Insomnia/ Melatonin?!
Question:
Insomnia/ Melatonin?
-container">I've had trouble with insomnia for years. I tried this stuff called Melatonin and it really did work well for me. I was taking 3 mg. and I cleared this through my doctor who said that I could take 3-6 mg and that it was safe. Another doctor found that I was taking this and they said that it was not safe - in that if you keep taking it that your body won't be making it or something if you keep taking it. So is it safe, and how much is safe. I tried taking 5HTP per their suggestion and it has not worked well.My doctor said Valerian was not safe, and I only tried it once, and I was more energized than relaxed from taking it.
My question - is what is the root cause of insomnia? I've tried all kinds of things - lavender, herbal teas, etc. lot more exercise. I get a minimum of 30 minutes exercise a day and most days I get 60 and I still don't sleep well now. I was sleeping well taking the melatonin. ideas? thanks A.M. is a great forum thanks everyone! Additional Details
14 hours ago
my wife died in 2006, and my dog died in August - so I'm alone. I've been on disability and dealing with severe pain for 4 years, I'm working very hard at rehabbing myself... I don't do well in my home since my wife's death. to give you an idea - last week I tried all week to get sleep here, so I decided after 4-5 days to go to a hotel. I slept fine. I just couldn't sleep here. I pretty much decided I'm moving out of here then. I couldn't believe how much better I did just getting away from here.
thanks
Answers:
One question I always ask my patients with insomnia is what time in the evening they eat dinner and then what time they go to bed. The reason I ask has to do with hormones...specifically cortisol.
Let me elaborate. So let's say you have dinner around 6:00pm and then you go to bed around 10:00pm and every night around 2:00 or 3:00am you wake up and have trouble getting back to sleep. What's happening over the course of the 6 to 8 hours since you last ate is that your body is switching it's biochemistry over to one of starvation and dumping Cortisol into your blood stream. Cortisol is a stress hormone that among other things increases alertness and awareness...hence you wake up. Cortisol's job during times of starvation is to go out and scavenge proteins from the tissues of the body to be used as fuel. So one thing that might be helpful for you is to eat a little bit of protein shortly before heading to bed...a handful of nuts or half of a Cliff bar or something...so that you body has a fuel source throughout the night and you can sleep better. Give it shot for a few nights and see if it works. Good luck.