Melatonin and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• pj9...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2013

For Insomnia "Had sleep problems for a long time, especially regulating sleep patterns. Took 5mg of melatonin for the first time last night. Within 30 minutes, felt drowsy, went to bed, and fell asleep immediately. Woke up this morning feeling refreshed. Would certainly recommend and use again."

• Rat...
• December 2, 2013

For Insomnia "It works well, although I feel depressed and super drowsy when I take too much. And when I don't take the pill, I feel like I can't reach deep sleep even if I was tired. Don't listen to the people taking 3 mg and over. That is way too much. The body produces 0.8 mg of melatonin naturally for your sleeping purpose. I take 1 mg at the max approximately 1 hour and a half before going to bed and keep functioning until I start feeling tired. I stay away from a screen with blue light."

• Ale...
• August 25, 2015

For Insomnia "I always sleep after 2:30 a.m. It wasn't really a problem since I'm a freelancer and I could work anytime I want. But sometimes I need to wake up early in the morning. I've always used Alprazolam to help me get to sleep early. I don't like the feeling of taking it, it makes me sleep so fast and it doesn't feel natural. I then read about this melatonin and bought the 3 mg. I didn't take one whole pill, I divided it into 2 parts. So I just took 1.5 mg. And you know what? It works wonders for me! I feel sleepy after taking it, and the sleepy feeling was so natural. I also woke with no drowsiness. If you have sleeping problems, try this one first. Make sure you take the lowest dosage before you raise it."

• ren...
• March 3, 2009

For Insomnia "I started having sleeping problems during menopause. Someone recommended melatonin, and I bought some. I haven't slept this well since I was a child! I would recommend it to anyone with problems falling asleep or staying asleep. Also, I awake refreshed with no drowsiness."

• Rac...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 23, 2015

For Insomnia "Being 24 years old, I have horrible sleep habits. There are days I have to wake up early for school or work, and other days I sleep in, so the time that I go to sleep every night varies. Also, when I have something happening in the morning (work, school, etc.), my mind is constantly racing while I am trying to sleep. Now, before I go to sleep every night, I take melatonin (the Natrol brand), and it definitely relaxes me so I can comfortably fall asleep. Other sleeping pills I have previously used would make me wake up feeling groggy, still very tired, and with a migraine. Unlike other sleeping pills, I wake up feeling refreshed after taking melatonin. I would highly recommend."

• Bex...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2015

For Insomnia "When I take sleeping pills, I always wake up groggy and feel like I never got any real sleep. These make me go to sleep quickly, and I feel like I have had the best sleep ever. I didn't think this would work, my sister offered it to me, and after an hour, I was out cold. The thing is, though, that the sleep is so good you never want to wake up and get your day going, lol. I take 5 mg very seldom when I really need to get a good night's rest or when I have a day off, and I feel physically tired but mentally awake to keep from working myself too hard and giving myself and my body much-needed beauty rest. Definitely works for me, maybe not for everybody, and I wouldn't suggest chronic use, but great for some sleepless nights."

• mef...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2015

For Insomnia "I have tried every prescription for sleeping. I get roughly 3 hours at a time, only to wake up groggy the next day. When I was told about melatonin, I didn't think it would be worth trying. Well, I was wrong. It was great and still is. I use it in conjunction with valerian root from time to time and can't believe how well I sleep."

• bmg...
• February 17, 2010

For Insomnia "32 years old. Have been taking melatonin about 4 years now. It works great. I started off at 3 mg and now take 9 mg a few times a month to help with sleep issues. I haven't noticed weird dreams. What I like is that I fall asleep, and if I had to get up for an emergency (3 young children), that there is no grogginess or medicine head feeling."

• Anonymous
• July 3, 2010

For Insomnia "I've used this for 10 years. I alternate between regular and extended-release form. The extended-release form seems to give me morning grogginess no matter how long I take it, but extended release has some benefits if you are not sleeping through the night. I was diagnosed with parasomnia when I was 10 years old and struggled with it for 20 years, after taking several different prescription medicines that didn't work or side effects were so awful, I started taking this. It has changed my life because now I feel like I have a life. I wake up refreshed, with energy to make it through the day. I take only 3 mg a night and started taking 3 mg during the day to help with my fibromyalgia."

