What can I expect? How does it compare to Ambien? Any side effects?
2007-03-14 15:50:35 · 6 answers · asked by Red 2 in Health ➔ Alternative Medicine
Melatonin is quite safe. It can be helpful IF your sleep problem relates to suppressed natural production of the hormone. Drops in melatonin production is more common in older people, i.e., 40+ years old. People who do shift work or cross time zones a lot can find it helpful too.
Its cheap, so you can buy a bottle and see if it helps. You'll certainly know before the bottle is gone, so its kind of a "what have you got to lose" situation.
One word of caution: There is a school of thought that you should cycle your use of melatonin supplements, because ongoing use could cause the body to produce even less. Cycling can be any of the following:
- 6 days of use...1 day off
- 3 weeks of use...1 week off
- 4 months of use...1 month off
2007-03-15 02:29:42 · answer #1 · answered by kathy_is_a_nurse 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Melatonin is safe, very little side effects.. but it takes 10-14 days for it to work and get in your system. Ambien and other sleep aids work right away but most have crazy side effects and can be addicting.
2007-03-15 00:21:50 · answer #2 · answered by allyn h 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just took melatonin the other night and had no side effects.
Melatonin is something the brain makes anyway and it is safe.
I heard on tonight's news that there are some bad side effects for Ambien so I don't think I would risk taking that.
2007-03-14 22:58:36 · answer #3 · answered by Vergie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Melatonin is supposed to be effective as a sleep aid, especially regulating body clock rhythm problems. Recently I have read that scientific research supposedly shows that melatonin is not effective. It is not an FDA-approved drug, I don't think, because it falls under the category of alternatives or supplements which FDA doesnt regulate. Safe enough to try on short-term basis.
2007-03-15 15:02:16 · answer #4 · answered by goodpoet 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
melatonin is not effective for most sleep disorders, but it is safe with short-term use.Commonly reported side-effects were drowsiness, headache, nausea, and dizziness. Otherwise, the report does not indicate significant adverse effects of short-term melatonin use (3 months or less).
Secondary sleep disorders are sleep problems with a physiologic cause, such as hyperthyroidism or substance abuse (toxicity). Sleep restriction, on the other hand, results from voluntary sleep disruption. On-call physicians or third-shift police officers are examples of people who endure sleep restriction. Ambien is scary to me, I was taking it,but was sleep driving. My dr. put me on lunesta and told me to use the melatonin as a substitute on occasional night,cause after awhile your body becomes accustome to sleep-aids and they don't work as well.
2007-03-15 00:30:22 · answer #5 · answered by kutebunns 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not only safe for you to take it is actually very beneficial to your health. Researchers say it is an antioxident and is even stronger that Vitamin C and Vitamin E combined. You must buy the sublingual kind at GNC. This is the only one that has ever been tested in a lab to be true melatonin. It is best to take the sublingual kind from GNC to know if it will work for you or not. Only take it at nite at bedtime.
P.S. on a personal note, i have taken it everynite for two years and its the best thing i have ever taken for sleep hands down
2007-03-15 02:19:54 · answer #6 · answered by Elias 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