  I've seen it recommended for older people, because our bodies produce much less of it as we age, but in a healthy young person, melatonin levels are considered to be pretty much ideal.
If you're looking for some sort of herbal supplement to help you sleep, I would start with chamomile tea, but not too much of it.  (Don't start drinking a lot if it does not seem to be effective, because while a cup or two is generally considered harmless, I've heard that if you drink a lot it can have negative effects.) Also, if you're allergic to ragweed or daisies or other members of the Compositae family, avoid it.
  Valerian root is used as a sleep aid, and I've heard that it can be pretty effective. Before you use it (or any herbal supplement) I would recommend looking at articles like this one, which lists cautions and side effects associated with valerian root. I think there are other "natural" sleep aids out there, but be cautious, sleep aids are notorious for causing dependency. Always be aware that just because something is called "natural," or "herbal," that does not mean that it's completely safe and harmless.  I would actually suggest that you consider learning meditation techniques, which will help you learn to calm your mind, and don't cost you anything but a bit of your time.  Plus, I don't think an 'addiction' to meditation is necessarily a bad thing.

[Heretical Rants]

On the topic of sleep problems:
Is it bad to sleep 14-16 hours at a time?

I don't think an 'addiction' to meditation is necessarily a bad thing.

What are you saying? It has ruined my life!!!

[SSY]

Go to a doctor, if these herbal remedies actually worked, they would not be listed as alternative medicnes, they would be used in hospitals.

Having said that, sleeping can be tricky, and is not perfectly understood by medicine, I find sometimes other things can help me sleep, like having a tidy bedroom for instance. Havng a routine you do before going to bed can also help get your mind off to sleep. I would try these sorts of avenues first (psychological avenues that is) before trying medication.

[joeactor]

Go to a doctor, if these herbal remedies actually worked, they would not be listed as alternative medicnes, they would be used in hospitals.

Yes (on Go to a doctor).

As for "alternative medicines", it depends.

Part of the reason they are still herbal or alternative is because they would not be profitable for drug companies to push thru the FDA requirements process.  There are some good studies (mostly non-USA) on some traditional herbal remedies that show they can be effective.  The tricky part is knowing the correct dosage - and if the brand you're buying can be trusted for having a standard amount in each pill.  No FDA also means not much regulation in the final product.

It could work,
JoeActor

[JillSwift]

According to my physician, the best and most "natural" remedy for a young person with sleeping trouble is exercise.

However, if this is a chronic thing that's interfering with your life, then SSY and joeactor have already given you the best advice: Go see a doctor. Get a sleep study done.

Also, be careful not to get sucked into this silly "natural" vs "artificial" business. Western medicines are just as much part of nature as everything else in the universe. Plus, arsenic is natural, too, and it'll kill you nice and dead. What you're after isn't what's "natural", you're after what's proven effective with the fewest negative side-effects. If that's an herb, cool. If that's a molecule cooked up in a reactor, that's equally cool. And everything in between.

[hismikeness]

Read a bible.

That always put me right to sleep as a kid.

 

Hismikeness

[Whitney]

've been told several times lately to take Melatonin Supplements,

I take them instead of the other sleeping pills if I'm having trouble sleeping.  I have been told not to exceed 3mg a night and that you can overdose just like you can with other sleep aids.  The ones I have are the 3mg size but sometimes I break them in half.  They work and don't have the hangover effect other OTC sleep aids do; not to mention that they aren't habit forming (that's the claim and I haven't felt any withdrawls even after I had to take it for about a month to fix my sleep pattern).  That said, I wouldn't advise taking it (or any other supplement/OTC med) daily for extended periods of time without talking to a doctor.  

You could also try Tylenol Simply Sleep.  It works.  However, only take a 1/4 dose and work up from there (for instance, take another 1/4 dose if you aren't feeling sleepy within an hour of the first).  If I take the recommended dose I wake up with a terrible "hangover" headache that makes me want to go back to sleep (thus making it pointless to have taken the medicine in the first place).

The only reason I like Melatonin is because it doesn't give me a headache...it being "natural" doesn't make me consider it any safer than some other sleep aid.  Really, everything we make is no more or less natural than bees making honey or spiders building a web.

But, as Jill said, regular exercise works too (and would, of course, be better than having to take something).  If you can, I'd recommend trying exercise (or more exercise) first since it is a long term solution rather than a quick fix.

