Life Extension Melatonin 6 Hour Timed Release, 300 mcg, Extended-Release Formula for Gentle Sleep Support, Healthy circadian Rhythms, Cellular Defense, Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, Vegetarian, 100 Tablets

I have OSA and have not been able to master a CPAP so when my sleep schedule is thrown off for whatever reason (having a cold, eating too late, indulging in a little caffeine or a glass of wine, etc). I wake up every couple of hours. Or I wake up after 2-3 hours and that’s it for the night. I almost never have trouble getting to sleep; staying asleep is the issue. Anything sedating worsens the apnea so sleeping pills are out. I’ve tried the 1 mg regular melatonin and while it might get me 4-5 hours, I wake up with a headache and horrible nausea that ruins most of the next day. I recently stumbled on an article that said the mega-doses of melatonin sold are really overdoses and lead to undesirable side-effects. It recommended micro-doses. It also indicated that time-release formulas align better with your body’s natural melatonin production cycle. A subsequent search led me to Life Extensions MCG melatonin formula. I was pleased to find these are tablets slightly larger than a regular aspirin so easy to swallow with a bit of liquid or food; no trying to gag down huge capsules. I took my first dose last night and the result was phenomenal! Not only did I get more than 7 hours of sleep (which may not seem great if you are a normal sleeper but is near-miraculous for the sleep-deprived!), but I was able to fall back asleep after a 3 AM necessary run! And no ghastly nausea or headache upon awakening! I am thrilled to have found a new weapon in my arsenal against sleeplessness! Highly recommend this product!

The best sleep aid I've found, after trying a few different things.Long before I started having sleep problems recently, I've used the Tempur-Pedic sleep eye mask for 12 years, to block out all light when I sleep (highly recommend to add to your sleep regimen). I always wanted to make sure my sleep was the highest quality, with no light. So I was kind of surprised when I suddenly began having insomnia about 6 months ago - waking once or twice in the night, then waking at 4 a.m. "ready for the day." I'm a fan of supplements, but I've tried enough of them through the years to know I usually can't handle something strong. And of course I didn't want anything that could be addictive, because this was happening every single night, not just an "occasional" sleepless night. So I started with gentle herbal supplements and teas like chamomile, lavender, passion flower, and lemon balm. No valerian sleep aids for me, because I have a paradoxical reaction to it (instead of calming me, it gives me the opposite - anxiety and racing heartbeat). The herbs helped me relax but didn't help me sleep.I was hesitant to try melatonin because it's a hormone, and I've had my hormones messed up before, but I was desperate for sleep. I suspected the 3 mg and 5 mg doses on the market would be way too much. I started with a 1.5 mg supplement, which worked but I woke up groggy and nauseous. Too much. I tried a few lower dose options (not time released like this one), which helped me fall asleep and eliminated the first night wakings, but I still woke up at 4 a.m. on the dot and couldn't go back to sleep.Clearly I needed the melatonin to stay in my system longer, so it occurred to me to look for a time released option (which, oddly, didn't come up in my searches for melatonin until I searched specifically for time released). This looked like a good option. 1 tablet worked pretty well at keeping me asleep until about 5 a.m., which was an improvement, but it took longer for me to fall asleep in the first place because the small dose is distributed so slowly. 2 tablets are PERFECT for me at 600 mcg (equivalent to 0.6 mg, just over half a milligram, distributed evenly throughout the night). I had the most glorious night of sleep I've had in 6 months.I like this Life Extension one because it's such a tiny dose, I don't have to cut it and I was able to double up easily, without going over 1 mg. If you needed 3 tablets, it would still be less than 1 mg. With such a small dose, you can make these fine-tune adjustments. Hormones are very powerful and delicate like that. There's no reason to go overboard with them. I definitely recommend this.UPDATE: I do wish this was an 8 hour time release instead of 6. I sleep great through the 6 hours, but I'm wide awake as soon as it wears off. All the current research says adults need 8 hours of sleep for optimal health. I get by, but I NEED another two hours of sleep each night.

Most melatonin is much higher dose. For me it works better and does not give me weird dreams at the lower dose here.

Why did you pick this product vs others?:The low dose and extended release formula seems to be more effective than higher immediate release doses on the market.

I'm so glad I learned about the fact that the melatonin sold in stores at the 5mg or 10mg doses is too much for most people. I could swear every time I've taken 5mg or 10mg of melatonin, it's kept me awake. And every other kind of sleep aid I've tried either does nothing, or gives me crazy dreams which often wake me up, so it's a wash! These are working great for me - uninterrupted and peaceful sleep. The timed release prevents me from waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep. I don't take them all the time, just on nights I need to make sure to get good sleep. I'm a petite woman in my 30s and I take 2 of these at a time (0.6mg / 600mcg dose). 1 pill (300mcg dose) didn't seem to do anything.

Great dose for helping sleep but not being addictive or dependency

I have had sleep issues for many years. I actually would prefer topical melatonin, but after reading a review on timed-release, I gave it a shot and I am glad.This does not help me get to sleep much earlier than other products, but the sleep is more sustained and restful. Worth the price. I'd recommend in a heartbeat.

These melatonin tablets are the best. My daughter sent me a bottle of them & I can’t see myself doing without them. I wake up feeling rested & I am ready to get going.