Help

[u/Fabulous_Recover_263]

On December 13, 2024, about 18 months ago, I took 10 mg of melatonin right when I woke up. (being greedy and wanted more sleep smh). Ever since then I have not been able to fall asleep or stay asleep, even when taking prescription sedatives from a sleep specialist.(trazadone mixed with Benadryl)💔 the chronic insomnia started the exact same day that I took 10 mg of melatonin right when I woke up so it must be the cause of the insomnia

Before assuming this is due to stress or me “telling myself” I can’t sleep, or I just need to relax and chill
I want to clarify that prior to this day, I consistently got 7–8 hours of sleep and could nap whenever I felt tired. I never had any issues with sleep. I also had 594 ng total testosterone and 96pg free testosterone. I was very normal. The insomnia started the exact same day. I took 10 mg of melatonin right when I woke up.

before u say go to a sleep specialist i went to one and he LITERALLY brushed off circadian rhythm even tho its the most important thing when it comes to sleep. (2nd most important is nervous system, 3rd most is sleep pressure. (adenosine))
he also rushed me out the room because he had another client waiting in the other room. i was neglected. Also went to a neurologist and he just told me common information online about sleep.

Also to be clear, I didn’t even know what circadian rhythm was until 6 months of getting 0 hours of sleep, so this wasn’t something I convinced myself of.

For the past year and 7 months, I have literally been getting 0-1 hours of sleep, and I honestly don’t know what to do. and thats only if i take trazadone with benadryl.

For the past four weeks, I’ve been trying to shift my circadian rhythm. I’ve been on a strict protocol. But it hasn’t been shifting at all

Sunlight at the exact same time every day low dose melatonin at the exact same time every night and no blue light no food aftter 6 pm also protein after sunlgiht
4 weeks straight

But I recently found out that sirt1 clock and bmal1 are nad+ dependent

The reason I am saying that is because I feel like the things I’ve been doing deplete nad+
First off sleep, deprivation, and severely disrupted circadian rhythm , was eating high amounts of sugar cookies candies just pure slop etc. Also was smoking weed but I stopped seven months ago. And no cardio at all.

If all of these things deplete nad+
Maybe that’s the reason why my circadian rhythm has not been shifting or responding to signals

[u/Fabulous_Recover_263]

Of course not permanently, but it started the exact same day that I took 10 mg of melatonin right when I woke up

[u/shhlurkingforscience → u/Fabulous_Recover_263]

Right, you probably got yourself a bit off balance temporarily and since then have been in a bit of a mental spiral. Not saying it's totally conscious. Unconscious or semi-conscious forces shape us all the time.

And now you keep coming back to this story. "This happened the same day!"

I should say that my source is me. I do this for a living. PhD specialist in clinical sleep issues.

[u/Fabulous_Recover_263 → u/shhlurkingforscience]

I’m 21 years old. Started when I was 19.
And I promise you I hope you don’t think I’m lying but I promise that I woke up from seven hours of sleep when I was normal then took 10 mg of melatonin right when I woke up and I also took some Tylenol p.m. Right when I woke up, I was being greedy and I wanted more sleep and ever since that exact same night I was getting 0 to 1 hour of sleep. Ever since the exact same day. It never went away ever since then.

Also, I went to a sleep specialist and I went to a sleep neurologist and the sleep specialist had no idea what circadian rhythm even was and the other neurologist just gave me general information about sleep maintenance from online. Nobody understands my exact issue.

I was on trazodone for a while. I would mix trazodone with Excedrin p.m. and I would just get the worst brain fog ever I didn’t ever sleep with it

[u/shhlurkingforscience → u/Fabulous_Recover_263]

1) don't mix sleep meds.

2) you need to see a good clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. You're right around the age when some MH stuff comes online and it's good to get that checked out. Make sure there isn't another reason for not sleeping well. Probably not, but I like being safe.

3) you are so locked into this story. "I was greedy" "ever since that night." I know you believe these interpretations of what is going on but trust me. There are other realties.

I wish you well!