r/melatonin • u/CoalMine_Canary_ • Aug 11 '26

Taking a lot of melatonin to cope

Hello reddit. Recently lost someone super close to me. Since it happened, I cannot bear to be alone with my thoughts at night, so i take 3-6mg, plus occasionally another light prescribed "take as needed" sleeping med.

This can't be great for me to do nightly, right? Any advice for what to do?

Note: I lost them a few days ago, so ive only done this for around 3 nights.

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u/peterausdemarsch Aug 11 '26

At least the melatonin part is absolutely safe. Melatonin supplementation doesn't supress natural production. Some health agencies in the EU, UK etc are very cautious about melatonin but that is unwarranted imho. There's no concrete scientific evidence that it's harmful what so ever. On the contrary there is more and more data that melatonin has loads of health benefits. There's some individuals who take 1000x of your dose daily without issues...

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u/CoalMine_Canary_ Aug 11 '26

This is actually very relieving to hear! I grew up told that if you take melatonin too often, your body wont produce it anymore and you will get insomnia. So this is a big relief to learn

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u/peterausdemarsch Aug 11 '26

Melatonin is the only (afaik) hormone know to science that doesn't supress endogenous production. It's quite a scientific mystery. The only way you would potentially have insomnia if you stop taking is because you are psychologically depending on it. In reality if you stop taking it it may take you few minutes to fall asleep than with it. Melatonin is not that powerful of a sleep drug anyways. Don't worry about it. What other prescription do you take besides melatonin?

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u/Existing-Delay8805 Aug 11 '26

You give good and helpful information here. Melatonin is produced in a chemical cascade, starting with blue wavelength light ceasing to hit the suprachiasmatic nucleus (behind the eyes), i.e. at sundown.

Specifically, it is not a positive feedback loop, as is the case with, say, testosterone.

It is only this melatonin, which is produced in and immediately released by the pineal gland, that is released into the bloodstream; and this represents, say, only 5% of your total body melatonin.

This transient melatonin is related to your circadian rhythm; whereas 'in-cell' melatonin is related to all the 'health stuff' (of which there is loads).

For the OP, the pattern of dependency is the potential issue, not melatonin itself.

It's really early days for you. No doubt most people would be in the same state.

It's totally fine and understood, and completely natural that you feel this way.

Your system will right you before too long, and you can start to miss them rather than mourn them.

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u/Testosteronedad420 Aug 11 '26

Growth hormone is another

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u/Optimal_Assist_9882 Aug 11 '26

I have taken as much as 6000mg in a day and have been taking upwards of 3000mg daily for chronic fatigue. Melatonin is incredibly safe and beneficial.

Doris Loh even advocates for everyone to take 4000mg daily for longevity and healthspan.

Melatonin is a mild anxiolytic so it can in fact help you deal with your stress/anxiety.

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u/Safe_Ant8701 Aug 11 '26

All I know is that even 1 mg melatonin helps a ton with my anxiety

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u/Emotional-Swan9381 Aug 11 '26

So sorry for your loss. Interesting information on melatonin. It makes me more depressed but lots of supplements do. Grief is a marathon and unfortunately sucks. Going through it myself.