How to Wean Off Melatonin Supplements

How to Wean Off Melatonin and Why You Should

How Do You Wean Off of Melatonin Supplements and Sleep Well Without Them?

Since I have walked a mile in
these shoes I will start with my story. 

I have insomnia regularly, and it is the bane of my existence! Consequently I have tried every
sleep aid out there. Someone recommended melatonin to me and it
made sense. Our bodies make it to help us sleep, so obviously mine is
falling down on the job, so I will give it a boost. Made sense to me.

First night: Yes it helped me to
go to sleep. Unfortunately a couple of hours later I woke up
mentally telling my kids I loved them as I thought for sure I was
having a heart attack. My entire jaw felt like it was on fire, it ached so badly. 

Well, don’t they say that one of the symptoms
of a heart attack is pain in your jaw? Happily it went away and I am
still here. You might say I am a slow learner. I did not take melatonin again for several months but then, still suffering from lack of
sleep, convinced myself that the jaw pain and the melatonin were not
even related.

Second time: Very same
experience. So then I knew that for sure I could not take this
stuff. Whether I was allergic to it or what I did not know, but no
more of it for me.

Cautionary Measures 

I recently watched an online
presentation by Dr. Michael Breus and the mystery was solved. Yes, a
melatonin supplement can help, but there are cautionary measures that
must be taken. He explained how the first pharmaceutical company
that produced melatonin as a supplement stated the recommended
dosage. It worked, so of course other companies wanted to get on the
bandwagon, so to speak. But the good old copyright police (or
reasonable facsimile thereof) said no-no. So these enterprising
companies just upped the dosage on the bottle and changed it a bit.
Sometimes as much as five times more. Voila. Sales were good.

Furthermore, it was discovered
that some melatonin supplements may not contain the ingredients
listed on the label.

And that is not all. Often it
contains other unlisted ingredients, such as serotonin, and never the
two should meet. This combination could be harmful to those taking
serotonin reuptake inhibitors or antidepressants.

Let’s dive into the melatonin
story with greater detail.

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What Melatonin Is

Melatonin is a naturally
occurring hormone in the brain, used by your body to regulate your
circadian rhythm. For those who don’t know, this is your body
clock. About two hours before bedtime (which should be around the
same time each and every night) your melatonin production begins.
First it provides that lovely drowsy feeling and then carries on
throughout the night. Miraculously the levels rise when it begins to
get dark and drop back again when daylight peeks through.

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When, for whatever reason, this
rhythm malfunctions, such as jet lag, delayed sleep wake phase
disorder, and shift work, it is ok to use a supplement, but only for
temporary relief, and take a small dose, gradually building up if
necessary. Just keep in mind that these supplements are not
regulated in the same way that prescription drugs supposedly are.

Melatonin Side Effects

Some side effects include nausea,
dizziness, and headache (as well as a very sore jaw, as in my case).
I have nothing to base this on, but my theory is that perhaps the
melatonin I had purchased was too strong and actually could have
caused a heart attack. Hey, it is my story and I am sticking to it! 

Other cautions include: 

Do not use melatonin supplements if you are
pregnant or breastfeeding, have an autoimmune disorder, a seizure
disorder, depression, or dementia.

Melatonin for Children?

Now to the question of melatonin
for children. There is some evidence that it can help children with
attention deficit disorder or autism spectrum disorder, as sleep
problems are common in those with these conditions. However, caution
is advised. There is a lack of information in this regard, such as
what dosage is safe, and whether or not the benefits outweigh the
risks. Because melatonin is a hormone, it is possible that the
supplements could affect hormonal development, including puberty,
menstrual cycles, and overproduction of prolactin. 

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How to Wean Off Melatonin Supplements if You Have Grown Dependent

Taking melatonin supplements eventually causes your pineal gland to stop producing the natural melatonin that it’s function is to produce.

Weaning off of melatonin supplements will not be easy, because of this, if you have become dependent on them.

The best things you will be able to do to keep natural melatonin being produced is to keep active. Particularly important will be to get fresh air and sunshine, regularly.

Go for daily walks!

Also very important:

Avoid fluoride!

Fluoride from toothpaste, drinking lots of tea, and especially from drinking unfiltered tap water, will inhibit natural melatonin production.

Additionally, taking a vitamin K2 supplement with vitamin D3 will be very helpful in stimulating the production of natural melatonin production, by aiding in the decalcification of the pineal gland.

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The Bottom Line

If
you have temporary sleep issues, take 1-3 milligrams two hours before
bedtime. However, if you still have the problem after a week or two,
stop using it. The maximum time suggested to take it, if it is
helping, is one to two months. There are many other sleep aids that
are more natural, such as ashwaghanda, GABA, or bay leaf tea. 

And if
you do decide to try melatonin, please buy from a reputable supplier,
not just your regular grocery store or pharmacy.

If you had been wondering how to wean off melatonin supplements due to fearing you have become dependent on them, hats off to you. 

As mentioned, avoid fluoride, go for daily walks, and take K2 / D3 supplements, for starters.

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