4 ms·

Light therapy is the main thing (seems daylight simulation and negative ions may also work, but this is less researched). The melatonin option is indicated at t

Light therapy is the main thing (seems daylight simulation and negative ions may also work, but this is less researched). The melatonin option is indicated at the level of micrograms, and as far as I know is quite safe. I'm mostly drawing from gwern's analysis and the opinions of several doctors, though, for the safety profile: http://www.gwern.net/Melatonin http://www.gwern.net/Melatonin Care to share some references? It would be useful to add to the page above.

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago
There's a bunch of easily found stuff on animal experiments where it shrinks gonads and brains. It clearly turns off fertility in animals. It's well understood as the "winter hibernation" hormone. It's not the "good circadian rhythm night of deep sleep" hormone like people seem to think. It rises to adapt the body to the stress of darkness of winter, it doesn't rise to make you get better rest. It makes the retina more sensitive to light and lightens skin. It's high in seasonally depressed people. Taking a sunny vacation lowers it, and makes you feel better. Nobody has a melatonin deficiency; you don't need melatonin levels to get restful sleep. If stress hormone levels are low you can fall asleep under bright lights with no melatonin. I can't say taking 5mg every now and then would be harmful to humans, but when you understand melatonin's essential role as the winter hibernation hormone, and consider the animal experiments, I think you might want to prefer other means to get to sleep. Personally, I find diphenhydramine (benadryl) pretty good for occasional help nodding off. And that's very clearly safe for occasional use.
- konstruktor 12y ago
  If "stuff" is so easily found, why don't you reference it?
- quotient 12y ago
  I couldn't find any statements backing up your claim that Melatonin shrinks brains; in fact, I found allegations to the opposite: Melatonin appears to have neuroprotective properties.[0] I suggest you cite your sources, especially when making sweeping claims like "it's well understood as...", "easily found stuff", etc. [0] http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2013/sep2013_Melatonin-The-Brain-Hormone_01.htm http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2013/sep2013_Melatonin-The-Br...

a8da6b0c91d 12y ago

There's a bunch of easily found stuff on animal experiments where it shrinks gonads and brains. It clearly turns off fertility in animals. It's well understood as the "winter hibernation" hormone. It's not the "good circadian rhythm night of deep sleep" hormone like people seem to think. It rises to adapt the body to the stress of darkness of winter, it doesn't rise to make you get better rest. It makes the retina more sensitive to light and lightens skin. It's high in seasonally depressed people. Taking a sunny vacation lowers it, and makes you feel better. Nobody has a melatonin deficiency; you don't need melatonin levels to get restful sleep. If stress hormone levels are low you can fall asleep under bright lights with no melatonin. I can't say taking 5mg every now and then would be harmful to humans, but when you understand melatonin's essential role as the winter hibernation hormone, and consider the animal experiments, I think you might want to prefer other means to get to sleep. Personally, I find diphenhydramine (benadryl) pretty good for occasional help nodding off. And that's very clearly safe for occasional use.

konstruktor 12y ago
If "stuff" is so easily found, why don't you reference it?
quotient 12y ago
I couldn't find any statements backing up your claim that Melatonin shrinks brains; in fact, I found allegations to the opposite: Melatonin appears to have neuroprotective properties.[0] I suggest you cite your sources, especially when making sweeping claims like "it's well understood as...", "easily found stuff", etc. [0] http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2013/sep2013_Melatonin-The-Brain-Hormone_01.htm http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2013/sep2013_Melatonin-The-Br...