ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzz (Melatonin)

Member Name: annabanana456

Product:	Melatonin
Date:	19/11/08 (173 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gentle help to sleep and can be taken long term

Disadvantages: None that I can see

Melatonin is a natural chemical produced in the brain and helps make people feel sleepy when its dark and wakeful when its light. It is available over the counter in the US as a remedy for sleeplessness and jet lag, but is only available by prescription in the UK.

I was prescribed Melatonin about two weeks ago, having been to my doctor on a fairly regular basis for the past two years about my lack of sleep. Basically I was not sleeping at night and then not catching up during the day so ended up getting around 3 hours sleep a day.

I have been given sleeping pills (Zopiclone usually) which gave me a sore head and left me feeling dizzy which to me was worse than the feeling of tiredness I had been used to, been told to try reading a book or doing a jigsaw to make me sleep - this just made me forget about sleeping altogether so when my GP suggested Melatonin I nodded and agreed to this whilst in the back of my mind feeling entirely skeptical that anything they were going to prescribe to me would make a difference.

It took two days after handing in my prescription for it to be ready for pick up- apparently most chemists do not keep it in stock so have to order it in. At around 9pm that night, after eating, I looked at the tablet with suspicion before swallowing it with some milk. To my great surprise, about an hour later I was feeling drowsy and ready for bed so into bed I jumped (it was more of a sit than a jump really!). Usually this is the part where I spend an hour trying to get comfy and get annoyed at myself for not sleeping but not that night. That night I lay on my bed, put my head onto the pillow and felt like I was in the comfiest, softest place in the world and drifted into a lovely gentle sleep - not the crashing thud I was used to with the sleeping pills. I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and awake without the fuzzy head and bleary eyes I was used to with the sleeping tablets. I was completely shocked, I thought sleep like this was a myth!

Two weeks later and I have had no side effects from the tablets apart from eating less due to actually having the energy I need when I've woken up.

I must add that as well as taking these tablets I am going through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in order to deal with the emotional reasons which affect sleep. I think this is really important for people who don't sleep due to stress or anxiety as the tablets can't change these things, they can just help the sleep itself - although since taking Mirtazapine I am feeling much better in every area of my life. What a difference a good nights sleep makes!

Summary: A natural product that works with your body to aid sleep and actually works!