Falling Asleep with Melatonin Supplements

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sleepingBack in high school, I used to lie in bed every night until 1 or 2 in the morning, which would result in a long day and daily after school naps. My mind is always racing in the evenings (as I would consider myself a night person), and it’s always a challenge to fall asleep. My first solution was to listen to music, but that just made things worse, as it got me excited and more awake.

When I moved to college, I was having the same problems, but I found that whenever I left my laptop on streaming South Park or some other cartoon, I would fall asleep usually before the episode’s end. This has always been my method for sleeping (I still stream TV on my computer every night), but I still have nights when I’m too wired to even try to go to bed.

Sleep Better Naturally

When I started experimenting with supplements, I found out about all the different things that people take to fall asleep. I don’t have crazy sleeping problems (if you do, you should probably see a doctor instead of trying to self-medicate) so I wanted to stay away from some of the shadier products. Even commercials of couples being able to finally “sleep like a baby” scared me. The idea of taking some foreign substance to fall asleep is a weird thing. That’s until I discovered Melatonin and all of its benefits.

Melatonin

Melatonin is naturally-occurring in the brain, which is always a good thing. It’s what our brain produces/releases when we start to feel tired (as part of our sleep cycle). When I found out melatonin exists in pill form, I bought some to try. Every time I take a pill (5mg), I know that I’ll likely be in bed within the next half-hour. As long as I don’t go for a jog or wash my face, the drowsiness will overcome and dominate me, putting me into a gentle sleep.

Melatonin Dosage

One curious thing about melatonin from what I’ve learned is that less is more. I was reading a lucid-dreaming forum the other day, and someone stated they took 20 melatonin capsules to induce a deep sleep. I’ve never tried taking anything close to that amount, but the smaller the dose, the better off you’ll be. When I take two or three pills, I’m still able to fall asleep, but I find myself much groggier in the morning. When I take half a pill, or just one pill, I sleep the same, but wake up normally. If you decide to try melatonin supplements, you should test this for yourself, and find your “sweet spot”. You can browse around here for more info.

Looking for other sleep supplements? Try GABA or 5-HTP

My Theanine and Caffeine Experience

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Great Nootropic Combos

Whenever I’m browsing through various forums and threads on the internet about nootropics, a common question comes up: I’m new to nootropics. What should I take?

There are probably a thousand things you could take to attempt to boost your cognitive abilities, but two combinations are thrown around. Piracetam/Choline, and Caffeine/L-theanine. Most people know what caffeine is – It’s that stuff in your coffee that makes your work day bearable, or that stuff in your preworkout mix that gives you energy in the gym. L-theanine is a little less known, however.

Caffeine’s Downside

A lot of people are sensitive to stimulants. After taking caffeine, they have increased anxiety, feel jittery, and wired. Some people love the hard-hitting effects of caffeine powder (myself included), but others find it uncomfortable and too intense, so they disregard caffeine completely.

Unfortunately for those people, caffeine supplements are potentially one of the most powerful nootropics available in the market, plus it’s cheap as dirt (in bulk form, not “Starbucks coffee” form).

This is Where Theanine Comes in

L-theanine is known to be a calming agent, and is advertised to reduce stress and anxiety. I’ve taken it in isolation before a class presentation and found myself at ease (at least, more ease than usual).

When paired with caffeine, it seems to negate the undesirable side effects, leaving the pure nootropic properties for the user to enjoy. I think it’s a great combination, because it reduces the stimulant qualities of caffeine, which is sometimes a little too extreme for someone looking for a slight brain boost.

Even by itself, L-theanine is a great nootropic to supplement with because it appears to be safe and effective. It’s not as anxiolytic as something a doctor would prescribe, but it helps.

I find myself in a relaxed state whenever I take L-theanine by itself, and it is great for those stressful situations. Like caffeine, L-theanine is fairly cheap so if you don’t like the stimulation you get from coffee, then try pairing it with L-theanine. It’s popular for a reason: it works.