I am always all about the hippie hippie methods of finding a solution to a problem... In almost any situation my first efforts are a natural option... sleepless nights are no different. Zaq and I have always been fans of Melatonin in the case of restlessness. And lets face it... as busy parents of 4 there are many MANY restless nights... I love that it is a natural alternative to sleeping pills but has the same result. Melatonin “is a hormone made by the pineal gland , a small gland in the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles.” So instead of relying on something like zzzQuil or Ambien – its a fantastic option to trigger your body that it is bedtime. Recently we had the option to try Natrol Melatonin. Im totally in love. They are just 1mg tablets so you can easily adjust the dose based on your needs... and what sets them apart from other brands is that they are strawberry flavored and easily dissolve on your tongue. This is a great choice for people that don't like or have a hard time swallowing pills.
“Melatonin supplements are sometimes used to treat jet lag or sleep problems (insomnia). Scientists are also looking at other good uses for melatonin, such as:
*Treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
*Helping to control sleep patterns for people who work night shifts.
*Preventing or reducing problems with sleeping and confusion after surgery.
*Reducing chronic cluster headaches.”
Now as a lot of my readers are pregnant and nursing moms... I definitely wanted to mention that you should not take it without talking first to your doctor, ob or midwife as with most things there in conflicting evidence about how it could effect baby.
A standard dose is 1-3mg... When I first started I would take 1mg about half an hour before I wanted to sleep. I usually only need 1-2 mg. My husband tends to need 2-3 mg... I think it just varies from person to person and you can adjust as needed which is another that that makes the low dosage of the Natrol Melatonin so perfect. Best part? Only $5.49 right now on Amazon WITH Prime. Awesome! They also have 3mg, 5mg, 10mg, based on your needs and a convenient liquid dropper option. Finally, its made in the USA so you can "rest easy" supporting a locally made product. See what I did there? So punny... ;) Sleep tight friends!