[McQ]

Another vote for exercise. Additionally, creating a routine before bed time can help. Several ideas that are helpful are: No food within several hours before going to bed. A cup of decaf tea, or warmed water with lemon which you sip at slowly. This is for mental relaxation. Some people read, some do crosswords or puzzles. I find reading a good help, although it all depends on the person. Soft music, dimly lit room, and any relaxation techniques are helpful. But these things need to be done over time and become a habit for you. And they may not work if you have a significant medical condition, but they sure can't hurt to try.

As for "alternative medicines", it depends.

Part of the reason they are still herbal or alternative is because they would not be profitable for drug companies to push thru the FDA requirements process.  There are some good studies (mostly non-USA) on some traditional herbal remedies that show they can be effective.  The tricky part is knowing the correct dosage - and if the brand you're buying can be trusted for having a standard amount in each pill.  No FDA also means not much regulation in the final product.

It could work,
JoeActor

Joe it pains me to disagree with you on this one. It is an all-too common theme these days to hear that "alternative" or "herbal" and natural treatments are not used because drug companies would not profit from them. I went into this at some length a while back when talking about treatments for cancer, because the same thing is said there. It simply isn't true. Mostly because there is plenty of evidence to support the fact that drug companies have always actively looked to use natural compounds for all types of ailments and diseases, and still do.

There is no basis in fact for what you've said, and even from a purely economical view, it wouldn't make sense for drug companies to supress information on natural treatments. They would stand to profit greatly from compounds that already exist in nature and do so right now. Two natural compounds currently used to treat cancer are Arsenic Trioxide and Paclitaxel. Many other natural compounds are used and are in clinical trials.

I really wish people would stop throwing that accusation out there without justification or evidence. It's as injurious to good research and development as anything I've encountered.

I won't go into the studies on traditional herbal remedies being effective, because you did not mention which ones and for what disease states, or the clinical trial date, so I can't address that. My guess is that the data are not as robust as you may think in most of them.

But all avenues should be examined, and some should be re-examined. Compounds that did not show efficacy in one or two areas 50 years ago may be effective in other areas, combined with newer compounds, or things recently discovered. It's all a long learning curve and will hopefully get better and better.

[joeactor]

Hey McQ - you can disagree with me any time!

I've got plenty of no-evidence claims left in my attic of a brain.
Never hurts to do some spring cleaning...

I wasn't trying to imply that mega drug company kingpins were suppressing herbal or alternative drugs.
Just that since they cannot patent them, the profit margins make them less attractive to push through the required drug testing.
Because of that, they remain in a limbo state.

Ideally, a drug company wants to discover or invent something that they have exclusive rights to.
Then they can set the fair market price wherever they like, since there is no competition...
Until someone comes out with a competing drug that does the same thing, that is.

Yours in alternative reality,
JoeActor

[rlrose328]

A friend of mine gives her 7yo son melatonin at night to help him sleep.  He's ADD and his doctor recommended it.

She's heavy duty religious, thinks melatonin is a gift from gawd.

[Pineapple]

I'm pretty sure my Insomnia is ADHD related (I always have to be moving, or thinking something and it's very hard for me to stop). So far, taking a supple amount of Melatonin supplements occasionally and excercising  before I go to bed seems to be the best way for me to get to sleep. However, before I start the Melatonin I'm going to see a doctor. Hopefully I can get an appointment with my doctor this week.  

I'm very prone to headaches and migraines as well, so I'd assume headache-inducing medicines wouldn't be very good for me.

[McQ]

Hey McQ - you can disagree with me any time!

I've got plenty of no-evidence claims left in my attic of a brain.
Never hurts to do some spring cleaning...

I wasn't trying to imply that mega drug company kingpins were suppressing herbal or alternative drugs.
Just that since they cannot patent them, the profit margins make them less attractive to push through the required drug testing.
Because of that, they remain in a limbo state.

Ideally, a drug company wants to discover or invent something that they have exclusive rights to.
Then they can set the fair market price wherever they like, since there is no competition...
Until someone comes out with a competing drug that does the same thing, that is.

Yours in alternative reality,

[Kylyssa]

Natural things can be and often are patented.  Even parts of the human genome are patented - in particular, the genes that indicate inherited breast cancer.