Melatonin

[luke wilson]

Another thing that has now become apparent with melatonin. My sleep cycle is shorter. In this past week, everyday, I get up naturally at 6am... usually it amounts to 7 hours of sleep. I wake up feeling fresh but it's too early... :( So I go back to sleep again, and get up an hour later and struggle initially. Even today, saturday, before melatonin, I'd get up at 10:30ish but instead, 9 o'clock, up and good to go.

 

[Alada]

Another thing that has now become apparent with melatonin. My sleep cycle is shorter. In this past week, everyday, I get up naturally at 6am... usually it amounts to 7 hours of sleep. I wake up feeling fresh but it's too early... :( So I go back to sleep again, and get up an hour later and struggle initially. Even today, saturday, before melatonin, I'd get up at 10:30ish but instead, 9 o'clock, up and good to go.

Yeah I’ve found that a few times, I think I was up around six one morning this week which is very unusual for me. I figured that if I was awake then it would be better to get up and do something useful than lose an hour or however long trying to get back to sleep. You have time then for at least six impossible things before breakfast. ;)

What might be happening with going back to sleep and then feeling groggy when you wake the second time, is that you miss the natural point at which your brain wants to wake, you send it back into another sleep cycle and then that one is cut short. So the brain activity / chemical balance is thrown out by waking at the wrong point in the cycle, or something like that. So if you have time to get another 3-4 hour then cycle in, going back to sleep would work, otherwise maybe we should get up when we wake up?

 

[Chad]

Another thing that has now become apparent with melatonin. My sleep cycle is shorter. In this past week, everyday, I get up naturally at 6am... usually it amounts to 7 hours of sleep. I wake up feeling fresh but it's too early... :( So I go back to sleep again, and get up an hour later and struggle initially. Even today, saturday, before melatonin, I'd get up at 10:30ish but instead, 9 o'clock, up and good to go.

Yeah I’ve found that a few times, I think I was up around six one morning this week which is very unusual for me. I figured that if I was awake then it would be better to get up and do something useful than lose an hour or however long trying to get back to sleep. You have time then for at least six impossible things before breakfast. ;)

What might be happening with going back to sleep and then feeling groggy when you wake the second time, is that you miss the natural point at which your brain wants to wake, you send it back into another sleep cycle and then that one is cut short. So the brain activity / chemical balance is thrown out by waking at the wrong point in the cycle, or something like that. So if you have time to get another 3-4 hour then cycle in, going back to sleep would work, otherwise maybe we should get up when we wake up?

Same here! For me it's a mixture of discomfort which wakes me every 4 hours but i'm also fairly certain the melatonin is having an effect because i do wake so 'alert' - happened today too, but i find i can drift back if i take a moment and some tobacco :) I wondered if it could have something to do with that 'we used to sleep in 2 cycles, waking for 1 hour in between for light activity' but then when i was younger i'd easily sleep 8 hours....i am getting older though and your patterns do change.

Waking up most of the week a few hours before my alarm is annoying, but going to work on 4-6 hours is pretty hard for me so i've been gambling with the 'let's go back to sleep and risk waking up mid cycle' and feeling punch drunk for most of the day. I think i'm battling with enforcing a routine on myself, but i'm making progress.

Today I should really have 'gotten up' when i woke up (for the 2nd time) at 8am... but i didn't, i lolled in bed till 11 instead - in my defence i've been in quite a bit of physical pain this week so i DID need it! (i could've gotten up at 10 though..). It's just that feeling of 'but i've been knackered all week, surely it's best to rest' - Alada is right though, use the time to do 'impossible things' (getting out of bed at 8am on a free Saturday is probably the ultimate move!)

 

[Gaby]

Thought I would share my melatonin experiment... What seems to work the best is to nap after my night shifts. Then take melatonin for the night after the night shift. That will help me sleep profoundly and I can recover easier.

If I take melatonin on a consistent basis, then at some point it won't work. I would wake up every two hours or so. If I take melatonin sporadically, only when strictly needed, it works like a charm.

