melatonin

Don't, as I did here, mix it up with melanin... that's something rather different.

Melatonin works to re-establish a normal pattern of day and night. There seems to be growing evidence that prolonged exposure to daylight is persuading the body that the day part of our lives is getting longer and longer and that we are, as a consequence, pushing the night time activity of sleep into smaller and smaller segments of the day. The "daylight" comes from TV, computers phones etc that shine with the mix of colours that looks like daylight. People are being advised to turn off these devices for an hour before bedtime to give the body the message that the day is over and it is time for sleep.

The following two sources tell this story...

www.bbc.co.uk/.../b08hymf3

www.theguardian.com/.../go-school-two-half-hours-sleep-british-children-arent-sleeping

Hi ben1991

If you see a qualified psychologist, I think s/he will be able to prescribe it.  If not, ask the psychologist to write a letter recommending Melatonin to your GP.

I've recently been in the same situation but in my case the local autism unit - who suggested Melatonin for my chronic insomnia - is unable to prescribe medication of any kind.  (I do not see a psychologist.)  Therefore my autism nurse/counsellor wrote a letter to my GP supporting my request for Melatonin.

My GP told me he is "not supposed to" prescribe Melatonin to anyone - it's normally done by a consultant - and he had to discuss the matter with the practice pharmacist, who was even unhappier about it than the GP!   He wrote a stern letter (which my GP read out to me) about how there was no evidence Melatonin was effective in adults and strongly criticising the autism unit for suggesting it.

However, my GP did eventually agree to prescribe Circadin (brand name for Melatonin), which is only licensed for adults over 55.  But I heard on the news yesterday that up to 600,000 Melatonin prescriptions are issued every year in the UK, mostly to children and adults under 55.  So I don't know why there was such a fuss about mine!  I think the rules need to be changed, so GPs can easily prescribe it where necessary.

It's certainly worth trying Melatonin as sleeping tablets can quickly create dependence.  I've been on Zopiclone for 16 years!  I try not to take it every night, or to take a very low dose (3.75mg or less).  So far, Melatonin is not working for me, but it's perhaps because my insomnia is so chronic and I'm used to taking Zopiclone.   Melatonin may well work for you - I hope so!

I'd be interested to hear from other adults who've tried Melatonin - whether it worked and how long before bedtime you took it.