Hi
I have seen some posts on here about Insomnia and the use of melatonin. I would like to write about how I view this supplement, and how I have found it’s best use and function.
I am not a doctor or a pharmacist, but as a psychologist, who has spoken to a lot of people suffering from sleep difficulties and a personal sufferer myself. I thought that I would give you my views.
Melatonin is not a sleeping draft, potion or tablet. It is a product mimicking the bodies natural reaction to the sleep process by using an ingredients which is involved in this process.
If you are taking melatonin with a view to going off to sleep straightaway after use, then you are going to disappointed.
The best way to take this product is to try to sort out your thoughts and feelings before you try to sleep, which I know does sound difficult and then take the tablet. Here are a few tips.
Thoughts: If you like to read before sleep, only read something that is not going to bring up worrying or fearful thoughts, e.g don’t read about something which scares you or reminds you of traumas.
Read something light or a bit boring, text books are good, but not if they refer to your job and will bring up thoughts about this. Word searches, crosswords and brain puzzles can help too and entertainment, diy and home and garden magazines.
Write down your worries and promise yourself you will think or deal with them when you awake the next day. Do multiplication tables, recite the alphabet and attach something to it, like a flower or an animal or a place you have visited. Count sheep. You can be creative here, but make sure that it is a bit boring and it doesn’t keep you awake because you are too involved. I would advise no more than half an hour doing these things.
Feelings: If you go to bed feeling over anxious and jittery, you are not going to get off to sleep easily. Some good ideas here to get you off to sleep and are not too difficult to perform, which is good because you need to get into a routine for these to become beneficial.
Have a warm bath with something in it that reminds of you of something pleasant. It could be anything, Lavender and Camomile are not the only sleep producing ingredients, some people hate these smells, or it reminds others of many sleepless nights. Try something exotic or use baby bath or anything which reminds you of good memories.
Have a quick shower, sometimes getting rid of all the dirt of the day can help. While you are doing this imagine all your worries coming out of your body and going down into the waste pipe.
Use a download on your phone to relax your muscles and clear your mind.
Learn to meditate, you can use a download for this too.
Try not to take more than 30 minutes doing this.
You can now go to bed and know you are actively helping yourself to go to sleep. When you feel more relaxed and less anxious then you can take the melatonin, it is now more likely to work as you have helped yourself to overcome your difficulties and you are not relying on just a tablet to get you off to sleep.
I hope this has helps ❤️