Need better restful sleep? I have some good news for you. A good night’s sleep simply requires finding the right melatonin dosage that works for you. However, this is a difficult task with most products available on the market as they contain to high a dose for most people.
Many people who have tried to enhance sleep with melatonin have been dissatisfied with the results. Strange dreams, short sleep cycles, grogginess the next day, even lethargic conditions that last several days are all common side effects from the improper use of melatonin.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
These common and counterproductive side effects of melatonin are easy to avoid. Understanding the best dosage and the proper timing is critical for its successful use. The first piece of advice I have about melatonin is that only a very small amount is needed. In fact, most products contain 10-20 times the amount you may need to improve your sleep. More is not better unless after using it for a week in a small amount, you are not sleeping better.
A high dosage, improper timing, and inconsistent dissolving tablets can all lead to the side effects described above.
MelaRight Melatonin offers the FlexDose System allowing you to find the right melatonin dosage for a good night sleep. Limited time trial offer $3.98 – Find it here
Melatonin is released in a cyclical pattern on a daily basis. Every night the brain releases a certain amount of melatonin that peaks for 3 to 4 hours and then slowly reduces throughout the night. Any residual melatonin gets diminished when you are exposed to light.
While this is what’s supposed to happen, supplementation can disturb this natural process. Too much excessive residual melatonin can cause lethargic conditions and interfere with future sleep cycles.
It is crucial that the timing of the melatonin dosage does not conflict with what your body releases naturally. The only time you want to do this is if you are traveling to a new time zone and want to reset your internal clock. This is a common way to reduce jet leg symptoms. What people don’t know is that taking to high a melatonin dosage at the wrong time can cause jet lag symptoms.
[button link=”https://www.nutristand.com/product/protect-minerals-with-melatonin-for-restful-sleep/”]Click Here for Free Melatonin with Purchase of Sleep Enhancing Minerals[/button]
The natural release of melatonin occurs slowly throughout the night. Looking at this plotted on a graph appears like a gentle sloping hill. When taking a typical melatonin dosage, this graph looks like a high mountain peak. This peak is much higher and faster than what happens naturally. It is assumed that this high peak is what causes restless sleep and strange dreams, and the rapid decline from this peak is what causes many people to wake after 4 hours of sleep. Exposure to light, both natural and man made, will reduce the amount of melatonin.[threecol_two]
Reducing the amount of light you are exposed to at night may really help maintain healthy melatonin levels. Being consistent with exposure to light may be as important as the brightness of the light. Having a bathroom nightlight is preferred over momentary exposure to a bright light.
Limited time trial offer $3.98 – Find it here
If you wake up in the middle the night, never take melatonin to help you go back to sleep. There are many natural supplement items that are helpful for this situation, melatonin is not one of them. A timed, low melatonin dosage and controlled released approach should result in the successful use of melatonin. This may take some trial and error to find the right mix, but it will be well worth the effort.[/threecol_two]
[sixcol_one]
[/sixcol_one]
Help! No website will reveal to me the highest dosage of melatonin that is safe for me to take. I’m a very healthy 69-yr.-old, vegetarian, excercise 5 days/week. weigh 125#, happily married. I take 4/ 3mg. pills each night at about 11:00pm and still have trouble sleeping 2-3 nights/week….(awake 3 hours before sleep.) Is there a number above which I should not go??!!
THANKS,
Carol Etter
Before taking more melatonin, focus on the timing and dosage type. Try a liquid, sublingual or chewable melatonin an hour before you plan to sleep. Then take a second dosage closer to bedtime. Move your first dosage earlier if you do not feel drowsy at bedtime.
I would suggest trying different or additional items instead of increasing your dosage. Magnolia, passion flower, valerian and even calcium and magnesium might help. If you have a hard time relaxing the mind, 5HTP is worth a try.
What is the proper dose for me? I am 76 years old.
I take 2-3 drops before bed and then read for a while. When I put my book down 30 to 60 minutes later, I’ll either fall right to sleep, or take another 2-3 drops. Taking melatonin at two intervals like this will better match what’s produced naturally in the brain. Starting with two drops is 1/20th of the 3 mg dosage that most products supply. Taking 2 drops twice will be 1/10th that dosage. Start with that for the fist few days and see what happens. You can increase to as much as 120 drops (3 full droppers) if that is what gets you to sleep and you feel alert the following day. Please let everyone know your experience by posting on this site. Thanks!
Is melatonin safe to give to a 2 year old? I honestly don’t believe it should be right to give to them, but I’m only grandma.
Hi Melissa,
We only recommend melatonin for adults. I don’t know if it is safe or not, just not recommended.
I hope this helps.
Dale
Hey Melissa,
We are foster parents & get kiddos with awful sleep issues due to abuse & neglect. Our recent child was a 3 yr. old who wasn’t sleeping after 4 months in our home. We took her for an all day behavioral & psychiatric evaluation & whilst there, spoke with the doctors about her sleeping issues. She wouldn’t fall asleep until after midnight and would be up several times throughout the night…basically getting less than 4 hours of sleep a night. Her regular Pediatrician wanted to give her prescription sleeping pills, but I wanted to find a more holistic option. I asked the doctors at the behavioral center abt Melatonin since the bottles say do not give to children. The doctors, however, said that I could give up to 3 mg before bedtime. We started with only 2 mg. & after a month, lowered it to 1 mg, then to .5mg. Within abt 4 months, she was totally off meds & was sleeping through the night without issue. It’s as if she just needed a “reset” for her system. Please note, prior to this, we also tried warm baths with chamomile scent and reading stories & a consistent bedtime routine…but those things just weren’t working. The docto’s said Melatonin is made in the body naturally, so giving it to our foster child for a short time was totally safe. I do not know what the dosage would be for a 2 yr old or if it is wise…may want to research & speak with your doctor; but I wanted to tell you my experience since it was actually okay to give to children per the experts.
I am suffering with insomnia for past 15year and i have taken alparax.0.10 mg.even that too not helping. Physician prescrbed melatonin.what dossage i should take.how many times.please enlighten me.i will appreciate your reply which will be of great help to me.thank you.know
Hi Francis,
The best dosage for you will require testing different amounts and timing of your dosage(s). I take 2-3 drops before bed and then read for a while. When I put my book down 30 to 60 minutes later, I’ll either fall right to sleep, or take another 2-3 drops. Taking melatonin at two intervals like this will better match what’s produced naturally in the brain. Starting with two drops is 1/20th of the 3 mg dosage that most products supply. Taking 2 drops twice will be 1/10th that dosage. Start with that amount for the first few days and see what happens. You can increase to as much as 120 drops (3 full droppers) if that is what gets you to sleep and you feel alert the following day. Please let everyone know your experience by posting on this site.
Thanks for posting your question!
Dale
PS: Check with your doctor about adding minerals to your diet. We have found that taking our Protect Mineral formula at bedtime can improve sleep quality.
Hi, I just recently started taking melatoniin and I am thinking that it will beneficial for me to use. I wanted to share some facts that I have found a long the way.
1. Taking too much melatonin can cause some insomnia. I am a large man and take 1.5 mg and am going to go to .75
2. The human body makes melatonin for various functions and as we aged as with most things the amount produced decreases.
3. Important to remember that melatonin is a hormone so not sure the statements about it is harmless are true.