 

[Erykah]

Wanted to share my melatonin experiment as well, I have been taking the sublingual melatonin on and off for years, I find that the 3 mg dose is too much, I wake up feeling groggy, recently I have been waking up several times a night and I am wide awake. I decided to try the melatonin again for a more restful sleep I bought a product last week from Source Naturals called Night Rest w/ melatonin. It has Magnesium, Gaba, taurine, glycine, passion flower and leaf, chamomile, skullcap, lemon balm and Melatonin (5 mg) For the last week I have been sleeping very soundly, going to be by 9:30 and up wide awake by 5:30 am

Yeah I’ve found that a few times, I think I was up around six one morning this week which is very unusual for me. I figured that if I was awake then it would be better to get up and do something useful than lose an hour or however long trying to get back to sleep. You have time then for at least six impossible things before breakfast. ;)

What might be happening with going back to sleep and then feeling groggy when you wake the second time, is that you miss the natural point at which your brain wants to wake, you send it back into another sleep cycle and then that one is cut short. So the brain activity / chemical balance is thrown out by waking at the wrong point in the cycle, or something like that. So if you have time to get another 3-4 hour then cycle in, going back to sleep would work, otherwise maybe we should get up when we wake up?

Waking up early is unusual for me as well, but I feel super rested and wide awake before the sun even comes up and as Alada shared I can get at least 6 things done, that would normally not get done if I were asleep :P

 

[Chad]

itellsya, I'm sorry I failed to acknowledge you further than the info you shared, I too wish you luck on your mission to find a solution to your sleepy time troubles.

I have nothing much else to offer you but support and understanding and some experiences.

I used to meditate for hours before bed and no matter how long I slept for I always woke up chipper. I know hours long meditating isn't always feasible but getting back into routine where some time of meditation directly before going to bed might help again. Also I notice if I have a busy night with physical tasks like catching up on cleaning or some exercise I don't settle as well either so I try to do a bit of good ole nothing from 730pm onwards. Bright lights, loud sounds, stimulating conversations, anything that excited the senses are also out. Really really warm showers also make me drowsy, but have to catch that one quickly coz it doesn't last long.

Gosh, we do have similar experiences! I'm hoping cold adaptation baths in the eve might do the trick; will let you know as soon as ;D

 

[luke wilson]

I have something that I noticed last night which I think is due to melatonin...

I thought I slept straight until the morning but I think I get up at night but in a sleep state and by morning I have forgotten that I got up - I don't get out of bed... I'm going to track this. First I noticed that some of the dreams I have are quite relevant to my current emotions.. the thing though is that by the morning I have forgotten until recently when one lingered long enough.. Anyways, I get up and I see patterns in the darkness... like the darkness around me is alive... not scary or anything but yeah I distinctly remember that from last night and I don't think it's the first night.. Not scary, then as I'm pretty much in a sleep state I fall back to sleep and then get up in the morning. Not sure exactly but yeah something extra is happening in the middle of the night and I don't think I'm sleeping straight to the morning. At least this is what I think for now... I'll start a night journal...

 

[Voyageur]

Thought I would share my melatonin experiment... What seems to work the best is to nap after my night shifts. Then take melatonin for the night after the night shift. That will help me sleep profoundly and I can recover easier.

If I take melatonin on a consistent basis, then at some point it won't work. I would wake up every two hours or so. If I take melatonin sporadically, only when strictly needed, it works like a charm.

This is kind of how it works for me also, yet it is after the days work that I nap (sometimes twice for 15 - 30 minutes) and than later take 3 mg. (never more) of Melatonin and fall asleep for the night. And like you said, this is sporadic use of Melatonin, not every night, usually for 2-3 days and a day off or even two days off. If traveling, always use it to sleep while at hotels.

 

[Minas Tirith]

I agree. Melantonin is definitely not something you want to take over a longer period of time. On my bottle it says not to take it over two months, with a one-week break.

If you wake up earlier than usual, then your dose is probably to high (or you have taken it too long). Taken in a right dose it usually adjusts with your natural sleep cycle.

M.T.

 

[luke wilson]

Update on melatonin.

