A bit of an intro about me first
Since time immemorial, I’ve always been the night person kind of guy who always experiences struggles in falling asleep when it’s badly needed. Those late-night tosses and turns have become a habit for me so waking up with a good mood every morning is nothing but just a dream.
Then I saw this ad about melatonin. I’ve actually heard about this sleeping aid before but never had the chance to test it out until now.
The decision to use melatonin
Prior to testing this drug, I did a bit of research into it just to make sure that it’s safe and approved locally (good thing, it was!). Asked a few friends and colleagues who were using this pill, browsed several trusted medical sites like WebMD and Mayo Clinic, and even chatted with my doctor for peace of mind.
The good news was that most of them recommended using it and they even told me that it can do wonders for my sleep cycle without feeling groggy. You see, this a common side effect that one usually experiences when taking regular sleeping pills.
My 1st experience with melatonin
I decided to take the 3mg dose around half an hour before bed time, which was the recommended schedule. I could recall that there was some sort of drowsiness and I was able to drift off much faster than usual.
But there was a catch though: I still work up with a little grogginess. At this point, I felt really disappointed.
Some adjustments and changes made
Knowing that it has some promise, I decided not to give up easily and make some changes instead by lowering the dose to 1mg.
And that’s not all, I’ve read somewhere that dimming the lights and taking a break from cellphones prior to bedtime can help, so I tried these as well. Lo and behold, I was able to fall asleep quicker and woke up without any ounce of grogginess. Finally, some progress!
The long-term use begins and a few things I noticed
I continued with this sleeping aid for a few more weeks and I could say that my sleeping routine has improved, A LOT. Quicker to fall asleep, deeper snoozes, ah this is the life…but not quite.
Sometimes I get to experience those vivid dreams. Nothing really scary, weird or wild, but I could easily remember them now as compared to before.
So, continue, make some changes, or call it quits?
A month has passed and I realized that I’m now more confident and satisfied with the quality of sleep that I’m getting. No more tosses and turns, no more frustrating nights. At this point, I slowly lowered the frequency of using this drug to test if anything will change.
Luckily, I was still able to get some good sleep and I was able to tell that my body has been able to adjust to it naturally. And so, I continued to slowly detach myself from this pill until it’s completely removed from my routine.
Some lessons learned and a piece of advice
From this experience, these are my personal takeaways:
- Go low and slow: Start with the lowest dose (but one that’s effective) so you won’t experience any drastic side effects.
- A good sleeping habit really helps: Give your eyes a break from artificial lights, whether it’s from your room or from your gadgets. Trust me, this can really make the pill more effective!
- Don’t ignore your body: Never shrug off any weird or unexplainable side effects. Do some adjustments or better yet, talk to a doctor. One that specializes in sleeping problems
A final word
As Dalai Lama said, “Sleep is the best meditation” and I couldn’t agree more! Melatonin was the answer to those nights of restlessness. But it’s important to be aware that while this pill worked for me, it could be a different case for you or someone else.
Nevertheless, this is definitely something worth considering if you’re longing for a better sleep.