[ChrisMarshallNY]

I think it was here, where I read that the optimal dosage for melatonin was 0.3 mg (300 micrograms).

The smallest OTC dosage you can get, is 1mg, and they sell 10mg pills.

When I switched from 10mg to 0.3mg, my sleep improved drastically. Also, I stopped getting those really weird dreams.

But I don't like taking stuff, and ended up stopping completely, a long time ago.

[kelnos]

I still use melatonin on occasion. When I first learned about it, I tried the 10mg version, and it never did anything for me. Years ago I read about 0.3mg being the correct dose, and gave that a try. I don't take it every night, but when I do, I sleep much better, and for longer without waking up.

The main annoying thing about it is that you really need to take it a few hours before you go to sleep. So it's not something where you can realize that you're having trouble falling asleep, and take it only when needed. I have heard of some people where it does make them sleepy immediately after taking it, but I don't think that's a common reaction.

[crazygringo]

I too have had much better success with 0.3 mg, although it's annoying to have to cut up the pills.

But for me personally, I get the full effect within about 45 min, and it's noticeable within about 20 min.

I only take it very occasionally, when I need to shift my schedule to wake up several hours earlier than normal.

[mettamage]

In The Netherlands you can buy it per 0.1 mg. There are 500 small tablets in a bottle.

[mackatap]

Same goes for me on the timing. If I take it more than an hour before I lay down to sleep it will not help me at all.

[a13n]

I’ve found if I chew the pill into a fine powder and let it dissolve under your tongue, then I consistently fall asleep in 15-20 mins.

Definitely makes sense that absorption is faster than simply taking orally.

[cobaltoxide]

You should be able to fall asleep in less than 15-20 minutes without using melatonin as well.

[naruhodo]

Yes. And that's the reason us insomniacs are taking melatonin.

[repeekad]

I was told this by a doctor and just couldn't believe it was true, turns out good habits like consistent wake time and winding down well before lying in bed are super important.

[coffeebeqn]

I can probably count on one hand during my adult life where that’s been the case. Is that really the reality for most?

[beebeepka]

Same here. Only happens when I am literally exhausted from a week of 3 hour sleep. Don't even drink coffee. Been like this for as long as I can remember

[ghaff]

I have no idea of the stats but I usually absent jet lag, otherwise being on a weird schedule, or having my mind spinning about something fall asleep quickly.

I do use melatonin but mostly only in conjunction with international travel.

[pipe2devnull]

Most normal nights is definitely within 10 min for me. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was less than 5 min.

[silverpepsi]

Hmm is that just a ridiculously unqualified statement, or do you really mean any old time any old place?

[Gare]

Yes, I'm buying it in spray form.

[esperent]

I take 3mg most nights and find it's an very effective asleep aid. I've tried breaking up the tablets to take around 1 to 0.5g but I don't feel like it does anything. Of course, this is purely anecdotal and it may well be placebo. But it works and as someone who often struggles with sleep I'm not gonna complain when I find something that helps, placebo or not.

At worst, it's far less harmful than drugs, and at best, it may have a bunch of other benefits from reducing cancer risk to reducing depression, to helping with acid reflux and GERD - none yet proven though.

[willcipriano]

Really depends on body weight I imagine.

[esperent]

Not enough to account for 0.3mg vs 3mg. Unless I weighed 500kg or something. Which I don't, quite.

[n4te]

Many brain affecting substances don't depend on body weight.

[RheingoldRiver]

This is 0.3 and not 3 right? I just checked and my pills are 3mg. If it's supposed to be 0.3 I will buy a new bottle immediately and see if it improves my sleep.

100% agree about taking it early, I get a bit of an "omg I'm sleepy" effect immediately, but I'm pretty sure it's placebo, I have to take it about 1-2 hours before I want to sleep. But it's still not super effective on its own.

[wincy]

I use 0.3mg and it has also improved my sleep drastically. It’s not a typo. I also give it to my kids who had terrible problems with sleep (staying up until 1am and bad stuff) and it’s made bedtime happen promptly.

[n4te]

0.3mg is right. I recommend get dissolving 1mg tablets, just break them into rough thirds. Dissolve under the tongue 15 minutes before sleep.

[RheingoldRiver]

Fantastic, thanks! I probably misheard my doctor on the phone or something. I'll see what I can find!

[BaculumMeumEst]

it's not a placebo, that's how it works. you get a small window to ride that effect to sleep.

[RheingoldRiver]

Well, what happens is, I am briefly tired for about 5 minutes immediately after taking it, but if I lie in bed I'm immediately wide awake. But about 2 hours later I'm legitimately sleepy. But it's certainly possible both effects are real.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

I brought special 300 microgram pills on Amazon. There's actually a link in the story.

[corysama]

I have a routine where I take 1mg dissolved under the tongue only if and when I’m at the point that I’m almost asleep, but it’s not happening. It’s often enough to nudge me over the edge. If I could conveniently find 0.5mg sublingual pills, I’d buy them. But, 15mg pills are easy to find and 1mg are rare…

[mewpmewp2]

Is there a source for the 0.3mg, because the most sleep supplements around here I've tried seem to have at least 0.5mg, or at least 1mg. They contain a mixture of other things as well, like magnesium, leonurus cadiaca, humulus lupulus.

Melatonin only supplements mostly seem to start at around 2mg. There may be few of them at 1mg.