I now take it haphazardly depending on how I feel. My body clock appears to be pretty much in sync. I feel tired at the right sorts of time and have no problems falling asleep. I have to say I added krill oil before bed and this is when I decided to cut back on the melatonin.

Krill oil is not meant to be a sleep aid but to me, it is. I take it every night now with melatonin spread out, maybe once or twice a week.

Added: I should say I only supplement 5 days a week. Mon to Fri. Sat and sun are off days... No reaon, just the routine I fell into.

On supplementation as well, I also don't take all at the same time or on the same days...

Morning: Vit D and K and vit b complex. Glutamine if I feel I need a physics boost for the morning walk.

Evening on gym days: Glutamine and Carnitine before gym. Glutamine after gym.

Before bed: Melatonin if needed. Krill oil.

Cut down on most of the rest, though I have bifido bacteria lying around which I take when my tummy grumbles.

 

[Keyhole]

Update on melatonin.

I now take it haphazardly depending on how I feel. My body clock appears to be pretty much in sync. I feel tired at the right sorts of time and have no problems falling asleep. I have to say I added krill oil before bed and this is when I decided to cut back on the melatonin.

Krill oil is not meant to be a sleep aid but to me, it is. I take it every night now with melatonin spread out, maybe once or twice a week.

I found that when I began taking melatonin, probably this time last year, it used to send me into a really deep sleep and I've taken it every single day without fail since then. What I began to notice a few months ago was that I found it was getting more difficult to get to sleep everynight and I would lay awake in bed for an hour before actually feeling tired. I was under the impression that it was a supplement that should be taken each night. Thanks sharing your personal experiences guys, I am going to experiment with only taking it once or twice a week to see how things go.

 

[Xico]

Update on melatonin.

I now take it haphazardly depending on how I feel. My body clock appears to be pretty much in sync. I feel tired at the right sorts of time and have no problems falling asleep. I have to say I added krill oil before bed and this is when I decided to cut back on the melatonin.

Krill oil is not meant to be a sleep aid but to me, it is. I take it every night now with melatonin spread out, maybe once or twice a week.

I found that when I began taking melatonin, probably this time last year, it used to send me into a really deep sleep and I've taken it every single day without fail since then. What I began to notice a few months ago was that I found it was getting more difficult to get to sleep everynight and I would lay awake in bed for an hour before actually feeling tired. I was under the impression that it was a supplement that should be taken each night. Thanks sharing your personal experiences guys, I am going to experiment with only taking it once or twice a week to see how things go.

I have felt the same way, but I don't really pay attention to it, what I do is I play some soft music really low and this helps me to fall asleep, I keep taking melatonin every night. which I noticed helps to enhance my perception in dreams which now are more vivid...

 

[happyliza]

Thanks for the interesting info guys, especially sleep and getting the circadian rhythm correct. I truly think, even though I have been taking Melatonin for a while now - 3 grms, that this is my low immunity problem.

I don't fall asleep right away, work late, really late many days, am unconsciously partly 'fitting in' to the nightshift hours my partner works, plus am on computer too late. Although my room has blackout, i still use an old mobile as an alarm clock.

All this will have to change asap.

I have never been able to take naps so cannot benefit from those power naps. I just go to bed when I am tired, or get up when i feel i have had enough sleep. It is quite common, as last night, we both got up for a smoke after one hour,as neither of us could sleep. I read somewhere it is better to get up at such times and go back to bed again, rather than battle to sleep. Though the virus has alot to do with not being able to breathe properly preventing sleep atm.

Either way, I am sure lack of biological clock sleep is my major immune demolishing factor now. If not getting back on track as virus clears up is paramount. I also will stop computer work by 10pm and take my tablets with a relaxing herb tea with bath/shower to help the sleepiness as best I can.

Far better to get up early and complete 6 extra tasks! I was lucky if i could do that many some days anyway.

Once the routine is the regular pattern I will give up the melatonin and see if I can wake up naturally and give my body a chance to create the melatonin naturally too.

 

[Aeneas]

I just saw this article on melatonin and its possible role in combating cancer cells.

