Melatonin: Bringing Rest for the Weary

Breaking points come in many forms, and we all have them. Yours might have been that 1 really awful day at work. Your best friend might have reached his limit with the flat tire on a dark road at 11 PM. No one would be surprised to find that your neighbor had it up to her neck with the rogue dog tipping over the trash can yet again.

Life is tough enough. Insomnia can bring you to your knees faster than almost anything else, especially when it’s paired with your normal everyday challenges. I reached my breaking point early 1 morning last summer after seeing each and every hour pass on the clock beside my bed. Enough was enough.

Deciding to try melatonin

Sometime in July, my body decided it preferred high gear all day. No matter how much energy I expended during the day doing yard work or walking for exercise, my brain wanted my body to have no part of the resting and refueling process.

I threw my hands up that morning as I stared at the clock with wide, disbelieving eyes. I had heard the word melatonin tossed around in various social media support groups – and it was time. Always leery of sleep aids and not a huge fan of prescription medications as a whole, I decided to give melatonin a try.

A natural option for insomnia

I went with melatonin for a couple of reasons. For starters, it’s a more natural solution for insomnia. In fact, by using melatonin, I would be replacing something my body was likely producing in smaller amounts now that I was in my 40s.¹

Even though I hate to admit my body is slowing down at all, it’s good to know I have the option to use melatonin and steer, for now at least, away from a prescription sleep aid.

Limited side effects

The threat of side effects keeps me searching for natural supplements whenever possible. Melatonin has a relatively short list of interactions and side effects compared with other drugs used for insomnia.¹

As I would be using it strictly at night, I felt like the threat of dizziness and nausea was a small price to pay as I would, hopefully, be snoozing through them both. One of its side effects is drowsiness and, well, it goes without saying that I was more than happy to greet that 1 with open arms.

First night success!

I was pleasantly surprised after my first dose of melatonin. I hate to say I slept like a baby because it seems terribly cliche, but have mercy! I really did! Looking back now, I think that wonderfully restful night was the result of never having previously taken the supplement.

The first dose hit me pretty hard. Within about 45 minutes to an hour, I was warm and fuzzy and felt the blessed heaviness in my eyelids. I slept all night without waking and woke up patting myself on the back for deciding to try melatonin. Subsequent doses provided relief for my insomnia, but they didn’t seem to knock me out quite as quickly.

Keeping melatonin in my toolbox

The next few nights were much the same. I never planned to make melatonin a regular part of my routine. Honestly, in a year’s time, I have only purchased 1 bottle. I treat it like I treat acetaminophen or ibuprofen. I take it when I really need it – when all my other tried and true methods are suddenly falling short.

I can’t speak for how others will respond to melatonin, but it’s provided me with some much-needed comfort when my insomnia is at its peak and I am at my breaking point.

Have you tried melatonin? Did you find it helpful? Tell us more in the comments below!