I can't tell if I've personally had any effects from melatonin specifically though. Sometimes I may have sleep issues and those nights, I think none of those supplements do anything.

[mtlmtlmtlmtl]

Dunno about the US, but in Norway there a prescription version that's 2mg total in an extended release formulation. It's a fairly optimal dosage repeated throughout the night. It's technically meant for elderly people who can't stay asleep very well, but it's been pretty easy to get it off-label(doctors will basically be thrilled to be "drug-seeked" for just melatonin instead of benzos or Z-drugs for once, IME), and the price is reasonable, especially now there's a generic version.

Did absolute wonders for my overall sleep quality anyway. And I struggle with both insomnia and frequent awakenings.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

I'll see if I can find the posting. It was a fairly exhaustive article. It was enough for me to give it a try.

EDIT: I think this was it. Looks like it's had a couple of turns here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17632668

[sottol]

Yes, I think that's the post. I was also just going to post that.

What I ended up doing is buy smallest dose of melatonin gummy-bears (3mg afair) and they were easier to cut into smaller pieces/lower doses than pills.

I occasionally use these to adjust my circadian rhythm. Naturally I go to bed around 2-4am but I have kids that wake us up at the crack of dawn.

[mewpmewp2]

Interesting. Are you certain that in those gummy-bears the melatonin would be spread around the gummy bear equally as opposed to being injected or similar into a single place? I'm not sure how they are combined with melatonin.

Edit: looking around a bit, it does seem like melatonin or supplement ingredients are added and mixed before they are molded, so at least in theory it should be spread around fairly evenly.

[noodlenotes]

My nearby stores have started carrying 1 mg children's melatonin gummies.

[webnrrd2k]

Just a suggestion for everyone that takes melatonin -- get some liquid drops. I have a bottle that has 3mg per 30 drops, so I take 3 drops on my tongue an hour or two before I want to fall asleep. Liquid drops are the way to go.

[I just posted this upthread, but reposting because I think it's a great way to go]

[maksimur]

Depends on how frequent you use it. I had to throw a bottle after expiring because I take melatonin at most a few times per month to "recalibrate" my circadian rhythm.

[n4te]

Read this: https://nootropicsdepot.com/articles/melatonin-supplements-d...

[vl]

Yes, just get liquid melatonin from Amazon and you can dose it super precisely using small syringe.

[lancesells]

I'll never take it again because of the dreams. If they were fun dreams I would maybe consider it but no. And it's crazy the dosages they sell.

[ChrisMarshallNY]

I found the dreams were really weird (Like Salvador Dali weird), but not nightmares.

[hughesjj]

> The smallest OTC dosage you can get, is 1mg

Well, in the US yeah. It's banned OTC in France and the Netherlands will actually sell you the 0.3mg pills.

[eurleif]

>The smallest OTC dosage you can get, is 1mg

There are 0.3mg pills available, for example: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Melatonin-300-Capsules...

[repeekad]

"life extension melatonin" reminds me how sad the regulation around "supplements" and claims about them are in the US

[coffeebeqn]

Cool but also really funny how much more expensive it is to get a much lower effective dose. 60 pieces of 10mg are $2.70

[iteria]

I buy children's melatonin. The doses get do much smaller with children. The price is much smaller.

Life extension is just an expensive brand. You're paying for reassurance you aren't being swindled because the US's regulations around supplements is a joke.

[webnrrd2k]

Just a suggestion for everyone that takes melatonin -- get some liquid drops. I have a bottle that has 3mg per 30 drops, so I just take 3 drops on my tongue an hour or two before I want to fall asleep. Liquid drops are the way to go.

[barake]

Didn't realize it was available in a liquid form like this. I've been buying "child" tablets and breaking the 3mg apart.

10mg is the same as an edible for me, and super unpleasant when trying to rest.

[wheels]

Some random anecdata:

I have a chronic sleep disorder, "Non-24 Sleep / Wake Disorder", which means my sleep floats pretty freely and doesn't naturally sync up with the sun. For the most part, I've structured my life for that to be ok, but sometimes it's not. I basically use melanin to bludgeon myself into a more normal sleep pattern when I have to. I usually start with 2 mg, 30-60 minutes before I want to sleep, but often when that doesn't work, take another 3 mg, which usually gets the job done. Often I don't even notice 1-2 mg, but 5 mg does register reasonably strongly.

[Buttons840]

I took 13 mg every night for a few months after hearing it might help with acid reflux and I was desperate. I personally didn't suffer any effects or withdrawals from it, but remember you may be different and be careful. I eventually learned that, yeah, 0.3 mg is a good dose, so now I buy 1 mg pills, bite off an edge, and throw the majority of the pill away, and I was surprised to see it works just as well (on the rare occasion I take some these days).

[r00fus]

Why not just cut them? https://www.dontwasteyourmoney.com/best-pill-cutters/

[barbariangrunge]

Good luck finding it at less than 3mg actually. What you need to do is to find an edible version, like those strips, and cut them into 1/8ths (it’s easy to create 1/8ths, annoying to make accurate 1/10ths)

[diego_sandoval]

I can attest to having weirder dreams and more nightmares when taking melatonin (3mg)

[ex3ndr]

I needed to cut small pills into 6 pieces to get optimal dosage, now i know why

[vl]

There is liquid version in the bottle which you can dose very precisely by using small syringe.

[heavyset_go]

About 0.1mg was the sweet spot for me.