Mechanism that allows melatonin to combat cancer cells discovered

A research team from the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra (UC) in Portugal has discovered how melatonin may fight cancer cells, responsible for the development of cancer. Melatonin is a hormone whose characteristics allow it to reach any cell, adjust the sleep-wake cycle, maintain a healthy aging process and regulate the immune system.

The results, as published in "Oncotarget" magazine, suggest that successful treatment based on melatonin depends on the activity of the cancer cells' mitochondria, which is responsible for producing their cellular energy. The energetic activity of the cell depends on its state of development, which means that melatonin is effective only in a certain state of evolution of the cancer cell.

Ignacio Vega-Naredo, CNC researcher, explains that "we found that melatonin killed cancer cells through a mitochondrial pathway. When the mitochondria of cancer cells were active, melatonin decreased the proliferation of these cells and prevented the production of the energy they needed. Our study shows treatment with melatonin as a promising strategy in the treatment of tumors, attacking cancer stem cells responsible for recurrence."

This research opens up opportunities in cancer research as it indicates the need for treatment appropriate to the evolutionary state and energy of the cancer cell, avoiding the application of non-specific therapies that can damage important cells, or have no therapeutic effect.

The cancer stem cells used in this study were "carcinogenic embryonic stem cells" in which we sought to understand the mechanism which makes cancer cells vulnerable to melatonin.

Despite the uncertainty about the actual mechanism which is at the origin of the tumors, it is known that cancer stem cells are responsible for the development of cancer. These cells "are a good point to undertake research on possible treatments because of their ability to escape the therapies, which is something that may explain the reappearance of tumors," stresses Ignacio Vega-Naredo. In other words, "if it is possible to combat these cells which are so resistant, it will be possible to intervene in any type of malignant cell," he concludes.

Coimbra, August 3, 2015

Cristina Pinto

University of Coimbra

Translated by Ekaterina Santos

Portuguese version Pravda.Ru

From the Portuguese version
- See more at: http://english.pravda.ru/health/04-08-2015/131575-combat_cancer-0/#sthash.fuyRj1Ny.dpuf

If I am not mistaken, then parasites, just like the cancer cells are also feasting on the cells powersupply unit, the mitochondria. Wonder if melatonin has a general beneficial benefit to the mitochondria and thus beneficial against parasites. Just thinking aloud.

 

[patty2292]

Thought I would share my melatonin experiment... What seems to work the best is to nap after my night shifts. Then take melatonin for the night after the night shift. That will help me sleep profoundly and I can recover easier.

If I take melatonin on a consistent basis, then at some point it won't work. I would wake up every two hours or so. If I take melatonin sporadically, only when strictly needed, it works like a charm.

After listening to the Health and Wellness show on the importance of sleep ( http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sottradionetwork/2015/07/17/the-health-and-wellness-show--17-july-2015--the-importance-of-sleep ), strangely enough on a night shift , i think i need to start implementing some form of supplement to get me through my week of nights.

Its becoming an option for me now to purchase some melatonin and cycle it on a 3 week cycle. So 1 week on (5 days) and two weeks off. But in all honesty, i dont want to become accustomed to the use of it given my young age, 23, and the other choices on the market.

Moving into a new property, we still havnt got blackout blinds fitted in the bed room but is on top priority. Also im purchasing some orange/red tinted glasses to wear when coming home from work to reduce my sunlight exposure so i can feel abit more tired. When im home and get in bed, i dont have trouble falling asleep - but this is due to the exhaustion itself from working a night shift.

Apart from the sleep hygiene improvements i can make, im looking for something to aid in the overall mood im in while on nights. So instead of melatonin, im thinking of cycling 5htp for the week of nights to target my mood instead of my sleep.
There was also some natural cortisol reducing supplements that can be taken along with some natural herbal tea's and essential oils that aid in sleep. Going to give the show another listen to note down the ones mentioned and check them out, unfortunately i didnt have a notepad handy.

So just looking for any advice in regards to melatonin alternatives, as im looking for things that will not help me get to sleep, but help my quality of sleep and mood when i awake.