• OlB...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2020

For Insomnia "Was going to bed, falling asleep, waking a couple of hours later and staying awake 4-5 hours before going back to sleep. Dr. gave me melatonin - been taking 0.08 mL and sleeping soundly for 9+ hrs. Problem is drowsiness for 3-4 hrs. after arising. Still feel better than before, so going to reduce dosage and see what happens."

• Ret...
• May 16, 2016

For Insomnia "I have trouble sleeping. I don't like taking drugs but find after missing 2-3 nights in a row, I have to take something. A friend (battling cancer) told me melatonin helped her. I have taken it 3 nights in a row and slept 10 hrs, 6 hrs, and 8 hrs. BUT I seem to be drowsy midday and need a nap as soon as I get home. So going to stop for a few nights and then try half a tablet."

• Dra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 6, 2016

For Insomnia "I have had a really rough time sleeping the last 6 months, and I have tried other sleeping pills but had bad reactions to them. I was told to use melatonin, and so my doctor prescribed me 5 mg, and I was able to relax and get good sleep, but sadly I wake up with a lot of grogginess that literally lasts all day. I feel like I'm rested, but if I shut my eyes, I would fall out."

• Too...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 9, 2016

For Insomnia "I like this sleeping aid. I can't sleep and have a tough time going to sleep at night. Some nights I sleep, other nights I don't and stay up for days until I'm so tired that I fall out. I tried this drug, 5 mg, and I love it so far. There is always some drawback for all drugs. When I woke up the next morning, I was drowsy, but I snapped out of it a little while later and felt good, refreshed. I'm not saying it didn't work. It really did. It's the first test and time I am taking it, and I tell you it might not work all the time, but I will give it a try. So far, so good."

• Bra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2017

For Insomnia "Was good the first week, helped me sleep well, woke up fine. Then the second week, I woke up feeling like I was having a panic attack, and then felt so sleepy I was scared there was something wrong with me. I was not feeling right at all and woke up with headaches and feeling groggy all day. Horrible. Won't take it again."

• Von...
• August 30, 2016

For Insomnia "I took this for three days. Within that short period of time, I experienced extreme abdominal pain and cramping, severe migraine headaches, nausea, drowsiness all day, moodiness, agitation, shaking, etc."

• NJR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 8, 2014

For Insomnia "Had 8 all-night insomnia incidents in the last month. Never had insomnia before. Have tried hypnosis tapes, alcohol, and melatonin to sleep. Took 3 mg melatonin with a chamomile capsule at 3 AM. Sleep snuck up on me without warning, and I slept until 10 AM. Next night, same thing, took another 3 mg melatonin at 4 AM - no effect. Felt flat the day after taking it, dopey after no effect."

• ano...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 10, 2022

For Insomnia "I started taking it in late elementary school for insomnia, and for eight years (thereabouts), it worked great with my sleep. However, I began to get side effects at the start of my first year of college. It started with me being easily agitated and forgetful, which later turned to being drowsy at times when I needed to be alert and talking to myself all the time. I tried it again as needed near the end of my semester, and it worked fine until winter break, when I started having nightmares from it that put me in a bad headspace for the whole day. It was odd because I took 3 mg the whole time, which is a low dose."

• J-m...
• April 2, 2023

For Insomnia "Tried 4 mg of prescription melatonin for the first time, and I felt no difference. Second time I tried it, it actually made me feel like a normal tired person, no drowsiness comes with it. I’m not sure whether it was the melatonin that made me feel tired or if it was just my normal self feeling tired, since the first time I tried it I didn’t feel a thing different."

• Sig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2018

For Insomnia "Unable to fall asleep. Terrible nightmares. Headaches and drowsiness the next day."

• It ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2016

For Insomnia "Took it at 10:30 pm. It is noon the day after, and I am so drugged up, drowsy. Don't understand why it is still in my body."

• Com...
• October 19, 2016

For Insomnia "First time didn't make me sleep, and I felt nausea and dopey all the next day. I tried it months later one night and got severe headaches and didn't make me sleep."

• nct...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2013

For Insomnia "While it helped me to sleep, I awoke feeling drowsiness most of the day. It was only 3 mg. I question if I will continue because I cannot go to work drowsy."

• OMT...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2016

For Insomnia "Made me feel drowsy after taking it, but then after going to bed, it made me have that mixed feeling of drowsiness and insomnia. I had a terrible night using it!"

• Anonymous
• January 27, 2010

For Insomnia "Very good for sleep issues. I have had some problems with vivid dreams, but overall, it has helped, and it usually doesn't cause next-day drowsiness."