<story><title>Melatonin</title><url>http://www.gwern.net/Melatonin</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>jobu</author><text>My youngest daughter is borderline ADHD, and rather than trying Ritalin we&amp;#x27;ve been using Melatonin in the evenings to help ease the bedtime process. (In the hopes that more sleep will help her cope with problems focusing.)&lt;p&gt;The change has been dramatic. Previously it was a  3-4 hour battle each night for her to get ready for bed and stay in bed. Now with 3mg of Melatonin she spontaneously decides to get ready for bed herself and goes to sleep in minutes.&lt;p&gt;The most interesting thing about Melatonin isn&amp;#x27;t that it makes you drowsy or helps you sleep, it&amp;#x27;s that it increases the _desire_ for sleep.  While I don&amp;#x27;t usually have trouble sleeping, it&amp;#x27;s often hard to break myself free from a computer or a device at night, and Melatonin changes this.  As the author says, &amp;quot;It works.&amp;quot;</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>allsystemsgo</author><text>I too have ADHD. I was diagnosed with it nearly 10 years ago now. I&amp;#x27;m not hyperactive or anything like that. I do tend to bounce from one thing to the next sometimes, and this can be problematic around bedtime.&lt;p&gt;Not only that but I take medication to treat my ADHD. This medication is a pretty low dose, but sometimes it&amp;#x27;s still going strong at 8 or 9pm, which is not good for sleep.&lt;p&gt;Melatonin has helped A LOT. I take between 1 - 3mg. It&amp;#x27;s not a drowsy feeling. I just want to sleep after taking it. Glad to see there seems to be no side effects.</text></comment>
<story><title>Melatonin</title><url>http://www.gwern.net/Melatonin</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>jobu</author><text>My youngest daughter is borderline ADHD, and rather than trying Ritalin we&amp;#x27;ve been using Melatonin in the evenings to help ease the bedtime process. (In the hopes that more sleep will help her cope with problems focusing.)&lt;p&gt;The change has been dramatic. Previously it was a  3-4 hour battle each night for her to get ready for bed and stay in bed. Now with 3mg of Melatonin she spontaneously decides to get ready for bed herself and goes to sleep in minutes.&lt;p&gt;The most interesting thing about Melatonin isn&amp;#x27;t that it makes you drowsy or helps you sleep, it&amp;#x27;s that it increases the _desire_ for sleep.  While I don&amp;#x27;t usually have trouble sleeping, it&amp;#x27;s often hard to break myself free from a computer or a device at night, and Melatonin changes this.  As the author says, &amp;quot;It works.&amp;quot;</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>pstuart</author><text>3mg might be too much. I am not a doctor, but my sleep doctor is, and she recommended half that amount -- right around sunset.</text></comment>