For all those that are worried about the possibilities of melatonin dependency/addiction (I was), I’m here to tell ya that there ain’t no such thing!
After taking melatonin literally almost every single day for a period of two and a half months, at dosages of 6, 9, and 12mg depending on necessity (how awake I still was that night), I forgot to take my melatonin with me when I left campus for spring break last week.
Well, the last time I took melatonin was the night of Thursday the 18th of March. And I have had ZERO problems sleeping since then; even that first night afterwards! No withdrawal/dependency/addiction at all!
So there ya have it. Theres at least one case (I guess I was my own guinea pig in this little experiment) that clearly proves that the body doesn’t stop producing melatonin if ingested orally through sleep aid supplements.
I have always had sleep problems for as long as I can remember – or rather, I rarely ever woke up feeling completely “refreshed” – I’ve always been awakened feeling at least somewhat groggy in the morning, if that makes any sense.
Well, about three months ago I found out about sleep aids on these forums (melatonin and ZMA) and I became determined to find out how I could use them to improve the quality of my sleep.
And one of my major concerns about melatonin was if it was safe to take continuously, or if it would indeed stop the regular production of melatonin by the body. (BTW try searching google for concrete hard evidence or studies on this, you won’t find any… very poorly documented supplement…) Also I searched (tried anyway) for information on the topics of melatonin addiction/withdrawal and dangers at “high” dosages. (“High” in quotes because patients for some illnesses are prescribed melatonin in excess of 40 GRAMS / day. And the sleep aid you buy at the drug store is in 1-3 MILLIGRAM dosage…
Anyway, I just wanted to SHARE what I discovered on these topics through my usage over the past few months in hope that someone who has the same questions as I did can learn from my experiences.
How much do you think you needed the melatonin if you have no problem sleeping without it? I know someone who swears by it, and takes it “every night”; but she also routinely stays up until 2-3:00 a.m. despite being tired. At that point, I expect her to collapse anyway.
Does melatonin work uniformly on everyone?
(Not trying to hijack; just using a melatonin thread to get some feedback.)
As a college student with an on campus job (various early mornings), I used it for when I needed to wake up early. This meaning I (somehow) had to fall asleep (unusually) early in order to get a full nights rest. (I’m talking going to bed at 7 or 8pm – and remember, I’m a college student!)
Obviously if you try to go to sleep earlier than you’re used to and you’re wide awake, you’re going to have some difficulties falling asleep. Once I discovered melatonin (and after MUCH research…), I incorporated it into my supplement list so that I could “control” exactly WHEN I wanted to fall asleep. Plus, as I mentioned previously, the quality of my sleep has always been subpar and I decided that needed to be changed! Melatonin helps me get into deeper sleep and wake up feeling much more rested.
Another reason you may want to use melatonin is if you take ephedrine or other such supplements that may keep you up at night. (I did for a little while and had major insomnia…)
I’m guessing melatonin varies from person to person. Case in point: Big Dave takes 1.5mg/night. For me, 3 or 6mg barely does anything. (Maybe I built up a tolerance)
Best thing to do is buy a small bottle and test it out – it’s REALLY cheap! (240 3mg tabs for ~$5!)
you do know seratonin is linked with depression, if you start fucking around with these pathways, be prepared for consequences. you are taking quite a high dosage, just beware.
Your body definitely builds up immunity to melatonin, I’ve been taking it for some years now, and I have to go off for 3-6 months before it has any effect and still need to up dosages. It’s a miracle pill for me, I normally lie in bed 1-3 hours before sleep takes me, with mel. I can get to sleep in less than an hour!
Safe? I don’t know what your post had to do with the safety of melatonin but when something works had has no side effects it’s good enough for me!
Despite some absolute assholes harping you, thanks for the info. I’ve started taking 3mg on nights that I know I will have enough time to get 8 plus hours of sleep. This is usually 3 or 4 nights a week. I’m glad to hear your personal experiences with long term use.