Melatonin morning grogginess?

[rebtar]

I’ve been taking 9mg melatonin for REM sleep disorder which has been pretty successful. Past few months, however, I’m REALLY groggy for a few hours in the morning. Has anyone else had this problem, and found a solution? Grogginess is much reduced at 6mg. But yelling while dreaming returns.

[ParlePark]

I take 9-12 mg pretty much every eve. No grogginess at all.

[chartist]

I had that initially when I did a melatonin experiment at 70 mg per day, but it went away gradually over a period of about two weeks.

On my recent experiments, I noticed it again as I approached 180 mg / night, but it only lasted a few days and was gone. That is common when starting, but it normally is only temporary.

You say it lasts for a few hours. Now that we are almost in summer, maybe you can test taking your evening dose two or three hours earlier to see if that helps since you say the groggy feeling lasts a few hours.

Art

[rebtar in reply to chartist]

Unfortunately I’ve been taking melatonin for 1 1/2 yrs, and this started after a year. I now take the first dose at around 9pm, which is sundown. I’ll try moving it to 6pm, to see if that helps.

[HersheysMom in reply to rebtar]

I was successfully able to cut back from 10 mg to 5, by reducing the dose gradually over a month or so. Rather than moving back by 3 hours, you might start by moving back by 30 min for a few days, then another 30 min for a few days, etc.

[Roland3]

Have you tried taking it earlier in the evening? Or spread out your dosage. 3 at 8:00, 3 at 9 and 3 At 10.

[MarionP]

This happens to me. I'd found some help taking it earlier. In the morning I have a cup of tea or two and just wait a bit, and it clears in a couple hours. Also, I may take half early, I wake later anyway once or twice to take out the dog or get a drink of water relieve my bladder etc, and I take a small extra dose at that time.

[dadcor]

It mainly happens, when you are a bit overdosed. I would just take a little rest and start again from 4-5mg and up gradually.. People have different needs of melatonin if at all..

[pmmargo]

I've got REM sleep disorder too. And my movement specialist also said to take melatonin. And I had the grogginess which I hate.

Instead I increased my Mirapex(pramipexole). That gave me more dopamine agonist which has made me feel younger and much better in the morning. It supposedly helps with restless legs (which fortunately I only have occasionally) and possibly on the punching, yelling,etc... (my wife's favorites).

Your neurologist will also undoubtedly offer you clonazepam, which did not work for me even at high dosage.

That has potential to add addition to benzos to your problems.

Best Wishes!

Paul

[TigerShark]

Hi Rebtar,

I’ve been taking 3 mg of Melatonin for years and also, have been experiencing some unwanted grogginess in the morning. So, I recently stoped taking melatonin. The grogginess has cleared and I feel much better. It takes about 10-15 minutes longer to ease into sleep, but that’s OK. I still take 2 Neuro mag magnesium an hour.before bed. The key for me is to exercise by walking 45 minutes a day in my house.

I hope this helps. God bless.

Mark

[rebtar]

Thank you all for your responses. I’m cutting back to 6mg again for a bit and will work on going to bed earlier, which may help the length of sleep time. Then I’ll gradually add a bit of melatonin every few nights to see what the upper limit that will control yelling without getting groggy, I took 6 last night and didn’t sleep well, but that was to be expected and I woke up much more alert which is soooooo much better.

[rebtar in reply to rebtar]

I’m also starting earlier which should help with grogginess and also with getting to sleep earlier!

[flyingfoxone]

We are in the U.S. and have recently begun using a product from Nature's Bounty called Sleep3 which includes Melatonin and L-Theanine. We have been using for about three weeks. Though he does not sleep through the night, it has made a big difference in my husband's sleep. In addition, I feel he has made some improvement in cognition and attention. We have not changed anything else so I really attribute some of this to the L-Theanine.

[ion_ion]

I get groggy, too, so that's why I take it only when absolutely necessary.