What’s the dose, and I think you’d mention you take extended release, right?
Yay! Yes, it’s crazy how powerful what we tell ourselves about sleep (and everything else in life) can be!
I found that Set It & Forget It gave me more freedom to live without my self imposed sleep constraints and conditions. Given the positive outcome for my sleep, I hope that the principles may even generalize to other areas of my life.
I take 10 mg extended release and 60 mg of immediate release. I view melatonin as more of a general health supplement than a sleep supplement although I’m sure it helps some with sleep. Melatonin alone was never enough for me personally.
I also wake up after a 3-4 hours of sleep. I am lucky since taurin calms my nervous system. 1,5 - 3 grams puts me back to sleep, after 20 - 30 min or so.
Dr. Greger has an interesting video on sleep, longevity, melatonin and more.
Podcast: How Much Sleep Is Enough? (Dr. Greger)
It looks like I’m all in with the Set it and Forget it method. I figured I’ve done everything else so I might as well give it a go. I was concerned about driving in the middle of the night if I get called out with Doxepin on board and my husband said he would drive me but I really don’t want him to have to do that!
Last night I didn’t wear my Fitbit or take Doxepin and so far I haven’t died from not taking it or having a sleep score! I actually feel like I’m not as tired during the day without the drug but I’ve only missed 2 doses.
The worst case scenario if this doesn’t work after all is that I return to what I’ve been doing. I’m committed to giving this at least 3 months though.
Not related but kinda sorta
As you’ve surely heard (because I announce it from the rooftops, daily) this year I became a sleeper after being a lifelong insomniac… well, until a few months ago, even if I didn’t take it, I HAD to have ambien in my nightstand. I’d have anxiety that would keep me awake if I didn’t have a 911 at my fingertips… a security blanket.
Fast forward… I no longer have it near me, and I have zero anxiety about it.
I’ll be in a hotel for a couple of nights this month and I’m thinking of even traveling without it just to see if I can mentally handle it. To me, this is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute…
Go Beth! Congratulations!!! I’m rooting for you and please share how it goes!
I found this short discussion on sleep helpful. I’ve noticed without sleep meds my pattern is similar to the Japanese which makes sense with my bmi and low inflammation.
The paper Siim Land cites is linked below.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079217300278?via%3Dihub
Awesome! Thank you so much.