I've taken melatonin for 40 + years. Was always a poor sleeper since age 14, I'm 73 now. Have been taking prescription
(addictive)sleeping pills for past ten years. Tried to get off them 4 times in last 10 years. Very difficult to rid the addiction ...3 '4 months Im back on the prescription due to severe lack of sleep. This time the prescription pill doubled in dosage for same effect. As of late the double dose was not effective, as I was not getting good sleep.
I told my doctor the last 2 years my perfectly healthy diet and exercise and low stress lifestyle seems to have affected my sleeping pill. My stronger body is telling me my sleeping pill is now.. unnecessary. My body and mind had improved greatly from practicing healthy habits. No junk food sugar, few carbs, no dairy. I do cheat a bit 3%. Got off my addictive sleep pill and upped my melatonin dose from 3mg to 20 to 30 mg. before sleep. The new research out on melatonin suggests higher doses of melatonin is not just for sleep, its a strong anti inflammatory pill as well.
Before I thought 3 to 5 mg's was the regular dose, to take more was unhealthy. Not true with said research coming out. So I upped my dose to 20 mg 1 half hour to 45 minutes before bed ,plus 5 to 10 mg of fast dissolve melatonin 15 minutes before sleep. I fall asleep in 90 seconds if I haven't eaten for 3 hours before bed. My healthier body and mind kicked the addiction; this time I felt there is no way I will need my addictive sleeping pill again. Great diet, fast 3 hours from food before sleep, no drinking a lot of water, so I don't need to get up and pee in middle of night. The 20 mg was an easy fix. I experiment with the melatonin dose from 10mg to 20mg to 30mg. Less is better, I think.
